Spanish Tile

A Spanish tile, also called an S-tile, is a single-piece roof tile whose cross-section forms a deep S: a wide channel on one side and a raised roll on the other. Once laid, the rolls line up to give the same wavy appearance as two-piece mission or barrel tiling, but with fewer pieces and less weight.

Manufacture

Spanish tiles are typically extruded: clay (or, for concrete versions, a cement mortar) is forced through a shaped die and cut to length before firing or curing. They are usually grouped in the same family as the pantile and the Scandinavian "Scandia" tile, all of which combine pan and cover in one piece.

Terminology

Names vary by country and manufacturer:

• In North America, "Spanish tile" usually means a one-piece S-tile, while "mission" or "barrel" tile means the two-piece system.
• In the UK, a similar shape is generally called a pantile.
• Some manufacturers use "Spanish" loosely for any red, curved Mediterranean-style tile.

Because of this inconsistency, specifiers usually refer to the exact profile and manufacturer rather than the generic name.

Use

S-tiles are widespread in Spain and Portugal and throughout Latin America, and are common in Florida, California and the US Southwest. Concrete S-tiles are widely used where clay is more expensive.

Performance

Like other curved tiles, S-tiles leave an air channel beneath each roll, which reduces heat transfer and allows some drying. Their open ends at the eaves and ridge are normally closed with special bird-stop pieces, mortar or proprietary closures. In hurricane-prone regions, codes require each tile to be fastened mechanically or with approved foam adhesives.