North Narrabeen - Roof Repointing

Is your tiled roof ready to stand strong against the elements year round? For many homes in our beautiful Northern Beaches suburbs, a vital part of roof maintenance is re-pointing and replacing broken tiles.

The Importance of a Solid Roof

Your tiled roof is your home's primary shield. Over time, the bedding mortar under your ridge tiles can crack and erode due to sun, rain, and salt air. This leaves your ridge tiles vulnerable to dislodgement and can allow water ingress, leading to costly damage to your roof cavity and ceilings.

What Exactly Are Re-Bedding and Re-Pointing?

When it comes to tiled roofs, especially those here on the Northern Beaches facing coastal elements, you'll often hear about "re-bedding" and "re-pointing." These are two crucial, sequential processes that ensure your roof's ridge tiles (the triangular tiles along the peaks and hips of your roof) remain secure and watertight.

1. Re-bedding: The "Foundation": Think of re-bedding as establishing a new, solid foundation for your ridge tiles.

• What it is: Over time, the original bedding mortar – a mix of sand and cement that the ridge tiles are set into – can deteriorate. It might crack, crumble, or even wash away due to weather, roof movement, and age. This compromises the stability of your ridge tiles, making them loose or prone to falling off.

  
  

• The Process: Re-bedding involves carefully removing any loose or deteriorated old bedding mortar. Then, a fresh, strong sand and cement mixture is applied to create a new, stable base. The ridge tiles are then meticulously re-set into this fresh bedding, ensuring they are perfectly aligned and securely anchored.

  
  

2. Re-pointing: The "Seal and Finish": Once the ridge tiles are re-bedded and secure, re-pointing is the vital next step that seals and strengthens the bond.

• What it is: Traditionally, pointing was also done with cement mortar. However, modern roofs (especially since around 1995) almost exclusively use flexible pointing compounds (like Flexipoint). This material is applied over the top of the bedding, filling the gaps and creating a weather-tight seal.

  
  

• Why Flexipoint? Unlike rigid cement mortar which is prone to cracking with temperature fluctuations and roof movement, flexible pointing is designed to flex and stretch with your roof. This prevents new cracks from forming, offering a far more durable and long-lasting seal against water, dust, and even pests. It also provides a neat, finished appearance to your roof.

  
  

• The Process: Flexible pointing compound is carefully trowelled over the new bedding and around the edges of the ridge tiles, creating a strong, yet flexible, bond and a smooth, aesthetically pleasing finish that often matches your roof tile colour.

  
  

In essence, re-bedding provides the stability, and re-pointing provides the flexible, durable seal. Both are critical for maintaining the integrity, weather resistance, and longevity of your tiled roof, especially in coastal areas like the Northern Beaches where roofs are constantly exposed to harsh conditions.

Our recent North Narrabeen project involved re-bedding necessary ridge tiles with a durable sand and cement mix. Following this, we meticulously re-pointed all ridge tiles using high-quality Flexipoint. This flexible pointing compound moves with your roof's natural expansion and contraction, offering superior longevity and preventing future cracking.

Don't Let Broken Tiles Leak Your Investment

Even a single broken or cracked tile can compromise your roof's integrity. Water finds the path of least resistance, and a seemingly small crack can lead to significant leaks during heavy downpours. As part of our comprehensive service, we replaced any broken tiles found during the inspection. (In this instance, the customer kindly supplied the replacement tiles.)

Investing in professional roof repointing and tile replacement now can save you significant repair costs down the line. It enhances your roof's durability, improves its aesthetic appeal, and gives you peace of mind all year round.

Is your Northern Beaches tiled roof looking tired? Don't wait for a leak! Contact the Cloud9 Roofing Team today for a free inspection and ensure your home is protected.