One of the most beautiful and earthy aesthetics for pitched and slanted roofs is provided by terracotta roof tiles. At the time of installation, the tiles are bright, lustrous and have an excellent and smooth finish. Over time, however, it is quite disappointing when the tiles begin to lose their colour, texture as well as sheen. Since it is baked earthen clay, it is also prone to damages which may require that the tiles be repaired and restored. Therefore, it becomes imperative that for the upkeep of the beautiful tiles specific checks are kept in place.

Firstly, the tiles must be checked every few years, no further apart than a decade, which will save an appreciable sum of money in the long run. Terracotta roof repair in Melbourne is necessary as the tiles are subject to a wide variety of natural weather factors that can cause cracks, breakage, and strip them of their brilliance.

How are the repairs carried out?

Usually, when a tile is cracked, it is replaced. When undertaking terracotta roof restoration, it is not necessary that every tile would need replacement. As they are placed with their edges overlapping, it is easy to remove and replace individual damaged pieces. The rest of the roof can then be treated so that they last for a more extended period of time, and so does their appearance. This depends on a case by case basis, on the condition that other tiles do have enough strength to go on. The life of terracotta roof tiles is usually 50 years.

The support system

The tiles have an entire support system around them. So it is necessary that all of those also be checked during terracotta roof restoration. At the peak of the roof, the tiles meet but leave an obvious gap in between. A terracotta ridge cap covers this. While restoring, these pieces must also be taken into consideration like all the other tiles since they prevent leakage and prevent further damage. The ridge caps are usually held together with a bed of mortar, and it is essential to make sure that they haven’t loosened.

Wherever two separate roof surfaces meet, a valley is created. Flashing is installed at the valley which can over time get spoilt due to the accumulation of debris. It needs to be cleaned regularly, and if necessary, repaired and replaced.

One of the most concerning factors in terracotta roof tile maintenance is the growth of moss. It causes the tiles to lose their colour. To correct this, the roof must be sprayed with a solution to ward it off. However, because it is a chemical treatment, care must be taken to ensure that any water storage is disconnected during this procedure in order to avoid contamination. The roof is to be cleaned with water at high pressure after chemical treatment.

Can you paint terracotta tiles? 

Before deciding to paint terracotta roof tiles, it is important to repair, restore, and most importantly clean the roof. More often than not a roof looks unkempt because it requires maintenance. Once this has been achieved, you can check if the roof still lacks in appearance, and whether it seems that paint can do the job. However, a few things must be kept in mind. It is necessary to use a primer and allow it to dry before painting; otherwise, the tiles will absorb the paint. The downside to painting terracotta roof tiles is that it requires repainting in a few years and then again and again. If this is not done, the roof will not look good. This is to say that your roof requires more maintenance now that you have painted it.