How to Install Roof Tiles and Clay S-tile Edging

Place underlayment across the roof where your tiles will sit. Nail the underlayment to the roof at regular intervals, smoothing out the underlayment as you go. Alternatively, you can use a staple gun. The battens you will nail to the roof in a later step will also help to secure the underlayment. This is typically a heavy-duty, asphalt-covered felt or a bituminous membrane, which is covered in felt. The precise requirements for your area will be detailed in local building codes

Install metal flashing – pieces of metal used to prevent water passage at a joint – around chimneys, skylights and similar features, as well as around all plumbing. Nail the flashing to the roof, placing the nails close to the outside edge of the flashing. Nailing in the center undermines the flashing's impermeability.

Nail a cant strip flush with the eaves. A cant strip is placed at the angle where wall meets roof to make the first row of tiles sit at the same angle as subsequent rows, and to stop the roof bending. It is also used to fix the S-tiles to the edge of the roof.

Install the S-tiles on the edge of the roof. These have two nail holes, one in each bend of the S. Place the tile so that one bend curves over the cant strip above the eaves. Nail the other bend to the roof, abutting the first batten. Repeat along the edge of the roof.

Nail battens at regular intervals up the roof, parallel to the cant strip. Allow for the tiles to overlap by approximately 1 inch when securing the battens. You may wish to use a snapped chalk line to mark where the battens will go.

Work from one side of the roof to the other for each row of tiles. Nail them to the battens. Flat tiles will have one nail hole, while curved tiles will have two nail holes located at the rear of the tile. The rear of each tile will rest behind each row of battens.