Traditional Tile Shapes and Colors

There are two types of clay roofing tiles: interlocking and overlapping. Interlocking tiles are designed in pairs so that an extrusion or "lip" on one of the tiles "hooks" over the other tile thereby "locking" or securing the two together; they are also usually nailed to the roof structure. Overlapping tiles, which can also function in pairs, generally do not have any sort of "lip" and must be nailed in place. There is a wide range of shapes of historic clay roofing tiles, and many, sometimes with slight variations, are still produced today. There are many variations, and the country of origin of some of them may be revealed in their names, but there are essentially only two kinds of shapes: pantiles and flat tiles. Both pantiles and flat tiles may be either interlocking or overlapping.

Pantiles. The shape most commonly associated with historic clay roofing tiles is probably that of convex or rounded tiles, often grouped together generically as "pan tiles" or "pantiles." These include Spanish tiles-sometimes called "S" tiles, or the similarly shaped Mission tiles, also known as Barrel or Barrel Mission tiles, straight or tapered, as well as Roman tiles, and their Greek variation.

Flat Tiles. Flat, shingle tiles are another type of historic clay roofing tiles. Flat tiles can be completely plain and flat, and, like roofing slates, overlap one another, attached with nails to the roof sheathing. Or they may interlock at the top and on one side. Although the "interlock" holds them together, most interlocking shingle tiles also have one or more holes, usually near the top, for nailing to the roof sheathing. Flat tiles are mostly variations of English or Shingle tiles, and include English Shingle, Closed Shingle, Flat, Shingle or Slab Shingle, as well as French tiles which have a slightly higher and more contoured profile.

Any of the standard tile shapes may be known by a different name in another region of the country, or in different parts of the world. For example, what are known as Spanish or "S" tiles in the United States, may be called Single Roman tiles in England. Sometimes Spanish and Mission tiles are equated despite the fact that the former are usually 1-piece interlocking tiles and the latter are single ½ cylinders that overlap. Since missions and the Mission style are associated with the Americas, Mission tiles in the United States are more commonly referred to as Spanish tiles in England and Europe. In a similar vein, Spanish or "S" tiles, or Barrel tiles, might seem to be more typical of some tiles used in France than what are marketed as French tiles by American manufacturers.

Today some tile manufacturers have given their own trademark name to historic tile shapes. Other companies market uniquely shaped "S" tiles that are more in the shape of a true, but rather low profile "s" without the customary flat portion of traditional American "S" tiles.