A clay tile maker produces traditional handmade clay roofing tiles - peg tiles, plain tiles, ridge tiles and specialist profiles - for use on historic and listed buildings where machine-made products are visually or technically unacceptable to conservation officers. Handmade tiles are individually shaped and fired, resulting in the slight variation in colour, size and surface texture that is the hallmark of historic roofs. British Standards for clay roofing tiles (BS EN 1304) cover both handmade and machine-made products, but listed building consent conditions often specifically require handmade tiles.
What they do
- Produce handmade clay peg tiles to match original historic examples
- Make bespoke ridge tiles in local clay to match traditional profiles
- Reproduce specialist pattern tiles for heritage buildings
- Advise on tile matching and clay sampling for listed building repairs
- Produce small batches to supplement reused original tiles
- Supply tiles for conservation officer approval before full production
- Advise roofers and conservation architects on correct specification
When you need one
Handmade clay tiles are required when a conservation officer or listed building consent condition specifies them, or when machine-made tiles would be visually incompatible with original historic roofing.
Typical costs (UK, 2025)
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Handmade clay peg tile | £3 - £8 each |
| Handmade ridge tile | £8 - £25 each |
| Bespoke or pattern tile | £10 - £50+ each |
| Tile sampling and matching | £200 - £500 |
| Small batch production (minimum order applies) | POA |
| Delivery (fragile, specialist packing) | POA |
Most handmade tile producers have minimum order quantities. For small repairs requiring only a few dozen tiles, specialist reclaim merchants who hold stocks of original clay tiles are often a more cost-effective solution.
Qualifications to look for
Some handmade tile producers have their products approved by Historic England and feature on approved materials lists. Seek suppliers who can provide examples of tiles used on comparable listed buildings.
The British Standard for clay roofing tiles. Tiles supplied for listed building repair should comply with this standard and the supplier should be able to provide performance data including frost resistance testing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between handmade and machine-made clay tiles?
Handmade tiles are individually shaped, with natural variation in size, colour and texture that replicates the appearance of historic roof coverings. Machine-made tiles are uniform and smooth - acceptable for modern buildings but visually inconsistent when used on old roofs where original handmade tiles remain.
Can old clay tiles be reused?
Yes, and this is strongly preferred for listed buildings. Carefully stripped original tiles should be sorted, cleaned and reused as the priority. New handmade tiles are produced only to supplement losses where original tiles are broken or missing.
What is a peg tile?
A peg tile is a small plain clay tile with two holes for hanging on timber battens using oak or copper pegs rather than hooks. It is the traditional fixing method for much of South East England's historic roofing, and the characteristic appearance requires handmade tiles to replicate authentically.