Tile roof restoration renews a sound tile roof’s surface and joints without replacing it. On this Mount Roskill job, our team restored a weathered, patchy concrete tile roof. The roof was washed and re-pointed, and a primer coat went on before the finish. The result was an even dark charcoal finish.
Tile roof restoration is the work that brings a sound but weathered tile roof back into good order, without replacing it. This post follows one concrete tile roof we restored in Mount Roskill, Auckland. Our team washed it, re-pointed it and applied a primer coat before the finish. Here is what we found, what each stage does, and what to ask before you book.
What is tile roof restoration?
Tile roof restoration means renewing the surface and the joints of a tile roof that is still sound, instead of replacing it. It is part of our roof restoration service in Auckland, which covers cleaning, moss treatment, repairs, ridge re-pointing and painting.
Every restoration is built from the same stages, but not every roof needs all of them. The stages on a quote should match what the roof actually shows. Our roof restoration guide for Auckland covers when restoration is good value and when it is not.
What did we find on this Mount Roskill roof?
The roof is concrete tile. Before the work, the tiles were weathered and patchy in colour, with pale marks scattered across the surface. The photo below was taken from the edge of the roof, looking along one section beside a hedge and a driveway.
The roof’s age and the tile maker are not recorded for this job, so we do not guess at them. Weathering still matters on any concrete tile, and Resene’s guide to painting roofs explains why.
Concrete tiles “on weathering … become relatively porous and readily support moss and mould growth.”
Resene, Painting roofs
What did the restoration include?
The job record lists three stages before the finish: a wash, re-pointing and a primer coat. Each stage has its own job.
| Stage | What it does | On this Mount Roskill job |
|---|---|---|
| Wash | Removes dirt and growth from the tiles, so the coatings go onto a clean surface | Done first |
| Re-pointing | Renews the pointing that seals the ridge caps to the tiles | Done after the wash |
| Primer coat | The first coat over the tiles, applied before the finish | Done before the finish; coat count not recorded |
| Finish | The colour you see on the finished roof | An even dark charcoal, as the photo shows |
We do not publish the number of coats, the paint product or the colour name for this job, because the job record does not include them. For your own roof, those details belong in your written quote.
What is re-pointing, and why was it part of this job?
Re-pointing renews the pointing along the ridge and hip caps of a tile roof. The pointing is the line of compound that seals each cap to the tiles beneath it. When it weathers and cracks, water can get in at the ridge.
On this roof, re-pointing came after the wash and before the primer coat. Our tile re-pointing cost guide explains the work in more detail. Our ridge capping repair guide covers caps that have cracked or moved.
Why does a primer coat go on before the finish?
A primer, or sealer, is the first coat over the tiles before the colour. Resene’s roof guide describes its concrete tile system as a sealer “to even the porosity”, then two finish coats.
That is the paint maker’s system, not a record of this job. On this Mount Roskill roof, the job record lists a primer coat before the finish, but not the number of coats. Some roof paints are sold as self-priming, so ask which system your quote uses.
We photographed the primer stage on another Auckland job. Our concrete tile roof primer story shows a roof under its white primer coat before the green finish.
What did the finished roof look like?
The patchy colour and pale marks are gone from view. The tiles and ridge now read as one even dark charcoal. Both photos were taken from the same spot at the roof edge. You can compare them side by side in our Mount Roskill roof restoration case study.
Should you restore or replace a weathered tile roof?
Restoration suits a roof whose tiles are still sound and whose problems sit on the surface and at the joints. Where the tiles themselves have failed, a new coat cannot fix them, and replacement is the honest answer.
Our tile roof restoration guide for Papatoetoe explains how we stage that decision on concrete tile roofs. For your own roof, a free inspection is how the call is made.
What should you ask before booking a tile roof restoration?
- Which stages the quote includes: the wash, any repairs, re-pointing, a primer or sealer, and the finish coats.
- How many finish coats, and which paint system, according to its data sheet.
- Whether cracked tiles or weathered pointing will be repaired before any coating goes on.
- What will be masked: skylights, flues, solar panels and glass.
- Whether you collect rainwater. Resene says downpipes feeding a water supply must be disconnected until after the first heavy rain shower.
- Who will be on the roof, and how they will work safely at height.
On the last point, WorkSafe New Zealand’s working-at-height guidance explains the risks. Resene also notes that tiled roofs “need to be steep, at least 30 degrees and this makes them difficult to walk on, clean and paint.”
Ask when the coats will go on, too. Resene’s guide says to “avoid painting in temperatures below 10 degrees”. It also says that if the roof surface “is hot to touch then it is too hot to paint.”
Do you restore tile roofs in Mount Roskill?
Yes. This roof is in Mount Roskill, and our team works across the suburbs around it. Our Onehunga roofing page covers Onehunga, Penrose, Royal Oak, Hillsborough, Mt Roskill and the suburbs nearby.
How much does roof restoration cost in Auckland?
Our published price for a full roof restoration in Auckland is $3,500–$12,000 for a standard home. That package includes cleaning, moss treatment, repairs, re-pointing and two-coat painting. We confirm the price for your roof in a written quote after a free inspection.
Book a free roof inspection or call 022 501 9921, and ask us whether restoration suits your roof.
What Questions Do Auckland Homeowners Ask?
What does a tile roof restoration include?
It depends on the roof. Our published restoration package includes cleaning, moss treatment, repairs, re-pointing and two-coat painting. On our Mount Roskill job, the record lists a wash, re-pointing and a primer coat before the finish. Ask that your quote names every stage, so you can see which ones your roof is getting.
What is re-pointing on a tile roof?
Re-pointing renews the pointing along the ridge and hip caps of a tile roof. The pointing is the line of compound that seals each cap to the tiles beneath it. When it weathers and cracks, water can get in at the ridge. On our Mount Roskill job, re-pointing came after the wash and before the primer coat.
Why is a primer coat applied before the finish?
A primer or sealer is the first coat over the tiles. Resene’s roof painting guide describes its concrete tile system as a sealer to even the porosity, then two finish coats. Some roof paints are sold as self-priming instead. Follow the data sheet for the product named on your quote, and check that the quote lists every coat.
Should I restore or replace my tile roof?
Restore when the tiles are still sound and the problems sit on the surface and at the joints. Replace when the tiles themselves have failed, because a new coat cannot fix a failed tile. A free on-site inspection is how we make that call for your roof, and it ends with a summary of what we found and a written quote.
How much does roof restoration cost in Auckland?
Our published price for a full roof restoration in Auckland is $3,500–$12,000 for a standard home. It includes cleaning, moss treatment, repairs, re-pointing and two-coat painting. We confirm the price for your roof in a written quote after a free inspection. We do not publish a price for the Mount Roskill job.
Topics covered
- roof restoration Mount Roskill
- concrete tile roof restoration
- tile roof re-pointing and primer
- restore or replace a tile roof
- Mt Roskill roof restoration