Ceramic and cement roof
tiles are practically indistinguishable for a layman. They present themselves equally well,
take similar shapes and colors. So
which tile should you decide? What
are the advantages and disadvantages of concrete roof tiles and ceramic tiles?
Cement and ceramic tiles
differ mainly from the material they are made of. Ceramic tiles are made of clay and
fired at high temperatures. Concrete
roofing tiles are formed from cement mass, seasoned in special chambers and
painted in a selected color. Both
types of tiles have similar rules for their assembly, and the cost of laying
them is similar. So what is the
guideline when choosing them?
Advantages of ceramic
tiles
Ceramic roof tiles outdo
their cement rivals in terms of durability. This
in the case of ceramic roof tiles is estimated at least 100 years, ie at least
30 years less than the durability of concrete roof tiles. In both cases, the durability of the
roofing is long enough, especially considering that currently houses are not
built for many generations. The
advantage of ceramic roof tiles is also a slightly larger selection of models.
The overlap ceramic
tiles have locks around the perimeter - thanks to this, they can be moved apart
and slid horizontally and vertically, which in turn allows for a greater
tolerance of the spacing of patches. Ceramic
tiles, unlike cement ones, do not require practically no maintenance - just
occasionally, rinse them with water under pressure, remove mosses (if according
to the investor they have a negative impact on the visual reception of the
house), and those uncoated can be impregnated.
Advantages of concrete
roof tiles
Cement roofing tiles,
although similar in weight to ceramic tiles, are slightly lighter than them. It is estimated that 1 m² of
roofing tiles weighs 40-75 kg - for cement roof tiles it is 36-46 kg . Lighter coverage does not require such
a solid roof structure as a heavier material, it is also easier to arrange.
Cement roofing tiles
have a price advantage over ceramic ones - they are from 10 to even 30%
cheaper, which is the result of lower production costs. In addition, the overlapping cement
roof tiles only have side locks, which means that they can only be moved
vertically apart. However, this
has the advantage - this tile can be easily moved upwards and if necessary
removed, for example to make some repair or even during maintenance work or
chimney cleaning, lean the foot safely in the resulting hole.
