Sometimes, after a storm you will find that you have a cracked roof tile. Other times, you’ll have no obvious explanation for it, and it still happens. The good news is, with a little bit of effort, you can replace those cracked or broken roofing tiles yourself.
First, make sure you have the correct color and style of roof tiles. These are normally ceramic or concrete. Your local home improvement store can guide you to them, or recommend a local supplier.
Removing the cracked or broken tile.
You’ll need a brick trowel and some shims of wood to remove the broken or cracked tile.
Once on the roof, you will want to lift the tile above the break or crack and use a wooden shim to hold it in place. Do this to the tiles on each side of the cracked or broken tile. You will notice the grooves or raised sections of the tile. These are used to keep all of the tiles locked together in place.
Installing the new tile.
With the old, damaged tile removed, you are now ready to install the new tile. Normally, unless you live in a high wind area, you will not need to fasten the new tile in place. And, when done correctly, you will interlock the new tiles with those around it.
Slide the new tile into position, raise the tile above it, and remove the wooden shim. The tile should fit into place and interlock with the grooves of the tile above it.
Next, slightly raise the tiles to each side (one at a time), remove the shim, and gently slide the tiles together until you have them all in a squared, well fitted position.
You should now have a solid fit between your new tile and those around it. And, it should look seamless on the roof.
Sometimes, it requires more work, depending on the amount of damage done to the tiles. If so, you can contact us at Warner Roofing. Since 1992, Warner Roofing has been a leading roofing contractor in the Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR areas. You can visit us online at Warner Roofing and learn more about roof repair, or contact us to schedule an appointment for service or repair when needed. Our quotes are always free, and we look forward to serving you when you need us!
