Handmade plain tiles
Tudor’s handmade plain tiles measure 265 × 165 mm (10½ × 6½ in), with two nibs that hook over the batten and a deep double camber. You need about 60 handmade plain tiles per square metre at the standard 100 mm gauge.
Plain tiles and the tiles that go with them
Plain tile
265 × 165 mm, with two nibs and two nail holes. The main tile for roofs and tile hanging.
Eave and top tiles
Catalogue no. 16
Shorter tiles that start the double overlap at the eaves and finish it under the ridge.
Ornamental tiles
Seven shaped tails for decorative bands. See ornamentals.
Angles and gable tiles
For corners, verges and tile-hung walls. See fittings.
What makes handmade plain tiles different
Each tile is pressed into a sanded mould by hand, so no two are quite the same size, colour or shape. That small variation is what stops a new roof looking flat and machine-made.
Our plain tiles also have a larger double camber (a curve both down and across the tile) than most. It gives the deep shadow lines of an old roof and the look of reclaimed tiles, from a new product that is tested and guaranteed.
The colour comes from Kent sand pressed into the face before firing: a coarser grain for the Antique colours and a finer grain for the Sussex colours. Compare the colours.
Handmade plain tiles on walls
Plain tiles are not only for roofs. Hung on battens up a wall, they give the tile-hung look seen across Kent and Sussex, and ornamental shapes are often mixed in as bands. Every tile on a wall is nailed twice. More about tile hanging.
Handmade plain tiles: specification
| Size (nominal) | 265 × 165 mm (10½ × 6½ in) |
|---|---|
| Fixing | Two nibs and two nail holes |
| Gauge (maximum batten spacing) | 100 mm (4 in) |
| Lap (minimum overlap) | 65 mm (2½ in) |
| Minimum roof pitch | 40°, as recommended by BS 5534:2014 |
| Tiles per m² | 60 at 100 mm gauge (50 per square yard) |
| Laid weight | About 75 kg per m² (137 lb per square yard) |
| Weight per 1,000 tiles | About 1.25 tonnes |
| Transverse strength | 780 newtons (BS EN 1304:2013, clause 4.4.2) |
| Frost and water | Meets BS EN 1304:2013 for freeze–thaw resistance and water impermeability |
| Packing | Banded in tens and shrink-wrapped on non-returnable pallets of 1,000, one colour per pallet |
Figures are nominal averages: handmade tiles vary slightly by design. E&OE.
Made to BS EN 1304 with UKCA and CE marking, and tested every year by Lucideon, a UKAS-accredited laboratory. See the certificates.
Colours
Made in every colour of the Tudor range, each packed separately so your roofer can blend them on site.
Questions about handmade plain tiles
How many handmade plain tiles do I need per square metre?
About 60 at the standard 100 mm gauge, or 50 per square yard. Allow extra for cutting and breakages; the team can work out quantities from your drawings.
What is the minimum roof pitch for plain tiles?
40 degrees, the minimum BS 5534:2014 recommends for clay plain tiles.
Can I mix colours on one roof?
Yes. Each colour is packed separately and your roofer blends them on site. Jubilee mixed with other colours gives an instantly aged look.
How heavy is a plain tile roof?
About 75 kg per square metre once laid. A pallet of 1,000 tiles weighs around 1.25 tonnes.
Can you make plain tiles to a different size?
Yes. Bespoke sizes and shapes are usually made within 4–6 weeks of order. About bespoke tiles.
Also in the range
Kent peg tilesFlatter pegged clay tiles, 250 × 150 mm, made in the home of the Kent peg tile.- Plain tile fittingsEave and top tiles, gable tiles, and external and internal angles.
- Ornamental tilesClub, fishtail, bullnose and four more shaped tails for decorative bands.
Clay roof tile coloursThirteen handmade colours, from Sussex Red to English Dark Oak.
See the tiles before you choose
We deliver samples by hand wherever we can, and you are welcome at the factory in Lydd by appointment.