US Roofing Tile

Report Overview

Featuring 100 tables and 19 figures

What roofing tile material dominates the market?

• Concrete roofing tile with 95%

Demand for roofing tile in the US is forecast to increase 1.9% per year to 7.3 million squares, supported by:

• rising single-family housing starts

• increasing use of tile in coastal areas, where building codes often call for the use of roofing that is resistant to high winds and impacts

• the increasing number of building codes that mandate environmentally friendly roofing, because tile often meets these criteria

However, roofing tile will continue to account for a small share of US roofing demand, with market size limited by style and design preferences that favor other roofing materials throughout much of the country and the heavy weight of roof tiles – many older residences do not have roof decks that can bear the weight of these products.

Durability & Wind Resistance Boost Roofing Tile Use in Areas that Experience Severe Weather

The increasing prevalence of severe weather and other natural disasters has led many homeowners, business owners, and contractors to select more durable roofing materials. Additionally, building codes (especially those along coastal areas) and insurers are requiring that durable products be installed on homes. Roofing tile has become a more popular option for these structures as it:

• is heavy, reducing the risk of being displaced or being lifted up by high winds and strong gusts

• is dense, making it more resistant to impacts from flying debris

• features a high level of fire resistance, aiding its installation in areas prone to wildfires

Environmental Advantages Make Roofing Tile an Option to Meet Building Codes

Building codes that seek to reduce a structure’s energy usage and make it more sustainable have become increasingly prevalent in the US. Roofing tile’s performance characteristics have made it amenable to builders looking to address these codes:

• The long lifespan of roofing tile – in some cases exceeding the lifespan of the structure on which it was originally installed – makes it more likely that the tile will be recycled or reused by contractors.

• Roofing tile has a high thermal mass, which can help regulate indoor temperatures by absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night, reducing the energy used for heating and cooling.

• When produced in a lighter color, or treated with a reflective coating, roofing tile can be used as cool roofing.

Historical Market Trends

Shifts in demand for roofing tile can vary from year to year and are determined by numerous factors, primarily those related to building construction activity. They include:

• levels of housing starts, particularly in the single-family housing segment

• the size and age of the US housing stock

• interest rates – low interest rates may encourage home and business owners to take out lines of credit often used to fund roof repair and replacement projects

• the number and types of commercial buildings erected or repaired in any given year

• the type of roof (e.g., steep-slope or low-slope) installed on a structure that will be repaired or replaced

• the types of roofing materials most often specified by contractors and other consumers in a particular region of the US

• the roofing materials originally installed on the structure

Additionally, multiple other variables can affect demand for roofing tile in a particular year or over a short period of time. Among these are:

• weather conditions, especially outbreaks of severe weather that can cause widespread damage to roofs (e.g., hurricanes and tropical storms, tornadoes, hailstorms, and winter storms)

• changes and modifications to state and local building codes

• the adoption of legislation (such as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017) that can cause a temporary increase in reroofing activity

• insurers requiring homeowners to replace older or worn roofs with newer materials that better resist severe weather on condition of maintaining coverage

• changes in the price of raw materials that can cause the cost of roofing materials per square to increase or decrease sharply

Roofing tile demand advanced rapidly in 2020, a marked contrast to the weaker demand levels of 2018 and 2019. This growth was spurred by multiple outbreaks of severe weather across the US and an increase in residential roofing demand precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Levels increased again in 2021 despite continued restraint from supply chain issues and increased inflation. Roofing tile demand in volume terms declined in 2022 due to a loss in housing starts and weakness in commercial building construction, but market value continued to exhibit growth because of continuing inflation and supply chain disruptions. Roofing tile demand volume terms declined again in 2023 as single-family housing starts once again fell. However, market value again increased as the inflation and supply chain issues continued to impact pricing.

Markets Overview

The residential market accounts for the vast majority of roofing tile demand in the US because:

• most commercial structures have low-slope roofs for which roofing tile is seldom permitted by building code

• cost-conscious commercial specifiers are more likely to use less expensive asphalt roofing in structures with steep-slope roofs

Furthermore, unlike most other roofing products, new construction applications typically account for the larger share of US roofing tile demand in area terms. This is primarily because tiles are:

• high cost, so most builders prefer to use tile for new construction projects

• more complex to install; many contractors have little – if any – experience installing roofing tiles

Additionally, the reroofing market for tile is restrained by the durability, longevity, and heavy weight of the products.

Growth in single-family housing starts, especially in those parts of the US where Mission-style architecture dominates, will boost demand. In addition, porcelain tiles – which have characteristics (resistant to high winds, algae resistant, water resistant) highly suited to tropical and subtropical regions – will help boost growth as they become more popular with contractors and homeowners.

Demand for reroofing applications is forecast to decline through 2028 due to an elevated 2023 base year stemming from the number of inclement weather events in that year.

However, losses will be stemmed by:

• rising interest among homeowners (especially in the South and West) in replacing older roofs with more durable and wind-resistant concrete tile roofs

• insurers requiring more durable roofing as a condition of maintaining coverage, as tile generally meets the requirements for weather resistance

• interest among Californian homeowners in installing roofing tiles to help their homes meet CALGreen requirements calling for new and existing homes to comport with zero net energy standards – roofing tiles generally meet cool roofing criteria

Weather & Climate

Weather and climate conditions play an important role in generating demand for roofing, particularly in reroofing applications; weather-related reroofing accounts for a significant share of demand in any given year.

Periodic outbreaks of severe weather activity are perhaps the most noticeable generator of reroofing demand. Several severe weather events can cause roofing damage, such as:

• Hurricanes and tropical storms: High winds can uplift roofing materials, while projectiles carried aloft by their winds can damage roofs. Additionally, large quantities of precipitation can cause leaks or premature roof degradation. Roof damage can occur over a wide area, often encompassing many states.

• Hailstorms: Hail can cause tears and punctures to roofing membranes, crack or shatter asphalt shingles, and dent metal roofing, which can cause water to pond and prematurely corrode the material.

• Tornadoes: Like hurricanes, but with damage usually occurring more locally; the high winds of tornadoes often uplift roofs or damage roofs via high-velocity impacts.

• Winter storms: Heavy snowfalls can damage roofs or roof decks, while freezing (and subsequent thawing) of precipitation can cause ice dams.

Even during periods of normal weather activity, roofs can be subject to a wide range of weather conditions over the course of a year – all of which can cause slight damage or degradation to a roof surface. For instance:

• Roofing membranes can expand during high-temperature conditions and contract in low temperatures, forming gaps between seams that can lead to leaks.

• Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight can cause asphalt to melt or break down plastic and rubber molecules, subjecting roofing made from those materials to premature degradation.

• Precipitation (both rain and snow) can slowly degrade roofing materials, causing leaks and occasionally damaging roof decks.

Severe weather generally has a larger effect on the residential roofing market than on commercial roofing because:

• Steep-slope roofing products – which account for most residential roofing – are more likely to be uplifted by high winds.

• Homeowners are less likely than commercial building owners and managers to engage in regular roof maintenance.

However, roofs on commercial structures are still often subject to weather-related damage. For instance, water – such as after a period of heavy rain – can pond on a low-slope roof and damage the primary material, while hail can puncture membrane-based roofing systems and cause leaks.

Scope

This study analyzes roofing tile demand by product, application (new vs. reroofing), market, and US geographic region. Demand is provided in both area terms (squares) and value terms (US dollars). Historical data (2013, 2018, and 2023) and forecasts for 2028 and 2033 are presented for US roofing demand in squares. In addition, annual data is presented for 2020 through 2027 for all markets and product types in squares.

Product demand is segmented by the following types:

• concrete roofing tile

• clay and porcelain roofing tile

Demand for roofing in the residential market is analyzed by housing type:

• single-family housing

• multifamily housing

• manufactured housing

Excluded from the definition of residential buildings are housing units located in a structure whose primary purpose is something other than habitation. Thus, a small living space contained in a larger retail facility would be classified as part of a retail building and not a residential building

Demand for commercial roofing is analyzed by building type:

• office, retail, and lodging

• institutional, including educational, healthcare, and religious buildings

Demand is also broken out by region and subregion, as shown in the following table.

Excluded from the scope of the study are related products such as:

• coatings used as repair and restorative compounds and not used as primary roofing material

• flashing

• roofing underlayment

• prefabricated roof trusses and other structural supports

• roof decking materials (e.g., plywood and other engineered wood materials, concrete, metal)

• roofing repair tape