Tile Roof Style and Color Options for Your Arizona Home

Don’t want your home to look like a clone of every other home in Arizona?

You’ve come to the right place. Choosing the right style for your tile roof can help your home stand out and make your neighbors totally jealous. (We can picture them now saying, “Old Hacienta Sandcast Blend tiles? Why didn’t I think of that!”)

Here are some of our favorite tile roof options broken down by tile type.

Clay tile

Clay tile roofs are one of the oldest forms of roofing, dating back to 10,000 BC in China. They’re made by baking clay in molds at really high temperatures, which makes them very durable.

Common styles

Clay tiles come in 3 main styles:

• S-shaped or Spanish-style
• Pan and cap
• Romano pan and cap

S-shaped styles are a single piece of tile. This style is popular with builders because they’re easiest to install.

Pan and cap styles are made up of 2 pieces: the bottom piece (the pan) and the top piece (the cap).

The romano pan and cap style swaps out the round pans for flatter, rectangular pieces. This gives the finished roof a very unique look.

Available colors

Because they’re made of clay, clay tiles are limited to earthtones: basically red and brown hues as well as some green. However, there is still quite a bit of variety. Here are just some of the colors available from one of our vendors, Boral Roofing.

Clay tile characteristics

Pros:

• Extremely durable. Can withstand hail and wind.
• Fireproof
• Long lasting. Tile roofs can last 50 years or more when properly installed.
• Available in many different shapes, styles and colors

Cons:

• Heavy. If you’re replacing asphalt shingles, your roof structure may not support the weight of standard clay tiles. However, many manufacturers offer lighter weight options
• Walking on clay tile can crack them

Sandcast

Sandcast tiles have many of the same characteristics of clay tiles. In fact, they consist mostly of sand and clay. However, they’re made differently in order to create a much different look.

Common styles

Sandcast tiles come in the same styles as other clay tiles.

Sandcast tiles are also often installed with mortar where they overlap to give the roof an even more unique look.

Available colors

Like clay, sandcast tiles are only available in earthtones. But the special process creates a textured, mud-washed surface with unique color variations. No two tiles are ever exactly the same.

Sandcast tile characteristics

Pros:

• Firing process creates unique coloring variances
• Look great on mediterranean and southwestern style homes

Cons:

• Extremely brittle. Do not walk on them!
• Difficult to impossible to color match should you need to replace tiles down the road
• One of the most expensive tile roof options

Concrete

Concrete roofing tiles are made from (you guessed it) concrete. This makes them extremely durable. Plus, they can come in an almost endless number of colors and styles.

Common stylesUnlike clay and sandcast tiles, concrete tiles are almost always a single piece (no cap and pan). Many have clay’s traditional S-shape, but they’re also available in rectangular shapes that mimic slate and shakes.

Available colors

Concrete tiles have the most available colors of any type of roofing tile. Here are just a few.

Concrete tile characteristics

Pros:

• More durable than clay tiles
• Has the most available colors and styles
• Most affordable type of tile roofing

Cons:

• Colors can fade in the Arizona sun
• Slightly heavier than clay tiles (though lightweight versions are also available)

Related: Clay vs. Concrete Roofing Tiles

Let us help you find the right tile style for your home

A stylish roof is a great way to improve your home’s curb appeal. If you’re looking for a new tile roof in Arizona, contact us, and we’ll help you find the perfect design.