Installation of Tiles for Prefabricated Slab Houses

The installation of tiles for prefabricated slab houses should follow the process of planning, base layer laying, fixing and waterproofing, special handling, and acceptance. The specific steps are as follows:

I. Project Planning and Material Preparation

1. Tile Selection: Choose tile types based on local climate conditions. Clay tiles are durable but heavy, while concrete tiles are lighter but note that they may exceed 10 pounds per square foot. If the roof is not designed to bear the weight of tiles, reinforcement is required in advance.
2. Material List:
   • Gasket nails: Used to seal nail holes and prevent rainwater leakage;
   • Heavy-duty waterproof base layer: Laid on the roof base to enhance waterproofing performance;
   • Outdoor caulk or sealant: Used for sealing tile joints and special positions;
   • Tile quantity calculation: Estimate based on roof area, for example, 100 square feet require 75-400 tiles, with the specific quantity varying depending on tile size and overlap method.

II. Base Layer Installation

1. Initial Laying: Place the first roll of waterproof base layer perpendicular to the lower edge of the roof, aligning the bottom edge with the eave edge. Fix it with nails spaced 24 inches apart, ensuring the nails are at least 2 inches from the edge to avoid tearing.
2. Overlap Handling: Subsequent rolls of the base layer should cover the edges of the previously laid parts, overlapping along the upper line of the roll. When bypassing obstacles such as chimneys and vents, seal with metal flashing and cut the base layer to fit the shape.

III. Tile Fixing and Waterproofing

1. Fixing Methods:
   • Wooden batten structure: Use an electric screwdriver to fix the tiles to the wooden battens;
   • Battenless structure: Nail directly onto the sheathing;
   • Metal tiles: Need to be nailed horizontally with metal nails, with at least 5 fixing points per tile and a nail depth of not less than 20mm.
2. Waterproofing Enhancement:
   • Apply sealant on the back of the tiles to ensure tight adhesion to the roof;
   • Cement can be applied between the base layer and the tiles to enhance firmness, preventing water leakage through a concave-convex overlapping design.

IV. Special Position Handling

1. Steep Roofs: Install battens to fix the tiles, using clips or hooks to ensure that non-interlocking tiles overlap by at least 3 inches.
2. Ridge and Gable Edges: Increase the height of the wooden studs to 40mm to match the installation of ridge tiles, and lay lightning protection devices simultaneously.
3. Cutting Adjustments: Cut tiles tightly against obstacles such as chimneys and pipes, and also cut tiles at the end of each row to fit the edges.

V. Acceptance Criteria

1. Structural Inspection: Confirm the material of the batten (such as anti-corrosion wood or metal), ensure dimensional errors are within the allowable range, standard spacing of 368mm, and flatness error ≤5mm.
2. Firmness Test: Check that all fixing points are firm and without looseness.

Precautions: Construction should be carried out in dry weather to avoid the impact of rainwater on the sealing effect; if the roof is a lightweight structure, reinforcement is required in advance to bear the weight of the tiles.