FAQ'S for LightWeight Tiles Roofing System
Our Lightweight Roofing Tiles are unique in their makeup and there are, therefore, bound to be some questions. We've tried to highlight some of the most Frequently Asked Questions below. If there are any other queries which we have not answered here, please send us your questions.
Click on each of the questions below to see the answers.
Our tiles are Hand Finished and therefore lead time will vary depending on the time of year. Lead time during busier periods can be up to 4 days but we will always aim to keep our customers updated on the progress of their orders.
The cost of delivery varies and is calculated according to the order quantities, location and the service selected. Please see our Delivery Policy for more information.
Yes, this is one of the key advantages of our product. Due to their Ultra-light properties, our tiles can be installed onto Roofs where the old roof covering hasn't been removed. This can be particularly useful with Conservatory Roof Replacements because the old Polycarbonate or Glass does not need to be removed and therefore keeps the cost down. This can also be a useful feature when looking to replace old, tired, bubbled felt roofs or over roofing asbestos.
Unlike other forms of lightweight tiles (Metal) you do not need any specialist roof tile guillotines or cutting equipment. We recommend the use of Hand-Held Disc Cutters or Hand Saws.
Our tiles use an easy dry fix screw system which only requires screws and standard roofing battens. We recommend the use of our 45mm Plastic Coated screws which are colour coordinated, available here. We recommend the use of these screws because they are thoroughly tested and it ensures the guarantee remains protected. These screws are galvanized to prevent rust, plastic coated to increase the seal with the tile and an optimum length for the batten sizes. Other screws or nail guns may be alternative options. For more information please see our Installation Guidelines.
Absolutely, our tiles have exceptional insulation properties which ensure too much heat does not escape through the conservatory roof. Likewise, they ensure the restricted allowance of Summer Sunshine into your conservatory during the summer. This then allows use of your conservatory all year round, Warm in the Winter and Cool in the Summer.
No previous roofing experience is required. One of the major benefits of using our tiles is that they are suitable for DIY installation. We feel that our tiles can be installed by anyone due to the dry, screw fix system and the limited amount of equipment required (Battens, screws, screwdriver and Saw). We have also produced both Printed Installation Guidelines and an Installation Video to ensure we give guidance for DIY installation.
At the moment, we only sell one distinctive profile of tile. This is a Roman Pantile effect sheet. By dedicating ourselves to this one product we can ensure that our customers will be receiving lightweight roofing materials manufactured with attention to detail.
The recommended minimum pitch for Lightweight Tile Installation is 10°. Whilst we have had customers install them on roof pitches lower than this, the 25-year guarantee only covers 10° and above. Therefore, our tiles are sadly not suitable for installation on flat roofs.
The price of our Lightweight Budget Tiles start from just £21 (Inc. VAT) per square meter. Due to the hand finished, high quality of our granulated tiles they are £30 per m². The fast, easy, DIY installation still make our tiles great value for money.
As we've highlighted above, our lightweight roofing tiles can be attached on top of an existing conservatory roof in order to become a Lightweight TIled Conservatory Roof. Due to this fairly unique form of application, the roof battens will need to be attached to your existing conservatory roof and glazing bars. Each conservatory will have a variance in how the glazing bars are manufactured, so this is therefore guidance and not an instruction.
In some cases, there are removable top strips that run along the entire length of the glazing bar on the outside of the conservatory. Once these strips are removed it will give you a much better idea of where to anchor the batten. For this task, you will need robust, self-tapping, galvanised bolts/screws that are long enough to go through both the batten and the alloy main body of the glazing bars. It is then advisable to use a thin gauge screw or bolt to attach our tiles onto the battens so as to not split the batten or glazing bars.
Our lightweight tiles are made up of a mix of top quality virgin and recycled polypropylene. This means that they can also be recycled after use. Our granulated tiles are then coated with a Natural Stone, UV stable Granulate.
Lightweight Tiles have an extremely fast fixing time. So, it should not take long to install a tile roof. A few things contribute to this fast fixing speed including; that our tiles are equivalent to three traditional roofing tiles, making them three times faster to install. Also, the benefit of being able to install them over an existing roof and the ability to walk on the tiles during installation (Not possible with traditional slates or lightweight metal tiles) Additionally, once the battens are installed it is possible to install three tiles (1 m²) in approximately three minutes.
Yes, our tiles are suitable for many roofing applications including residential properties, the tiles do have a Fire Rating Certificate and are tested to BS 476 Part 3: 2004. The certificate can be downloaded here. In order for this certificate to be valid, an additional Fire Proof Membrane will need to be installed underneath the tiles.
Yes, roof windows (e.g. Velux Windows) can be installed into a Lightweight Tiled Roof as long as the relevant flashing kit is used in conjunction. Flashing kits should be available from the window manufacturer. For Velux the "EDW" flashing kit is required, for other brands of window, their "profiled tile" kit is usually suitable. However, some Roof Windows may not be suitable for installation on roofs with a pitch of less than 15°, we, therefore, recommend checking this directly with the manufacturer on both suitability and flashing kits.
If you have any surplus roof tiles after installation has been completed, that are still whole, it’s not a problem please let us know. We may accept returns on your left-over items within 14 days. Please see our Returns Policy for more information.
Our Lightweight Granulated Roof tiles weigh just 6kg per m² and our Lightweight Smooth Budget Roof Tiles weigh even less than this at just 5kg per m².
Yes, our tiles are suitable for a flat roof conversion. Providing that the newly converted pitched roof has a minimum of a 10° pitch. Pitches of lower than 10° could also be 'built up' with battens in order to gain the required minimum pitch.
Our tiles are suitable for many roofing applications as long as the roof has the minimum recommended roof pitch of 10°. Some examples include Residential Properties including extensions, Conservatories, Sheds, Garages, Garden Buildings, Porch and Canopies, Timber Buildings, Caravans, Park Homes, Stables, Gazebos, Summerhouses, Carports and shelters to name just a few.
As there are many shapes and variations of ridge caps that would be required for Victorian, Edwardian and P Shaped conservatory roof ridges, we don't currently manufacture a 3/5 way ridge end cap. Therefore, in order to join the ridge of your conservatory to the hips, there various alternative options available. Find out more about the options in our blog here.
Our tiles have been tested for External Fire Performance under British Standard BS 476 Part 3: 2004.They have achieved an 'AC' classification as explained on page 8 of the Fire Certificate below. (EXT.S.AC)
To view our certificates please click here.
Unfortunately, at the moment our tiles do not hold BBA certificates, however, our lightweight roof tiles have been fully tested in the EU and also hold fire certification to BS 476 Part 3: 2004. We may look at gaining these certificates in the near future