What concrete tiles are, and how they age
A concrete tile is pressed from concrete, sand and pigments, then given a decorative colour coat. Monier says independent testing shows concrete gets stronger and less porous with age, the opposite of what most people expect from an old roof.
What wears is the look: the coat weathers to a softer, matt finish without affecting performance. The tiles are heavy, too. Monier's Horizon flat tile weighs 57.2 kg per square metre and its Elabana profile 49.5 kg.
We haven't found an independent life expectancy for concrete tiles, so we won't invent one. Monier backs tiles bought from 1 July 2026 with a 30 year product warranty, provided they're installed to its guides.
Faded, white, or actually failing?
Faded colour is cosmetic. A whitish-grey film is usually efflorescence, or bloom: natural salts rising out of the concrete. Monier says it doesn't affect performance and usually goes away by itself.
Cracked or slipped tiles, crumbling ridge mortar and water marks on the ceiling are the real warning signs, and Dulux lists the same ones as reasons a tiled roof may need restoring. Those need repairs. Paint fixes none of them.
Worried the tiles soak up rain? Monier's testing puts the extra weight of absorbed water at no more than 10% even when saturated, and about 5% in real conditions.
Repaint, restore or re-roof?
| Repaint only | Full restoration | Re-roof | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it fixes | The look, and nothing else | Broken tiles, ridge mortar and the look | Everything, including battens and sarking if they're renewed |
| Helps keep water out? | No, says Monier | The repairs do; the coating is mostly for looks | Yes, it's a new roof |
| How long the result lasts | About five years before the look needs redoing (Monier) | Depends on the system; Dulux offers up to 15 years on some Acratex coatings | A fresh product warranty on the new tiles |
| Makes sense when | The roof is sound and you want a refresh, say before selling | Tiles are mostly sound but ridges and some tiles aren't | Tiles are cracking across the roof, or battens are worn out |
Questions to ask before you say yes
- Is the faded coat the only problem, or are tiles and ridges failing too?
- How many tiles are you replacing, and where will the matching ones come from?
- If you're repainting, which product and system, how many coats, and whose warranty?
- How will you clean the tiles? Monier advises against pressure washers because of the risk of damage.
- Can you photograph what you find while you're up there?
What's yours, and what's the roofer's
You can
- Watch for water marks on ceilings after heavy rain
- Look over the ridges from the ground with binoculars
- Compare quotes line by line, not just on the total
Leave to a roofer
- Walking on the roof and replacing tiles
- Rebedding and repointing the ridges
- Cleaning and any roof coating
Our take
On a faded but sound concrete roof, we'd fix what lets water in first: broken tiles and tired ridge mortar. We'd only repaint if the look really matters to you, and we'd go in knowing it comes round again every five years or so. If more than one roofer says tiles are cracking across the roof, we'd stop pricing paint and start pricing a new roof.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.