Roof Repairs
Terracotta Roof Repairs Across Sydney
Repairs for Sydney's terracotta roofs that respect the tile, the profile and the finish.
Terracotta tiles are all over Sydney's older suburbs and they're excellent tiles, hard-wearing and full of character, but the profiles are often long discontinued and the mortar that holds the ridges fails well before the tiles do. Terracotta repairs are as much about sourcing the right match and pointing correctly as they are about swapping tiles, and we take both seriously.
Matching discontinued terracotta profiles
Terracotta tile profiles have changed a lot over the decades and many old patterns are simply no longer made. Fitting the wrong profile leaves gaps that leak and looks obvious from the street. We keep and source reclaimed terracotta tiles to match older roofs, and where a match is genuinely unavailable we discuss the realistic options rather than forcing a mismatched tile.
Cracked tiles and lost glaze
Terracotta cracks from impact, foot traffic and, on very old roofs, from decades of thermal cycling. Glazed terracotta can also lose its surface glaze over time, which makes the tile more porous and prone to holding moss and moisture. We replace cracked tiles and can advise when a roof would benefit from cleaning and re-sealing rather than piecemeal tile swaps.
We walk terracotta carefully. It's harder and more brittle than concrete tile, and a heavy-footed roofer can crack more tiles than they came to fix.
Bedding and pointing on terracotta ridges
The ridge and hip capping on a terracotta roof is bedded in mortar and pointed on top, and that mortar is usually the first thing to fail on an old roof. Cracked, crumbling pointing lets water under the capping and the caps eventually work loose. We rake it out and re-bed and re-point with flexible pointing in a colour that suits the terracotta, so it seals and looks right.
What's Included
- Sourcing and fitting matched or reclaimed terracotta tiles
- Replacement of cracked, chipped and porous tiles
- Careful foot-traffic technique to protect brittle terracotta
- Re-bedding loose ridge and hip capping in fresh mortar
- Flexible, colour-suited re-pointing over the new bedding
- Advice on cleaning and re-sealing tiles that have lost their glaze
Frequently Asked Questions
My terracotta tiles are discontinued. Can you still repair the roof?
Usually yes. We source reclaimed terracotta tiles that match older, discontinued profiles, which is often the only way to properly repair a heritage or period roof. If an exact match truly can't be found, we'll explain the options honestly rather than fitting a profile that doesn't sit right.
Should I re-glaze or seal my terracotta roof?
If the tiles are sound but have lost their glaze and are holding moss and moisture, cleaning and sealing can extend their life and improve the look. It's not right for every roof, though, so we assess the tile condition first and only recommend sealing where it'll genuinely help.
Why does terracotta pointing crack so much?
Old rigid cement pointing has no flex, so as the roof heats, cools and moves it cracks and drops out. That lets water under the capping. We re-point with a flexible pointing compound that moves with the roof, which lasts far longer than the traditional rigid mortar it replaces.
Is terracotta more fragile to walk on than concrete tile?
It's harder and more brittle, so it can crack more readily under careless foot traffic, and older tiles are more vulnerable again. We step on the supported part of each tile, spread our weight and use roof ladders on steep sections, which is exactly why hiring a careful roofer matters on terracotta.
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