Plain Tiling

The plain tile is a small rectangular flat tile measuring 265mm x 165mm (or 10½" x 6½" x ½"). The size of plain tiles was set way back in 1477 by King Edward IV and it does not vary much from that today.

The tiling of the roof of the extension of a neighbour's house is making slow progress due to the cold/wet weather conditions this week - the builder has managed to complete about a quarter of the roof.

You might not think there is much history behind the humble roof, but the roofing landscape in Britain is different from anywhere else in Europe with a rich and interesting heritage. Roof tiling is typified by the widespread use of concrete tiles, which are present on about 60% of all pitched roofs. Slates (both natural and artificial) represent over 20% of the total, and clay tiles around 10%.