Homeowners that possess an adobe or southwestern style home may only want clay or concrete tiles on their roof. The appearance and color of clay or concrete tiles flows very well with earth toned stucco and other Mediterranean styles. When looking to purchase these materials you will find that there are clay and concrete tiles. These two types of materials look fairly similar but actually have different compositions. So what are the differences between these materials? Roofcorp takes a look at the key composition differences and how they affect the lifetime of your roof.
Clay & Concrete Tiles
Concrete Tiles
Concrete tiles are a made of a mixture of cement, sand and water. They are usually molded in presses and can be fired or simply set. Their components can be mixed in with different dyes to create more color patterns and pressed into a variety of shapes and sizes. Both clay and concrete tiles are noncombustible so they do well against fires.
Advantages of Concrete Over Clay
Concrete tiles are typically cheaper than clay tiles and there is usually a better selection of color patterns to choose for concrete tiles.
Clay Tiles
Clay tiles are one of the oldest forms of roofing known to mankind, with some clay tile roofing dating back over 10,000 years ago. There is a reason that this roofing material has stood the test of time. Clay tiles are composed of natural clay found in the earth. The material is mixed with water until the right consistency is found then pressed into a mold. After this process the tiles are fired in a kiln to make them rock hard.
Advantages of Clay Over Concrete
Clay materials are extremely durable and usually outlast the life of a concrete tile roof. Clay also tends to hold on to its color much longer than concrete because manufacturers tend to use the pigment that was already naturally found in the clay. Clay is less likely to warp and crack in areas where there are extreme weather changes.
If you are still unsure of your choice of materials it is best to contact us today.
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