The Custom Tile Roofing tile yard boasts one of the most comprehensive historic tile inventories in the country. With hundreds of different styles and manufacturers, identifying a desired tile can be a daunting task for those unfamiliar with historic tile.

There are several key components to roof tile identification:

FIRST, one must identify the material. The most common tile materials are Clay and Concrete, however there are also slate and Asbestos/Transite tiles as well. If you are having difficulty identifying your tile material, take a look at our product links above to to see examples of various tiles for a particular material.

SECOND, one should determine the general style as well as texture of shingle. Most concrete and clay tiles fall into one of the following categories: Flat (Smooth), Flat (Shake), Villa Style, Spanish / "S", French. 

THIRD, one should examine how the tiles interlock with one another. Most interlocking tiles use either a single or double rain channel system, which is visible on either the left or right side of the tile. Some tile variants do not interlock, they can over-lay on top of one another or butt up end to end to one another. 

FOURTH, one should measure the dimensions of the tile to obtain the length and width. Few field tiles can be over-layed effectively even if the length is not identical, however most replacement tiles used in repairs must have the same dimensions as the original tile. Tile dimensions are critical when sending inquiries through our online identification system. Please see below for ideal examples of how one should take photos for inquiry requests. 

LASTLY, one should look carefully on the back of the tile to determine whether the manufacturer has stamped their company name or logo on the tile. Most tiles will have an identifying marker to determine the manufacturer. Positively identifying the manufacturer is tremendously helpful when attempting to locate a specific tile.

If you are searching for a particular tile, the best way to guarantee an exact match is to bring a full sample piece to our yard for identification (small broken pieces can be difficult but not impossible to identify). If you are unable to to bring a physical sample to our warehouse, please include as many of the indicators listed above when sending your inventory inquiry. If you have any questions regarding criteria for identifying tile, please feel free to give us a call at (303) 600-8696 and one of our associates will be happy to assist you.