Which tiles take paint?
| Concrete tiles | Clay (terracotta) tiles | |
|---|---|---|
| Should you paint? | You can. Resene says the only reason to is cosmetic | Monier says terracotta generally shouldn't be painted |
| Where the colour lives | In a surface coating that fades over time, says Monier | In the clay itself. Monier warrants its terracotta colour for 30 years |
| Once painted | Plan to recoat every five years or so | Unglazed clay can be, but it then needs ongoing recoating |
| Gentler option | A concrete stain, which Resene suggests for adding colour back | A clean, plus repairs to the ridge bedding and pointing |
Why concrete tiles look tired
Resene says concrete tiles become fairly porous as they weather and readily support moss and mould. The coloured surface fades too, and Monier's warranty counts colour fade and a shift to a matte finish as weathering, not a defect.
So a repaint is mostly about appearance. Resene does say paint can help a tile roof's weathertightness, but adds that leaks carry on if their source isn't repaired. Cracked tiles, slipped tiles and crumbling ridge mortar come first.
How a careful tile paint job runs
Confirm it's really tile
Health NZ says some roofing shingles are made of asbestos cement. On a pre-2000 house, anything doubtful gets tested before it's cleaned.
Kill the growth
Moss and mould are treated and given time to die. Resene says mould left for more than a few months gets into a paint film and can grow through later coats.
Clean without cracking
Here the makers disagree. Dulux says to water-blast concrete tiles before using its paint, but Monier strongly advises against pressure washers and excludes damage from cleaning with unsuitable chemicals or pressure from its tile warranty. Ask which method the roofer will use, and why.
Repair, then seal
Broken tiles are replaced, and loose ridges rebedded and repointed (relaying and resealing the mortar that holds the ridge caps), which Monier says should be done with modern flexible compounds. Resene's system then uses a sealer to even out the porosity before two topcoats.
Read the guarantee before you choose a paint
Paint guarantees on tiles vary more than people expect. Dulux's 15-year Roof & Trim guarantee excludes concrete tiles, while Wattyl offers its 15-year guarantee on concrete tiles when 3 coats of Solagard Roof are applied. Get the product name and the guarantee terms in writing.
If you'd like a roofer's honest view on whether your tiles are worth painting at all, we can pass your job to one checked local roofer.
Your part, and the roofer's
You can
- Check the tiles with binoculars for cracks, slipped tiles and gaps in the ridge mortar
- Decide whether you want new colour or just a cleaner roof, because they're different jobs
- Point out water tanks, solar panels and garden beds below the roof
Leave to a roofer
- Moss treatment, cleaning and every coat
- Replacing tiles and rebedding ridges
- Anything that means walking on tiles, which Consumer NZ says can damage them
What we'd do with a faded tile roof
We'd fix the tiles and ridges and treat the moss first, then decide whether paint is worth it. On concrete, we'd ask about a stain or sealer before a full repaint, and if we did paint, we'd plan on doing it again. On clay, we'd leave the paint off: a clean and some pointing repairs usually bring it back.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.