What Does a Tiling and Slating Job Actually Involve?

Tiling and slating is the trade of covering pitched roofs. Here is what happens on a typical job, what separates good work from bad, and repair versus re-roof.

Tiling and slating in plain terms

Tiling and slating is the work of covering a pitched roof with tiles or slates so that rain runs off and never reaches the timbers. It covers everything from replacing a single slipped slate to stripping a whole roof back to the rafters and laying new underlay, battens and a new covering. Roofers who describe themselves as tilers and slaters are telling you they specialise in pitched roofs rather than flat ones.

We do both kinds of work, from small repairs to complete re-roofs in clay tile, concrete tile, natural slate, composite slate and Cotswold stone.

What sits under the tiles

Under every tile or slate there is a layer of underlay, which acts as a second line of defence against wind-driven rain and snow, and a grid of timber battens that the covering is fixed to. On older roofs the underlay may be bitumen felt or missing entirely. On a re-roof it is normally replaced with a modern breathable membrane that lets moisture escape from the loft.

Batten spacing, called the gauge, is set by the covering and the roof pitch. Get it wrong and the overlap between courses is too small, which lets water track back under the tiles in bad weather.

Tiles and slates are fixed differently

Most plain clay tiles have nibs that hang on the battens and are nailed at set intervals. Interlocking concrete tiles lock together at the sides and are clipped or nailed to meet wind uplift requirements. Slates are double lapped and each one is nailed or hooked, so every slate relies on its fixing rather than its weight.

This is why a roofer asks what your roof is covered with before anything else. The repair method, the materials to order and even the tools on the scaffold all change with the covering.

Ridges, hips, valleys and verges

The flat areas of a roof rarely leak. Trouble tends to start at the edges and junctions. Ridge and hip tiles cap the top and angled corners, and may be bedded in mortar or fixed with a dry system. Valleys carry large volumes of water where two slopes meet and can be lined with lead, tiles or a preformed trough. Verges finish the gable ends.

Good tiling and slating is judged at these details. Straight courses and neat cuts matter, but a well formed valley and properly fixed ridge are what keep the roof dry for decades.

Isolated slipped tiles, a cracked ridge or a single leak around a chimney are usually repairs. When slates are failing across a whole slope, nails have rusted through so slates slide off in numbers, the battens are soft or the underlay has perished, patching becomes a false economy and a re-roof is the honest recommendation.

Where the original covering is sound, it can often be carefully stripped and relaid on new battens and membrane, keeping the look of the roof while renewing everything underneath.

Why scaffolding usually comes first

Almost any tiling or slating beyond a quick repair needs safe access. Scaffolding protects the people working and anyone below, and gives space to stack materials and remove old ones. It is normally the first thing to go up and the last thing to come down, and it should be included in any quote you receive.

Is tiling and slating the same as general roofing?

It is the pitched roof side of roofing. The term tells you a roofer focuses on tiles and slates rather than flat roof membranes.

Can old tiles or slates be reused?

Often, if they are in sound condition. Careful stripping and relaying on new battens and membrane keeps the original character of the roof.

How do I know if my slates need replacing?

Slates slipping in numbers, widespread cracking or flaking, and rusted fixings across a slope all point towards a re-roof rather than repairs.

Why do valleys and ridges leak more than the rest of the roof?

They are where slopes meet or end, so they carry more water and rely on mortar, lead or fixings that age faster than the tiles themselves.

Do you work on stone and natural slate roofs?

Yes. We work with Cotswold stone, natural slate, composite slate, clay and concrete tiles.

Tiles or slates giving trouble?

Tell us what your roof is covered with and what you have noticed. We will come and look, then tell you whether it is a repair or a re-roof.

Talk to a Tiler and Slater

Evans Roofing & Maintenance Ltd, Witney, Oxfordshire. Call 07960 482233 for a free written quote.