What are pantiles, and where are they used?

A plain tile is a flat rectangle with a slight camber, laid in overlapping courses so that at least two layers cover any point on the roof. A pantile is shaped differently. Its section has a trough that carries water and a roll that overlaps the neighbouring tile's trough. Seen from the ground the roof looks wavy, with ribs running down the slope.

Each tile covers a wider area, so fewer are needed than with plain tiles, and the finished roof has a distinctive corrugated texture. Water runs down the troughs, crosses the overlap at the head of the tile below and drops into the gutter.

This is single-lap tiling: one layer of tile across most of the slope, with overlap only at the sides and the head. It is why pantile roofs can work at lower pitches than plain tiles, and also why the quality of the side joints and the underlay beneath matters so much.

Clay pantiles are fired from clay and prized for their colour variation and the way they weather. Concrete tiles in a pantile profile are a heavier alternative, offered in a range of colours and finishes. Sandtoft's Old English Pantile is clay, and its data sheet gives a headlap of 75 mm and a fixed gauge of 290 mm, which shows how closely the laying is specified.

Weight is the main practical difference. A change from clay to concrete, or the reverse, can pass the 15% mark that triggers a Building Regulations application and a structural check. Our answer on plain tiles against interlocking tiles covers the wider choice between tile systems.

Quoted lifespans differ between sources. MyBuilder gives 40 to 60 years for clay tiles and 30 to 50 years for concrete, though other sources disagree, and every figure depends on exposure, workmanship and upkeep. Treat them as a rough guide to what is typical, never as a promise.

Pantiles have a reputation for coping with shallow slopes, but the published figures vary by product, so there is no single answer. Marley's figures give 15° for its Lincoln clay pantile. Sandtoft states a minimum roof pitch of 30° for its Old English Pantile, which is twice as steep. The gap comes from the profile, the headlap and how each maker tested its tile.

For that reason we do not quote a pantile pitch from memory. We identify the tile, read the manufacturer's data sheet, measure the pitch on survey and compare the two. A roof sitting below the minimum for its tile explains leaks that no patch will cure, and our answer on tiles on a low-pitched roof sets out what to do next.

Ventilation follows the pitch as well. BS 5250 guidance, as Marley summarises it, sets a 25 mm eaves opening for non-breathable underlay at 15° or less, against 10 mm above that, so a shallow pantile slope calls for a wider gap than a steep one. A new underlay or fascia must leave that opening clear.

A pantile roof is pleasant to look at but fiddly to maintain, and a few habits help. Keep gutters clear so water does not back up under the first course, and have moss taken off by hand rather than blasted, since a jet can force water under the laps.

Pantiles hook into each other along their side edges, so lifting one means disturbing its neighbours. A roofer takes out tiles from the course above, frees the damaged tile and slides a replacement into the lap. Rush that, and the tiles beside it crack.

Matching

Old clay pantiles weather unevenly, and a new tile of the same shape can look noticeably different beside them. We match by profile, size and colour, and use reclaimed tiles where a visible slope calls for it. Our note on changing tile colour explains when appearance becomes a planning matter.

Verges, hips and the eaves

Cutting pantiles at a verge or hip takes more care than cutting a plain tile, because the wave has to land correctly and the cut tile still has to shed water. The bottom course is another repair point, and our answer on eaves tiles lifting covers it. Ridge and hip tiles are fixed mechanically as well as bedded, which is what BS 5534:2014 expects.

Pantiles are chosen for looks as much as performance. They suit buildings with a long, simple slope, such as outbuildings, farm buildings, extensions and many older houses, and the profile gives a roof real character. They are also a natural choice for a lower pitch where a plain tile would not be allowed.

When we survey a pantile roof we photograph the slopes and the loft side, identify the tile, measure the pitch and look at the underlay, battens, eaves and ridge. Our quote then covers the access, strip, materials, labour and clearance. On an older pantile roof we stay with pantile, because like for like is where a repair on an older house should begin.

Our pitched roofing page shows how a tiled roof job runs, and the finished work carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee, put to you in writing.