# Roofing in Germany

> German roofing: Biberschwanz and interlocking clay tiles, concrete tiles, upland slate, northern reed thatch, zinc, green roofs and a regulated roofers' craft.

- URL: https://roof.wiki/roofing-in-germany/
- Topic: Roofing Around the World
- Also known as: German roofing; Dachdeckung in Deutschland; Bedachung; Dachdeckerhandwerk
- Regions: Europe
- First published: 2026-11-01 · Last reviewed: 2026-11-01
- Cite as: "Roofing in Germany." roof.wiki. https://roof.wiki/roofing-in-germany/

## Key facts

- **Dominant coverings:** Clay and concrete tiles
- **Standard Biberschwanz (DIN):** 36.5 × 15.5 × 1 cm (14.4 × 6.1 × 0.4 in)
- **Biberschwanz origin:** Probably 14th century, around Nuremberg
- **Ludowici interlocking tile patent:** Filed 4 September 1881
- **Most laid concrete tile:** Frankfurter Pfanne (Braas, 1954)
- **Old German slate lay, standard pitch:** 25°
- **New green roofs:** Over 10 million m² in 2023
- **Roofer training:** 3 years; 5 specialisations incl. thatching
- **Roofing trade (2024):** €13.23 bn turnover; 15,098 firms; 60,242 employees

Germany has one of Europe's largest and most tightly organised roofing trades. Steep pitched roofs covered with clay or concrete tiles dominate its housing; natural slate is traditional in the uplands between the Rhine and the Mosel; reed thatch survives on the North Sea and Baltic coasts; wooden shingles belong to forested and mountain regions; and titanium-zinc and copper are common on modern and public buildings. Germany was also a pioneer of the modern green roof and of the interlocking clay tile, and its roofers work to a detailed national body of craft rules.

In German, roofing is *Bedachung* or *Dachdeckung*, the roofer is the *Dachdecker*, and the slate roofer of the central uplands was traditionally the *Leyendecker*.[6]

## Climate and regional character

Local geology and climate shaped clear regional roof traditions:

- **North German plain and coasts**: reed thatch (*Reetdach*), clay pantiles and, on the Baltic coast, Biberschwanz tiles.[2][6]
- **Central uplands (Eifel, Hunsrück, Mosel, Sauerland, Thuringia)**: natural slate.[1][6]
- **Southern and eastern Germany**: Biberschwanz plain tiles, often on very steep roofs.[2]
- **Forested and mountain regions**: wooden shingles and boards.[1]

## History

### Early roofs

Straw and reed are among the oldest soft roof coverings in the region. In the Middle Ages, hipped roofs were often covered with bundles of straw sealed with clay, and reed roofs remain characteristic of northern Germany and northern Europe.[1] In forested regions, wood shingles were originally the only kind of shingle; the oldest method, the *Legschindeldach*, laid loose boards on the battens and held them down with poles and stones.[1] Later, the word *Schindel* came to cover small units of slate, clay and other hard materials as well.[1]

Metal roofs are among the oldest roofings too: churches were once roofed in lead, though few such roofs survive.[1]

### Tiles

Curved hollow and channel tiles, known as *Mönch und Nonne* ("monk and nun") or *Klosterziegel*, were laid with convex covers over concave channels in the manner of Roman roofs.[1] The same hollow tiles have been used across southern Europe since the Middle Ages.[1] The flat *Biberschwanz* ("beaver-tail") tile probably emerged in the 14th century in the clay pits around Nuremberg, where it replaced monk-and-nun tiles; medieval examples on Nuremberg's city wall and castle may be the oldest plain-tiled roofs of this type in Germany.[2]

The first interlocking tiles (*Falzziegel*) appeared at the start of industrialisation and markedly improved rain protection.[1] The Ludowici tile works, founded in 1857 in Ensheim in the Saarland, moved to Ludwigshafen in 1861 and from 1883 operated a new plant at Jockgrim in the Palatinate; at its peak it employed 1,100 people and was described as the largest tile works in Europe, before production ended in 1972.[10] Wilhelm Ludowici of Ludwigshafen filed a German patent for improvements to interlocking tiles on 4 September 1881, a supplement to a patent of 7 May 1881; its double ribs on the joints were designed to keep water out even when tiles shifted apart.[9]

Concrete tiles became a mass product after the Second World War. In 1954 Braas launched the *Frankfurter Pfanne*, which has been the most widely laid concrete tile model in Germany ever since.[11] Braas later became part of Braas Monier, which Standard Industries acquired in 2017 and combined with the flat-roofing company Icopal to form BMI Group.[11]

### Slate

The earliest known slate roofs were found on Roman buildings.[4] Slate became the defining roof of the Rhineland and the uplands between the Mosel and the Rhine, where the *Altdeutsche Deckung* ("Old German lay") uses irregular, rhombic slates laid in courses rising diagonally from the eaves.[1] The Dominican monastery of Paradies in Soest, dating from the 13th century, retains a traditional slate roof.[4]

### Green roofs

The Landscape Research, Development and Construction Society (FLL) publishes the green roof guidelines (*Dachbegrünungsrichtlinien*) used as the national reference; the current edition dates from 2018.[8]

## Traditional coverings in detail

### Biberschwanz tiles

The standard DIN Biberschwanz measures 36.5 × 15.5 × 1 cm (14.4 × 6.1 × 0.4 in), while the traditional south German format of 38 × 18 cm (15 × 7 in) is larger and heavier, which improves wind resistance.[2] Half tiles are used at verges, and tiles one and a half times the normal width at verges and valleys.[2] The tail may be cut in many shapes, including round, segmental arc, straight, hexagonal, pointed diamond and Gothic; heritage authorities often prefer segmental arc cuts.[2]

Three laying methods are used:[2]

- **Kronendeckung (crown lay)**: two layers hung on a single batten; traditional but now uncommon.
- **Doppeldeckung (double lay)**: each course on its own batten, overlapping the course below by slightly more than half; eaves and ridge courses are still crown-laid.
- **Einfachdeckung (single lay)**: one layer, with the vertical joints covered by thin strips (*Spließe*) or felt pieces; it needs about half as many tiles.

Tiles can be laid in bond (*im Verband*), with continuous vertical joints out of bond, or in a three-quarter bond as a compromise between the two.[2]

Biberschwanz tiles hold well even on very steep roofs without extra fixing.[2] They are most widespread in southern and eastern Germany and very common in Mecklenburg, but relatively rare in the west.[2] Interlocking flat tiles in the Biberschwanz style (*Falzbiber*) have been made since the early 20th century and are laid single.[2]

### Slate

German slaters use a wide repertoire of slate shapes, including scales (*Schuppen*), rectangles, acute-angled slates and arc-cut slates, laid as Old German lay, scale lay, rectangular double lay, acute-angle lay and random (*wilde*) lay.[4][3] Slates are nailed to a dry boarded deck about 24 mm (0.9 in) thick, with slate nails, pins or hooks; hook fixing lets the covering move, and rectangular slates can also be clipped. The boarding at the eaves is protected against drifting snow.[4] Slate has a standard service life of around 100 years.[4]

The roofers' rules for slate set standard minimum pitches (*Regeldachneigung*) for each method:[3]

| Laying method | Standard pitch |
|---|---|
| Altdeutsche Deckung (Old German lay) | 25° |
| Altdeutsche Doppeldeckung | 22° |
| Rectangular double lay | 22° |
| Scale lay | 25° |
| Arc-cut lay | 25° |
| Acute-angle lay | 30° |
| Random lay | 25° |

Below the standard pitch a waterproof underlay is required, and no method may be laid more than 10° below its standard pitch even with an underlay; steeper pitches may be needed on exposed sites, in very wet areas or on rafters longer than about 8 m (26 ft).[3]

### Reed thatch

Reed thatch is concentrated in northern Germany.[6] It is characteristic of Mecklenburg and the Darß peninsula, where the Fishermen's Church at Born is reed-thatched.[14] Thatching (*Reetdachtechnik*) is one of the five specialisations in German roofer training.[6]

### Wood shingles

In forested regions, wood shingles continue the oldest German roofing tradition, which began with the loose boards of the *Legschindeldach*.[1]

### Metal

Titanium-zinc is widely used for standing seam roofs, cladding and rainwater goods. A typical German double standing seam (*Doppelstehfalz*) roof uses 0.7 mm zinc in bays of about 530 mm (21 in), with a seam about 25 mm (1 in) high, and can be laid down to 3° with seam sealing tape between 3° and 7°.[13] Panels are normally limited to 10 m (33 ft) in length, or 16 m (52 ft) with special clips on pitches up to 30°, and longer runs are joined with cross seams.[13] Lead roofs survive on a few historic churches.[1]

## Roofing today

Clay and concrete tiles are the main coverings on pitched roofs; among concrete tiles, the *Frankfurter Pfanne* has been the most widely laid model since the 1950s.[11] Clay tiles, slate and zinc are each governed by their own set of ZVDH rules, with standard pitches below which extra underlays are required.[3]

### Green roofs

More than 10 million m² (about 108 million sq ft) of new green roofs were installed in Germany in 2023.[7] The FLL guidelines cover the legal framework, types of greening, structural and material requirements, the layers of a vegetated roof (drainage, filter and growing medium), planting, maintenance, acceptance and testing, including root-resistance tests.[8]

### Solar

Photovoltaic installation has become a major part of roofers' work, and since April 2024 the roofers' and electricians' trades have had a cooperation agreement on PV systems.[5]

## Rules, training and the trade

### Craft rules

German roofing is governed by the technical rules of the national roofers' federation, the ZVDH (*Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks*), including its basic rules (*Grundregeln*) and specific rules for slate and other coverings; for slate, these rules are regarded as the current state of the art.[3]

### Training

Roofer training lasts three years in the dual system of workplace and vocational school.[6] The first two and a half years are common to all trainees; in the final half-year trainees specialise in one of five areas: roof covering (*Dachdeckungstechnik*), waterproofing (*Abdichtungstechnik*), exterior wall cladding (*Außenwandbekleidungstechnik*), energy technology (*Energietechnik*) or thatching (*Reetdachtechnik*).[6] The master craftsman qualification (*Meister*) is the basis for running an independent roofing business.[6]

### The trade in numbers

The ZVDH traces its origins to the Reichsverband Deutscher Dachdeckermeister, founded in 1925, and marked its centenary in 2025.[5] In 2024 the roofing trade had:[5]

- Turnover of €13.23 billion, up 2.4% on 2023 but down 1.5% after price adjustment.
- 15,098 firms registered with the trade's social fund, of which 3,846 (25.5%) had no commercial employees.
- 60,242 commercial employees, the third annual decline in a row, with an average of 5.5 employees per firm.
- 8,588 apprentices, up 1.2%, including 390 women.

For comparison, 54,371 roofers were in employment subject to social insurance on 30 June 2013, and there were 6,651 roofing apprentices in 2017.[6] Material costs fell to 34.6% of turnover in 2024, although cement was 52% and mineral insulation 64% more expensive than in 2020.[5]

## Notable roofs

- **Olympic Park, Munich**: the tent roof over the Olympic Stadium and neighbouring venues, a steel cable net covered with transparent acrylic glass panels and suspended from pylons 51–80 m (167–262 ft) high, covers about 78,000 m² (840,000 sq ft). Günter Behnisch's office won the 1967 design competition, by a jury vote of 17 to 2 on 13 October 1967, with Frei Otto and structural engineer Jörg Schlaich brought in as specialists; the stadium opened for the 1972 Olympic Games.[12]
- **Nuremberg**: medieval Biberschwanz roofs on the city wall and castle.[2]
- **Kloster Paradies, Soest**: a traditional slate roof on a 13th-century monastery.[4]
- **Fishermen's Church, Born auf dem Darß**: a reed-thatched church on the Baltic coast.[14]

## Local roofing terms

- *Dachdecker*: roofer; *Leyendecker*: slate roofer.[6]
- *Biberschwanz*: beaver-tail plain tile.[2]
- *Mönch und Nonne*, *Klosterziegel*: monk-and-nun tiles.[1]
- *Falzziegel*: interlocking tile.[1]
- *Reetdach*: reed-thatched roof.[6]
- *Schindel*: shingle.[1]
- *Regeldachneigung*: standard minimum pitch for a covering.[3]
- *Doppelstehfalz*: double standing seam.[13]


## Sources

1. Historische Dachdeckungen — Baunetz Wissen. https://www.baunetzwissen.de/altbau/fachwissen/dach-deckungen/historische-dachdeckungen-2949105
2. Biberschwanzziegel — Wikipedia (German). https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biberschwanzziegel
3. Regeldachneigung der Deckungsarten — Baunetz Wissen. https://www.baunetzwissen.de/schiefer/fachwissen/konstruktion/regeldachneigung-der-deckungsarten-164404
4. Schiefer als Dachdeckungsmaterial — Baunetz Wissen. https://www.baunetzwissen.de/schiefer/fachwissen/werkstoff-schiefer/schiefer-als-dachdeckungsmaterial-164410
5. Jahresbilanz: Dachdecker profitieren vom Klimaschutz — Deutsche Handwerks Zeitung. https://www.deutsche-handwerks-zeitung.de/?p=361684
6. Dachdecker — Wikipedia (German). https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachdecker
7. Grüne Dächer boomen in Deutschland — European Commission BUILD UP. https://build-up.ec.europa.eu/de/resources-and-tools/publications/gruene-daecher-boomen-deutschland
8. Dachbegrünungsrichtlinien — Baunetz Wissen. https://www.baunetzwissen.de/flachdach/fachwissen/richtlinien-verordnungen/dachbegruenungsrichtlinien-221785
9. DE17940C: Neuerungen an Falzziegeln — Google Patents (Kaiserliches Patentamt). https://patents.google.com/patent/DE17940C/de
10. Unternehmen F (Falzziegelwerk Carl Ludowici) — Wirtschaftsgeschichte Rheinland-Pfalz. https://www.wirtschaftsgeschichte-rlp.de/a-z/f.html
11. Braas Monier — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braas_Monier
12. The tent roof — Olympiapark München. https://olympiapark.muenchen.de/en/olympiapark/zeltdach.html
13. RHEINZINK double standing seam — RHEINZINK. https://rheinzink.com/products/roofing/double-standing-seam
14. Thatching — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thatching
15. Roof tiles — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roof_tiles
16. Dachschiefer — Wikipedia (German). https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dachschiefer
17. Altdeutsche Deckung — Wikipedia (German). https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altdeutsche_Deckung
18. Zentralverband des Deutschen Dachdeckerhandwerks — Wikipedia (German). https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zentralverband_des_Deutschen_Dachdeckerhandwerks
19. Green roof — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_roof
20. Slate industry in Wales — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate_industry_in_Wales
21. Creaton — Wikipedia (German). https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creaton
22. Slate — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate