Ludowici has been firing clay roof tile in New Lexington, Ohio, since 1888. The clay comes from a single seam they have owned for the entire run. The kilns hold tiles at temperature for a longer period than anything else in production. The result is a tile that holds its color through Florida UV and shrugs at salt air. We specify it more than any other clay manufacturer for two reasons: the material outlives the homeowner, and the company will still be there in fifty years to match a broken one.
The four profiles to know
Ludowici makes more than two dozen profiles. For Florida residential work, four cover almost every project we see.
Spanish "S"
The most familiar Florida profile. A single-piece tile with the convex-and-concave roll built in. Reads as classical Mediterranean from the street. Roughly 90 tiles per 100 square feet of roof.
Mission (Barrel)
The two-piece profile — a pan and a separate cover. The most expensive of the four (twice the piece count), and the one that makes the difference on a true Mediterranean Revival. Generally specified on roofs where photographs will eventually be published.
Provincial / French
A flat-ish profile with subtle curvature. Reads quieter than the Spanish. Common on neoclassical and Italianate homes. Lower wind profile than barrel.
Flat / Slab
Modernist's clay tile. No roll. Reads almost like slate from a distance. Increasingly specified on contemporary coastal homes where the architect wants the longevity of clay without the period implication.
Color
Ludowici's color line is built around natural clay shades — terra cotta, sand, ochre, charcoal, and slate gray. Color is not a coating; it is the clay body itself, which means it does not fade. Custom colors are possible but extend lead times.
For Florida specifically, the lighter shades reflect more solar load, which matters for attic temperatures and shingle adhesives on neighboring construction. Darker shades carry more thermal mass but read more dramatic from the water.
Cost ranges
Ludowici clay tile, installed in South Florida, runs roughly:
- Spanish S: in the high teens to low twenties per square foot
- Mission Barrel: in the high twenties to mid-thirties per square foot
- Provincial / Flat: in the low to mid-twenties per square foot
These are 2026 numbers and include underlayment, fasteners, and standard flashings. Custom colors, complex geometries, copper hip and ridge, and decorative ridge tile push the high end higher.
Lead times
Six to nine months for stock profiles. Twelve months for non-stock colors. We typically place the order at contract signing and use the lead time to complete tear-off, deck repair, and underlayment — by the time the tile arrives, the field is ready to set.
The seventy-five-year math
A correctly installed Ludowici roof is rated for seventy-five years. The honest math is that the underlayment beneath it will need replacement once during that lifetime, and the tiles themselves will be reused. We have done re-roofs on Ludowici from the 1930s where every original tile was salvaged and reset on new underlayment. The clay is older than the homeowner; it will outlive the next one.
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