While clay and terra cotta roof tiles are very hard and durable, they are after all very similar to ceramic pottery – they can crack and even break. Roof tile replacement is quite a different matter than installing replacement roof shingles made of composite material, however. If you require roof tile replacement, you may be better off having the job done by a professional, as getting up on such a roof presents challenges that regular composite roofs do not.

Roof Tile Replacement, Step One

In addition to your replacement roof tiles,  you will need a number of tools that include:

•    drill
•    disc grinder
•    pry bar
•    hammer
•    chisel
•    proper adhesive
•    putty knife

It is possible that a broken tile may be loose; if so, it will make the job of roof tile replacement easier. Otherwise, you will need to chip away at the grout between the broken tile and the ones on either side of it, then use the pry bar to remove it. This requires a great deal of care, otherwise you'll wind up having to install two or three replacement tiles. An alternate method is to drill holes and use a screwdriver to break up the damaged tile.

Preparing To Install

In order for the roof tile replacement to fit properly, it is necessary to remove any debris as well as old adhesive from the gap left by the old tile. Here again you may wish to use the hammer and chisel as well as the disc grinder.

Once this has been accomplished, you will want to carefully test fit the replacement roof tiles. Since these were created from the same mold, they should fit into place quite nicely, but you should never take this for granted – and attempting to force misshapen replacement tiles into place will only cause more problems. Nor should you attempt to trim defective replacement roof shingles that are made from clay, as this will weaken them and cause them to crack – meaning you'll soon be undertaking a roof tile replacement once again.

Finishing Up

The final step in your roof tile replacement project is to fix the new tile in place. Coat the back and the sides with the recommended amount of adhesive and gently press your replacement roof tiles in place, making sure they are on the same level as their neighbors.  These replacement roof shingles need to be left alone to cure for at least twenty-for hours before new grout is applied. In the meantime, you will want to make certain the new grout matches the color of the old.

The final step when it comes to installing replacement tiles is to fill in the joints and gaps with the grout.