Auckland's clay tile roofs
Clay tiles have been used on Auckland homes for over a century. Marseille-pattern clay tiles were imported from France from the 1800s and later made in New Zealand, and you'll still see them on many character homes. Newer clay and terracotta roofs are found on plenty of later homes too.
The tiles themselves are very durable. What usually fails first is everything around them: ridge mortar, fixings, valleys and the odd cracked tile.
What we fix on clay roofs
- Cracked and broken tiles, replaced with matching or reclaimed tiles
- Ridge and hip rebedding and repointing
- Slipped tiles secured back in place
- Leaks traced and repaired
- Moss and lichen treated without water blasting
- Blocked valleys and gutters cleared
Working on older clay roofs
Old clay tiles crack easily underfoot if you stand in the wrong place. We know where to step and how to spread the load. That matters, because a careless repair can leave you with more broken tiles than you started with.
Many older clay tile profiles are no longer made. Where we can't get a new tile to match, we use reclaimed tiles of the same pattern.
Should clay tiles be painted? Generally, no. Clay tiles are designed to be left as they are, and coatings can trap moisture. If someone recommends painting your terracotta roof, get a second opinion.