How Long Do Concrete Tile Roofs Last?

What the lifespan really depends on

Concrete tiles were made in large numbers from the middle of the twentieth century, and plenty of roofs from the 1960s and 1970s are still on houses today. A figure of around fifty years is often given by manufacturers and cost guides, but treat it as a guide, not a promise. The tile is only one part of the roof, and the roof is only as good as its weakest component.

Quality of manufacture matters. Early tiles varied in density and in the surface coating. Later tiles, made with better mixes and coatings, tend to weather more evenly. Exposure matters as well: a roof on an open hilltop gets more wind, rain and frost than one in a sheltered street. Slope and shade also play a part, since a damp north face grows moss and holds water against the tile.

What wears out first

The underlay is usually the first to go. Older roofs were laid with bitumen felt, which dries, cracks and tears over decades. When it fails, the tiles can still look fine, but wind-driven rain gets through. The battens, the timber strips the tiles hang from, can rot in damp spots. The nails or clips that hold the tiles can corrode, which lets tiles slip. Our page on nail sickness describes how that develops.

The tile surface wears slowly. A concrete tile has a thin coloured layer, and sun and rain gradually thin it. The tile becomes rougher and holds more moss. The tile body can absorb water, and in a hard frost, the water expands and flakes the face. These changes are gradual and often visible from the ground.

Moss, algae and cleaning

Moss does not destroy a sound tile at once, but it holds moisture against the surface and can lift edges as it grows. A thick mat in the valleys and at the gutter can block water flow and send it under the tiles. Light cleaning with a soft brush, done carefully, helps. Heavy pressure washing can strip the colour coat and shorten the tile's life, so we are cautious about it. Our answer on whether you can walk on roof tiles explains why access needs care.

Roofs from different decades

Age tells you what to look for. Tiles laid in the middle of the twentieth century were often thicker and heavier, and bedded on bitumen felt that has long since dried out. Roofs from the 1980s and 1990s used better coatings, but some of the underlays and fixings were light by today's standards. Newer roofs use breathable membranes and stainless fixings that are expected to last longer.

Many estates around Basingstoke were built in waves, with whole streets of identical roofs from the same batch. When one fails, its neighbours are often not far behind, so an early look can save a rush later. It also means a sensible time to plan a re-roof is when the underlay fails, not when the tiles are beyond use.

Repair or replace?

A sound tile on a failed underlay is a good candidate for stripping and re-laying. A tile that has lost its surface and is crumbling is not. Where a large share of the tiles on a slope need replacing, a new covering is often the better value, though no fixed cut-off applies, because it depends on access and the condition of the rest. We give you the honest comparison.

Signs the roof is near the end

Look for tiles that are slipping or cracked in clusters, a sagging or wavy roof line, daylight in the loft, damp patches on ceilings, lots of grit in the gutters, and a rough, crumbly face on the tiles. A single failed tile is usually a repair. A pattern of failing tiles, soft battens and torn underlay tells a different story.

A good roofer will assess the whole system: tiles, underlay, battens and fixings. Sometimes a repair with new underlay beneath re-laid tiles gives another decade or more. Sometimes the tiles are too far gone. If a re-roof is needed, our guide on tiled roof repair cost helps weigh the choices.

Extending the life of what you have

The best habits are simple. Keep gutters clear, replace slipped tiles promptly, treat moss gently, and have the roof looked at after a bad storm. A repair of a few tiles is cheap compared with a leak into a ceiling. When we survey, we photograph the tiles, the loft and the timbers, and we tell you how much life we think the roof has left. If repair works, we say so. Our wider tiled-roof service is on our pitched roofing page.