Tile fastening
Each tile is secured to the deck or battens so tiles stay put in strong wind.
Tile Roofing
Tile Roof Installation Morristown, NJ
A Morristown tile roofer can help choose between clay and concrete, flat or curved profiles, and install the full system beneath the tile. Dial (862) 363-5004 to talk with a local roofer about a new tile roof.
Before any tile goes up, the question is whether the house can hold it. Because tile is so heavy, homes converting from shingles usually need the framing checked, and some need reinforcement first. Houses designed for tile already account for that load in their framing.
Then comes choosing the tile itself. Clay tile is fired, keeps its color for a very long time and is lighter than most concrete tile, while concrete tile comes in many profiles and slowly fades as its surface weathers. The profile can be flat, low curve or high curve, and each handles water and wind a little differently.
What lasts is the system under the tile. Slope matters too: tile generally needs at least 2.5 in 12, and slopes under 4 in 12 need a double layer of underlayment. Choosing a long lasting underlayment now is what keeps the roof from needing a relay in twenty years.
Depending on what the roofer finds, tile roof installation in Morristown, NJ can go hand in hand with tile roof replacement and roof installation.
Dealing with this in Morristown, NJ right now? Call (862) 363-5004 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a tile roof installation
Here is how a roofer usually installs a tile roof.
Check the structure
Before ordering tile, the load on the rafters or trusses is checked, reinforcement is planned if needed and the permit is filed. Tile is ordered with extra for cuts, hips and future repairs.
Lay the underlayment
Solid sheathing is inspected and renailed, then the roof is dried in with underlayment, doubled where the slope calls for it. Since this layer does the waterproofing, it is where quality matters most.
Set the battens
Battens are fastened across the roof at spacing set by the tile, and on many roofs counter battens run beneath them so water can drain freely. That air space under the tile helps the roof shed heat and dry out.
Flash every penetration
Wide valley metal, pan flashing at walls and soft metal flashing at pipes are installed so water is carried over the underlayment, not into it. Tile flashing has to reach up and over curved profiles, so it is larger than shingle flashing.
Set the field tile
Tile goes on from the eave up, with an eave closure to keep birds out and fasteners or foam adhesive chosen for local wind requirements. Cut tiles at hips and valleys are fastened too, since small pieces are the first to blow off.
Cap the ridge
Ridge and hip caps are set on a raised ridge board, either in mortar or with a dry ridge system and a vented closure that lets attic air out. The roof is cleaned, broken pieces are replaced and spares are left with the owner.
What is included
What tile roof installation includes
Underlayment system
Doubled or self-adhered underlayment goes down where needed before any tile goes on the roof.
Eave closures
Bird stops close the eave and caps seal the ridge so birds and wind-driven rain stay out.
Tile flashing
Valleys, walls, chimneys and pipes get flashing sized for tile which is where tile roofs usually leak.
Structural review
The framing is checked for the weight of tile so the roof does not sag over time.
Related service
Barrel Tile Roof Installation Morristown, NJ
Barrel tile is the classic two-piece tile roof: half-round pan tiles laid concave side up, with cover tiles laid over the joints between them. Each tapered tile overlaps the one below it, and the deep shape throws the strong shadow lines that give the roof its look. That depth means the open ends at eaves and ridges have to be closed with bird stops, mortar or formed closures.
On a Morristown barrel tile roof, the cover tiles are the ones wind targets, so how they are fastened matters most. Straight, evenly spaced rows take chalk lines and patience on the deck.
Related service
Spanish Tile Roof Installation Morristown, NJ
Most Spanish tile today is one-piece S tile, which mimics the classic two-piece look while going on faster. Clay and concrete Spanish tile are both common, in solid and blended colors. Its interlocking side laps shed water well, but the curved ends at eaves and ridges still need closing off.
A Spanish tile roof on a Morristown home starts with the same foundation as any tile roof: sound framing and a solid underlayment. Flashing around chimneys, walls and skylights has to be shaped to the S curve, often with formed metal or a flexible flashing material. If you choose a blend, the roofer mixes tile from several pallets at once to spread the color evenly.
Local help
Tile Roof Installation Near Me
Tile roofs in Morristown go onto newer homes built for them and onto older homes where owners are switching from shingles. For older homes in Morristown and nearby towns like Cedar Knolls, Morris Plains, Whippany and Madison, the framing check is the step that decides whether tile is practical, and storms that bring strong wind make fastening choices as important as the tile itself.
Need tile roof installation around Morristown? Call (862) 363-5004 for a Morristown roofer who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects roofs around Morristown
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, building ice dams that push water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Morristown is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Morristown know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Tile Roof Installation FAQ
Should I choose clay or concrete roof tile?
The choice comes down to priorities. Fired clay holds its color, weighs a bit less and has the longest track record. Concrete is sturdy and widely available, though it absorbs more moisture and its surface weathers with age.
How heavy is a tile roof?
Tile weighs several times as much as asphalt shingles, with concrete tile usually the heaviest. Whether a given house can carry it depends on the framing, which is why conversions from shingles start with a structural review. Lightweight concrete tile is an option for some homes that fall short of the load for standard tile.
What underlayment goes under a tile roof?
Tile roofs use heavy felt, synthetic underlayment or self-adhered membrane, sometimes in two layers. Since the tile can outlast the underlayment by decades, a longer lasting underlayment pays off. Codes call for two layers on slopes from 2.5 in 12 up to 4 in 12.
How long does tile roof installation take?
A typical home takes longer than a shingle roof, often one to a few weeks depending on size, complexity and weather. Complex rooflines and framing work before tiling can stretch the schedule. The roof is dried in with underlayment early, so the house is protected while tiling continues.
Can tile go over old shingles?
A tile roof needs a bare deck, so existing shingles or other roofing are removed. That lets the roofer check the sheathing, replace soft spots and lay a proper underlayment.
More questions? Call (862) 363-5004
Related services
Tile Roof Replacement
Tile roof replacement that strips the roof to the deck, renews the underlayment and flashing and puts sound tile back on, so the layers under the tile last as long as the tile.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Putting on a new roof the way the material maker intends, whether it is asphalt shingles, metal or another material.
Learn moreTile Roof Inspection
Tile roof inspections that count broken and slipped tiles, check the layers beneath and estimate how much life is left, with a written report of what needs attention now and what can wait.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Roof ventilation work that keeps the attic dry in winter and cooler in summer, so shingles and decking last as long as they should.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet tile roof installation help in Morristown
Call (862) 363-5004 to talk to a roofer serving Morristown, NJ.