Out of all the roofing materials you can use, ceramic tile is by far the nicest looking. Unfortunately, it’s also very easily damaged and requires quite a bit of upkeep. For many homeowners however, this is a price they’re willing to pay, given that the final product is so beautiful. If you’ve got a ceramic roof that needs a little attention, we’ll show you how to save money by fixing it yourself.
Before you get started, you’re going to need some tools. You’ll need:
- a ladder that is tall (and safe) enough to reach your roof
- replacement
- tiles
- silicone
- caulk
- gloves
- measuring tape
It’s actually quite easy to fix these tiles, but you’re going to need to remember that your safety comes first before getting up on your own roof. If you have never gotten up there before, you may want to consider hiring a professional. However, if heights don’t bother you and your roof doesn’t have a funny pitch, you should be safe. Many people prefer to use a tethering system that will catch them if they slip. This is available at most hardware stores and is well worth the money.
Now, you’re ready to get started. You’re going to need your replacement tiles and they may be quite heavy. If you’ve got quite a few that need to be replaced, it’s best to take them up in small batches rather than risk breaking some on the way up. Sure, it takes a bit longer and making 100 trips can be frustrating, but it’s better than having to run out and find more tile. Whenever you get a new ceramic tile roof, we always recommend keeping a few replacement tiles around the house. You’ll have the exact brand and color if you need to get more and it’s a lot easier when you have them all ready to go.
Once you have your replacement tiles up on the roof, you’re ready to get started. First, remove the old and broken tiles. You’ll notice that on the back of each tile, there should be a copper wire hanger. By far, ceramic tiles are the easiest to replace, which is a good thing considering how easily they are damaged. Most roofers prefer to work with a wire that is bent into either a “Z” or an “L” to ensure that it will hang properly.
Remove that old tile and place it aside. Get your new tile and make sure that the wire is properly shaped. If your tile doesn’t have copper wire hangers, you can buy some new wires to attach to the back. Take your silicone and place one bead between the hanger and the tile to make sure it will stick. You can also add caulk if you need a little more rigidity.
Slide the tile into place on the roof, catching the hanger so that it will remain attached to the other tiles. Repeat the same process with any other broken tiles and you’re done!
Photo Credits: 1
Related Posts- Budget Fixes For Your House Fixing up the home is a task all of us have on our lists, but they never get done due to high costs for materials and labor. Home improvements do not have to blow the budget, however, and by doing it yourself, you can save even more. Here are seven......
- How to Make a Mosaic Tile Countertop Mosaic countertops are incredibly beautiful and they are a lot of fun to make. If you'd like to make your kitchen stand out from the crowd, it's actually quite easy to design your own mosaic masterpiece. We'll show you how to do it in just a few hours and get......
- Review of The Complete Guide to Ceramic and Stone Tile Black and Decker's The Complete Guide to Ceramic and Stone Tile is a must read for anyone that is considering renovating their home. This is a great guide that makes it very simple to understand how to do even complex tasks and the project section alone makes it worth......
- Basic Home Repair: Home Improvement DVD The Basic Home Repair: Home Improvement DVD is designed to provide complete details and lessons on home repair topics including energy conservation, home security, replacing a faucet, sweating copper pipes, replacing toilets, unclogging drain clogs, replacing the caulk on a tub, replacing lighting fixtures, repairing broken lamps, replacing tiles that......
- How to Be Your Own Plumber The Easy Way Plumbing problems can be costly, but most of the time, they are relatively easy to fix, especially if you know what you’re doing. You can save thousands of dollars every year by learning how to be your own plumber and you’ll be gaining knowledge that can help you, especially in......
