Everyone tries to use reliable and environmentally friendly building materials in the construction of their homes. This is logical, so clay tiles have been in great demand for many years. This is the best option for any roof. This material meets all requirements and is reliable. Before you make a choice in favor of clay tiles, you should familiarize yourself with some of the features.
Characteristic
Clay tile is a material that has been a leader in the sales market for many years. Clay is taken as a basis, thanks to which a reliable structure is obtained that can protect any structure. Taking into account the requirements of GOST, the process takes place in several stages:
- Preparation of the main product. They are recognized to consider potter's clay. Special additives are made into it - plasticizers.
- Stamping the final component by various methods.
- Firing blanks in a kilnat high temperature.
It becomes clear from this that the quality of the material is high. It is not for nothing that he has been occupying the first positions in the construction market for many years.
Pros and cons of clay tiles
Speaking of this roofing material, it is worth noting that its production is due to some features. The main advantage of clay tiles is that it is an environmentally friendly material. Since clay is taken as the basis, it is an opportunity to create a good microclimate in the room. How does it manifest itself? Such material makes it possible to "breathe" the entire room.
During operation, this roofing material shows its best side. Masters highlight the following positive points:
- The structure of the material is porous, but it does not allow water to flow. Even after strong and prolonged exposure to rain (as well as other precipitation), such a roofing material does not lose its properties and protects the building.
- Ceramic tiles have a long service life (up to 100 years).
- Calmly treats any frosts.
- UV does not have a strong effect, so this roofing material is suitable for the southern regions.
- Does not corrode or warp.
- Since the tiles are small, it is quite possible to organize the ventilation of the building and avoid the greenhouse effect.
- High strength.
- Good noise isolation. In addition, the house is not hot in summer and not cold in winter. Even if there is a strong wind, no sound comes intoroom.
- Everyone can handle styling. Since the pieces join their neighbors in a jigsaw effect, repairs can be done by anyone. If one element is damaged, then there is no need to assemble the entire structure from scratch. It is enough to replace only the one that was damaged earlier. But you need to remember that the shades of such tiles may vary. Therefore, it is important to choose a material that will match the tone of the current coating as closely as possible.
- Clay does not allow the accumulation of electrostatic charge. Therefore, it is not necessary to create grounding. This saves a lot of time.
- A house with such a roof looks attractive and beautiful.
There are always a wide variety of colors on sale. These are natural shades that allow you to create the uniqueness of the whole structure. Masters believe that there are always disadvantages in any material. One of them is a lot of weight, so the supporting structures must be strong. Despite the high reliability, fired clay can break during transportation or installation. It is important to pay special attention to this. But everything becomes insignificant, as there are many pluses.
Types of clay tiles
There are many colors and shapes, but there are only three types, and they are worth noting. What everyone can find in the store:
- Flat tiles. It is similar to the design of a shovel. It is quite suitable for buildings with complex lines. Installation is carried out with a slight overlap, comparable to scales. This will completely eliminatemoisture ingress.
- Grooved. It will also be quite appropriate for roofs with an extraordinary design. This design is done in two layers. These are concave and convex shards. They are connected in pairs so that the structure looks good and creates maximum protection. Because of this, the consumption of material becomes 2 times more.
- Wave look. Most often found in country houses, it looks beautiful. There are two varieties - one- and two-wave.
Ceramic tiles have special grooves in their design, so that waste water quickly leaves, and the level of reliability does not decrease. There are also groove structures. It is easier to work with them - even a beginner will cope with the installation. Before heading to the store, you should understand what is most suitable and in which direction to make your choice.
How to cover the roof?
Here are the types of products:
- Natural is a ceramic tile without additional coating. Clay is simply fired. Suitable for creating a retro style. The shade is natural, most often reddish. During operation, this shade may become a little darker. Clay for this is taken differently. The manufacturer also offers colors with distinction.
- Glazed is an interesting coating that attracts attention regardless of the chosen shade. A glassy substance is taken as the basis, while containing various metal ions. From this, the moisture-proof properties of clay tiles increase. The design looks beautiful and can completely change the perception of the building as a whole. For all positiveThere are also minor disadvantages in terms of quality - low resistance to frost, as well as cracking of the surface. In addition, the price of such roofing material is high.
- Engobed. The main difference is the variety of colors and shades. This is achieved by applying different colored clay. It is applied to the surface in a thin layer and subjected to heat treatment. But this will not work if you do not use mineral supplements. A technology is chosen so that the color does not change, despite the influence of nature. The use of this method provides additional protection. Therefore, the material does not crack at high temperatures.
Everyone decides what suits him, taking into account the temperature regimes in the region and personal preferences. It is worth purchasing material only from trusted manufacturers.
Analogues
Today, the production of clay tiles occupies a leading position, as the demand for it does not decrease. Clay is also sometimes called sand-ceramic. Most often, the basis is raw materials from fatty varieties and modifiers, due to which the service life and technical characteristics increase. Today there are analogues that are no less effective. They are as follows:
- Cement-sand. It is based on cement. This is a reliable material that is in no way inferior to tiles. The cost will be slightly cheaper, but there is a minus. This is a lot of weight, so working with it is inconvenient. It is also worth doing the strengthening of the floors.
- Soft clay roof tiles. These are two differentlayers from each other: one is inside, the other is outside. When working with them, it is worth considering some features.
- Polymer sand. Such a roofing material does not differ much from tiles, but at the same time, a rich assortment of colors and light weight are pluses.
There are many options that can become a substitute. At the same time, each has its own disadvantages and features of the flooring. The decision is always made by the owner, guided by their desires and capabilities.
What tools are required for the job?
Before starting work, you need to prepare everything you need. The first is the tools:
- Cutter.
- Screwdriver.
- Roulette.
- Hammer.
Tiles and any additional components are also purchased. Do not forget about steam and waterproofing. All this is available in the building materials store. Most often, the roof is assembled using grooves. Although there are such components that must be planted on adhesive masses.
How is the installation done?
When preparing the main material, it is worth thinking about a small margin in case of marriage. Such goods belong to those that come in series and they may differ in shade. If different colors appear on the roof, then it does not always look attractive.
Steps
The laying process has several stages:
- Waterproofing is laid on the rafters.
- After fixedvapor barrier.
- The counter batten is being installed.
- The beams are being laid, on which the tiles are then fixed. What to choose the step of the crate? This will depend on the length of the tiles. If an overlap is made, then this is 70-80 centimeters.
Installation direction
The installation direction of clay tiles is from top to bottom and moving from left to right. When all the rows are laid, you need to cut off the protruding parts of the material that will extend beyond the joints. To prevent warm air from collecting under the roof, it is worth creating a steam outlet. This is done at the level of fixing the waterproofing. Holes are created for this.
There are also situations where you need to cut off a small part. How to do it? Masters recommend soaking any type of clay tile for about 24 hours and then performing the necessary actions. It's not that hard.
It must be remembered that there are many manufacturers on the market, but out of all the variety, it is worth giving preference to the most reliable and proven.
