Plain Tile

A plain tile is a small, flat or slightly cambered roof tile hung from battens by nibs on its back and laid in overlapping courses, much like slate. It is the traditional tile of much of southern and central England and has close relatives across northern Europe, including the German beaver-tail (Biberschwanz).

How plain tiling works

Plain tiles are double-lap: each course overlaps not just the course below but also part of the one below that. The vertical joints between tiles are offset ("broken") from course to course, so that water running through a joint lands on the middle of a tile beneath. Because so much of each tile is hidden by laps, plain tiling uses many more tiles per square metre than single-lap interlocking tiles or pantiles, and the finished roof is heavier.

Shape and fixing

• Tiles are usually given a slight camber (curve) along their length so the tail sits tightly on the tile below and resists wind lift.
• Nibs on the back hook over the battens; many tiles also have nail holes, and building codes in exposed areas require a proportion of tiles to be nailed.
• Special pieces cover the eaves, verges, valleys and hips, including tile-and-a-half units used at verges to maintain the bond, and bonnet or arris hip tiles.
• Clay plain tiles come in a range of colours from the local clay; concrete plain tiles imitate them.

Ornamental tiling

Plain tiles can be cut with rounded, pointed or scalloped tails and mixed with standard tiles to create decorative bands, a feature of Victorian and Arts and Crafts houses. The same principle is used on tile-hung walls, where plain tiles are fixed to vertical battens.

Comparison with pantiles

Pantiles are single-lap and much lighter than plain tiles, which is why they can be used on lower pitches. Plain tiles need comparatively steep pitches because water relies entirely on the overlap and slope to drain.

Conservation

On historic buildings, heritage guidance favours reusing sound old tiles and matching new tiles to the original clay colour, size and camber, rather than mixing materials.