The short answer
Three shapes cover most houses. A half-round ridge tile is a smooth semicircle, common on clay roofs. An angled ridge tile has two flat faces meeting at a point, like an upturned V, and is the usual choice on concrete roofs. A hogback tile has a raised, arched crown with flat or rolled edges and suits traditional clay detail. They are not interchangeable, so a repair has to match the profile as well as the colour.
Half-round ridge tiles
The half-round tile is a curved cap, shaped like half a pipe cut lengthways. It sits over the apex of the roof and is bedded at each end in the next tile. It is a long-established shape on clay roofs and is also made in concrete. The smooth curve sheds water easily and looks at home on older houses. Because the tile is symmetrical and plain, it is one of the easier shapes to match, and it also works on hips, where the curve can be cut and shaped to meet the ridge.
Angled ridge tiles
An angled ridge tile has two flat faces that meet along a sharp line, like the roof of a toy house. They come in set angles to suit the pitch of the roof, and the angle must be right: a tile set for a steep pitch will not sit on a shallow one. Angled tiles are common on concrete tile roofs, particularly on 1960s to 1990s estate houses, and they give a crisp, modern line. Our guide to hip tiles, hip irons and dry hip systems explains how they meet at the corner of a hipped roof.
Hogback ridge tiles
A hogback tile rises to a rounded or ridged crown in the centre, a little like the back of a hog, with edges that fall away on each side. It is a traditional shape on clay roofs and has a distinct, handmade look. Hogback tiles are often heavier and thicker than the other two. They are less common on new builds, and they are mostly a repair and conservation item. If your house has them and you are in a conservation area, check with the council before changing the profile.
Other shapes you may meet
Some roofs have tapered or bonnet hip tiles that taper towards the top, cone-ended finishes where a hip meets the ridge, and decorative crested ridges with a serrated edge. Each has its own supply and its own fitting detail. If you are unsure what you have, photograph a tile from the ground at an angle, and send it to us, with a note of the colour.
Why the type matters for a repair
A replacement has to fit the tiles beside it. A half-round tile will not sit on an angled bed, and a different angle leaves gaps for wind and rain. The length matters too, because ridge tiles overlap and a different length changes the spacing. Colour and finish matter for appearance, though they matter less than the shape. Our answer on whether old ridge tiles can be reused explains how we handle matching when only a few tiles need replacing.
Material and weight
Clay, concrete and, on some roofs, natural stone or slate-style ridge pieces all behave differently. Clay holds its colour for decades but can take in water and crack in hard frost if it is poor quality. Concrete is cheaper and uniform, though its surface layer can wear and fade. The weight of the tile affects the fixing: a heavy clay hogback needs sturdier brackets and a firmer bed than a light concrete angle. Matching the material also keeps expansion and contraction similar along the ridge, which cuts down on cracking at the joints between old tiles and new.
Fixing and the standard
Whatever the shape, the standard asks for mechanical fixing. BS 5534:2014 requires ridge, hip and verge components to be fixed, and mortar alone is not relied on. Dry-fix systems are made for each of the common profiles, with brackets and clamps matching the tile. If you are thinking of changing method, our page on what a dry ridge system is sets out the options.
Ordering a replacement
If you are buying a tile yourself, take the measurements first: the overall length, the width across the base, the height at the crown and, for angled tiles, the angle. Photograph the end of a tile if you can reach one safely from a window. A merchant or maker can often identify a range from those details and the age of the house. Keep the order small, since a spare or two is useful and a pallet is not.
What we do
On the survey we identify the profile, note the supplier mark if there is one and photograph the ridge so you can see what is there. If a few tiles need replacing, we source a match. If the tiles are old or discontinued, we look for reclaimed ones or a close alternative. See the ridge tile repairs page for the full range of work.
Every roof is different. A free survey with photos settles it for yours.
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