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Terracotta Roof Tiles Melbourne
Terracotta is what we started with.
Camberwell Potteries has been working with terracotta roofs across Melbourne since the 1930s, back when much of the eastern suburbs was being tiled for the first time. A lot of those roofs are still up there, and a fair number of them we can identify by profile.
That matters more than it sounds. Melbourne’s inner east and south-east are full of 1920s and 1930s terracotta, much of it original Wunderlich. When one of those roofs needs work, the difference between a good repair and an obvious one is whether the tiles match.
We install new terracotta roofs, repair and repoint existing ones, and match profiles on period homes. We also supply tiles.
Why terracotta lasts
Fired clay does not degrade the way coated products do. It does not rust, it does not need recoating, and its colour is in the material rather than on the surface — which is why a very old terracotta roof still reads as terracotta.
What actually fails on a terracotta roof is rarely the tile. It is the mortar bedding the ridge caps, the valley irons, the flashings and the sarking underneath. Those are all repairable, which is why an old terracotta roof is often a candidate for repair or restoration rather than replacement.
Terracotta is heavier than concrete and costs more up front. On a period home it is usually the right choice anyway, both for appearance and because a heritage overlay may require it.
Terracotta or concrete?
The honest comparison, since we install both.
Terracotta holds its colour. Monier’s current warranty covers terracotta tiles for colour retention as well as manufacturing defects, for 30 years. It suits period homes, it is the traditional choice across the eastern suburbs, and it costs more.
Concrete is cheaper and comes in a wider range of profiles and colours. It will fade and weather over time — Monier explicitly excludes colour change from the concrete warranty, because it is a normal effect of exposure rather than a defect. See concrete roof tiles.
Matching older and discontinued profiles
Worth being straight about this, because it is what people with a period roof actually ask.
Where your tile profile is still in production, we can match it exactly. Wunderlich supplied a great deal of Melbourne’s original terracotta and many of those profiles are long out of production, as are several older Monier ranges. We do not hold salvaged or second-hand stock.
So on an older roof the practical options are a close-match current profile, relocating sound tiles from a less visible elevation to the front of the house, or replacement. Ninety years in the trade means we can usually identify what you have and tell you honestly which of those makes sense — send us a photo before you accept anyone’s replacement quote.
Buying terracotta tiles
We supply terracotta roof tiles as well as installing them.
We are not an online shop and we do not take orders over the web. Tiles are bought in person at our Burwood showroom, where you can see the profiles and colours properly rather than guessing from a screen — which matters more with terracotta than most materials, because the colour varies with the light.
Showroom visits are by appointment. Call 03 9888 7088, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm, and we will make sure someone is there who knows the stock. If you are matching tiles for an existing roof, bring a tile or a clear photo with you.
Before & After
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LOOKING AFTER TERRACOTTA
What a terracotta roof actually needs
Terracotta tiles outlast most things on a house. What needs attention is everything holding them in place — the pointing, the valleys and the flashings. Keep those right and the roof keeps going.
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Repointing
The mortar bedding your ridge and hip caps is almost always the first thing to fail on a terracotta roof. We repoint with flexible pointing rather than rigid mortar, which moves with the roof instead of cracking.
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Moss and Lichen
Common on south-facing pitches and under trees. It holds moisture against the tiles and in the mortar. It should be removed carefully, never pressure-blasted, which damages the tile surface and strips pointing.
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Broken Tiles
Replace them promptly. A single cracked tile lets water onto the sarking, and sarking damage is what turns a small job into a large one.
WHY TERRACOTTA
What terracotta gives you
Holds its shape
Good insulator
Colour in the material
Resists salt and corrosion
Repairable, not disposable
Related Services
Roof Improvement Services
New Roofing
Being the roofing specialist Melbourne, we aim to deliver exceptional services and provide support for quality living.
Re-Roofing
We value the customers and provide quality services to maintain the roof for a longer duration.
Roof Maintenance
Stay Ahead of Problems: Proactive Roof Maintenance Identifies Issues Before They Become Emergencies
Guarantees and questions
Guarantees
We install both CSR Monier and Bristile, and the cover is genuinely different. Worth knowing before you choose a tile.
Monier terracotta. CSR Building Products, trading as Monier Roofing, warrants its terracotta tiles against manufacturing defects for 30 years from purchase, and for colour retention over the same 30 years.
Bristile terracotta. Bristile’s terracotta, made in Spain by La Escandella, carries a Colour for Life warranty — the tile is warranted to remain the same colour for the life of the product. Selected profiles also carry a 50 year product warranty against manufacturing faults, meaning the tile is guaranteed to remain structurally sound for that period.
That difference is worth understanding rather than glossing over. Bristile’s longer terms apply to selected profiles only, and both manufacturers attach conditions for properties close to the coast — Bristile’s cover varies within 500 metres of salt water and 200 metres of breaking surf. We will tell you exactly which warranty applies to the tile you pick and give you the manufacturer’s current document with your quote.
Both manufacturers require the same two things: installation by a qualified tradesperson to their installation guides, and a roof that is cleaned and maintained in line with those guides. Neglect is grounds for a claim being refused.
One thing we will not claim. Bristile also offers a 10 Year Total Roof Warranty, but only on roofs installed by Bristile Roofing themselves. It does not apply to roofs we install. That part of the job is ours, and we guarantee our workmanship for 10 years on a full re-roof and 7 years on a roof restoration.
All of this sits on top of your rights under Australian Consumer Law, which cannot be excluded.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a terracotta roof last?
The tiles themselves last a very long time — plenty of Melbourne roofs laid in the 1920s and 30s are still in service. What needs periodic attention is the mortar, the valleys, the flashings and the sarking. A terracotta roof is usually maintained rather than replaced.
Can you match tiles on my old terracotta roof?
Where your profile is still in production, yes, exactly. Many original Wunderlich and older Monier profiles are no longer made and we do not hold salvaged stock — in that case the options are a close match, relocating sound tiles to the most visible elevation, or replacement. Send us a photo and we will tell you what you have.
Is terracotta better than concrete?
For appearance and colour longevity, yes. Terracotta colour is fired through the clay rather than coated on, and both manufacturers we supply offer stronger colour cover on terracotta than on concrete — concrete fading is treated as normal weathering rather than a defect. Concrete is cheaper and stronger per tile. On a period home terracotta is usually the right answer.
Do you sell terracotta tiles, or only install them?
Both. Installation is our main business, and we supply tiles from our Burwood showroom. We are not an online shop — tiles are bought in person, by appointment.
Can I walk on my terracotta roof?
Best not to. Terracotta cracks under foot more readily than concrete, and walking a roof to inspect it is a common cause of the damage people then need repaired.
Does moss damage terracotta?
Not the tile itself, but it holds moisture against the surface and in the mortar, which accelerates pointing failure. It should be removed carefully — high-pressure cleaning can damage the tile surface and strip pointing.
Do I need council approval to replace a terracotta roof?
Usually not for a like-for-like replacement. If your property is in a heritage overlay — common through Camberwell, Hawthorn and Kew — or you are changing profile or colour, you may. We will flag it at inspection.
Regular roof maintenance is also a condition of the Monier warranty — neglect is grounds for a claim being refused.
Got a terracotta roof that needs attention?
We will inspect it and tell you whether it needs repointing, repair, restoration or replacement. What decides that sits under the tiles and is not visible from the ground.
Free roof inspection and obligation-free quote
03 9888 7088 — Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Or request an inspection online.
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