Installation of Roofing Tile

Nail down a waterproof membrane over eaves and valleys in your roof. The waterproof membrane gives your roof extra protection from leaks.

Roll out the underlayment over your roof, starting at the gable end and rolling horizontally until you reach the other end of the roof. Stop every five feet to smooth and staple the underlayment. Work your way up the roof in layers until you reach the roof peak.

Nail metal drip edges around the edges of the roof. Drip edges help direct water away from the roof, preventing it from staining the roof and causing moisture damage. Install the drip edges over the underlayment at the roof's overhang to help keep it secure. Lift up the underlayment and nail down drip edges underneath it at the roof's eaves. Secure the underlayment over the eave's drip edges with roofing cement.

Install metal flashing anywhere roof surfaces intersect, such as around the chimney. Lay the flashing in the groove of the roof and nail it down one inch from the edges. If you need more than one piece of flashing in an area, secure the seams between the two pieces with roofing cement.

Nail down a 2-inch thick cant strip flush with the roof eaves. The cant strip helps you properly align each row of clay roof tiles when you install them.

Measure the length of your clay tile. Subtract the amount of overhang you want your roof to have. Snap a chalk line on the underlayment, noting where the first row of tiles should begin. For example, if you have 12-inch clay tiles and want a 1-inch overhang, draw your line 11 inches from the roof eave.

Calculate the degree of overhang each row of tiles should have over the row beneath it and snap corresponding chalk lines up the roof. For example, if your clay tiles are 12 inches long and each row must overlap the row beneath it by 2 inches, snap chalk lines up the roof at 10-inch intervals.

Nail the battens directly below and parallel to each chalk line. The battens provide support for your tiles.

Lay the clay tile in a row, starting at the roof eave and working horizontally across the roof. Slip the lugs on the back of each tile over the batten strips. Nail the tiles into the battens.