Why Clay Tiles?

In a Clay Roofing Tile Council survey of conservation offficers, planners, architects, house builders, surveyors and roofing contractors, 99% agreed that clay tiles enhance the built environment with 95% acknowledging that they are sustainable building products.

The choice of roof tile will affect both the character and value of your home.  The beauty of natural clay colours is unrivalled, clay tiles mellow and improve with age. With the artificial colours that you get with concrete tiles and many types of clay tile,  colour is lost with time, you just have to look at the concrete roofs of the past 70 years to observe this fact.

The importance of a roof covering to the overall effect of a house cannot be underestimated and it is something that has to be right from the very start of a project as in all likelihood the the roof will be on the building for its entire life.

 

Strength and Durability

Plain clay tiles offer superior strength and durability than all other roof coverings.  Many examples exist of roofs with plain clay tiles that are still standing in pristine condition after more than 100 years.  The permanence of the colour with naturally burnt clay colours guarantees that the roof will never look washed out and as it ages it will improve and mellow.

Colour

The overwhelming case for plain clay tiles rests upon aesthetics.  The wide range of natural burnt colours from Red to Brown to Blue can be imitated but never reproduced with artificial colouring.  The permanence of artifical colours is not guaranteed.

Versatility

The small size of plain clay tiles provides the versatility for the architect to design roofscapes of infinite interest.  Large format roof tiles simply do not offer this flexibility.

Heritage

Clay tile roofs form an important part of the architectural heritage of the UK.  Planners and architects keen to preserve regional distinctiveness are keen to specify clay roof tiles.

Sustainability

Plain Clay tiles are a sustainable product, the longevity of clay means that the energy and raw materials used in their production are offset over the whole life of the roof, which in the case of most clay tile roofs, is over 100 years.

 

Remember

• The beauty of natural clay colours is unrivalled.
  
• Clay tiles mellow and improve with age. The artificial colours of concrete tiles fade away (look at 20 to 30-year old concrete roofs and compare with clay).
  
• You may be surprised how little extra clay costs.
  
• Your choice of roof tile will affect the value and character of your home.
  
• Dreadnought tiles offer the widest range of natural clay colours available today.
  
• Register of completed sites to visit.
  
• Personal service based on continuity of expertise.
  
• Detailed quotations.
  
• Welcomed by planning authorities in sensitive areas.