East Lynn – Case Study
August 2012
Heritage and tradition in the Garden of England
A rural setting
In 1998 Brian Copsey and his wife bought a plot of land in the picturesque village of
Brenchley, Kent and set about building their dream home in the Garden of England. Their
single story, oak frame property sits beautifully within the local environment, surrounded by
open countryside and orchards.
To match the aesthetics of the property, Brian chose a plain tile from a French manufacturer.
After five years a number of tiles began to delaminate and flake, quickly spreading across
the whole of the roof. Brian said, “After noticing problems with individual tiles, it soon
became apparent that the whole roof needed to be replaced. Having been left dissatisfied
with the product and customer service I looked at alternative manufacturers in the UK and
Sandtoft came highly recommended.”
Keen to find out more about the tiles and avoid the issues he’d experienced previously, Brian
visited Sandtoft’s head office to learn more about the production process and the materials
used to develop the tiles. Following a range of demonstrations, Brian chose to re-roof his
property using Sandtoft’s Alban clay plain tile in the Sussex Blend colour.
Crafted by hand
Made from Sandtoft’s extensive clay reserves formed from the alluvial plain of the river
Humber over 10,000 years ago, the Alban is the latest handcrafted clay plain tile from
Sandtoft who have been making traditional clay plain tiles for more than 100 years.
The Alban is carefully sanded using recycled foundry sands that are pressed into the tile,
creating a varied and rustic surface texture. Once dried the tiles are set into the kiln by hand
and fired vertically which further adds to their character as it results in each tile adopting a
slightly different shape during firing.
The perfect solution
Brian added, “The Alban tiles are the perfect solution to our roofing dilemma. The durability,
texture, form and colour are all far and above what we had previously. I also have the
reassurance that someone is on hand and available in the UK if there are any issues. The
customer service has been exemplary.
The roof looks superb and sits wonderfully on the property, complementing its surroundings.
We are both delighted with the finished result.”
Sandtoft has developed the Alban with traditional projects like this in mind. It’s ideal for
people looking for a reclaimed appearance at an affordable price. The specialist sanding
techniques add real charm and character to the roof.
The Alban is available in two colours - the Sussex Blend and Vintage Blend.
Ends
About Sandtoft Roof Tiles:
•
Part of the Wienerberger group, Sandtoft offers the UK’s largest and most
diverse portfolio of roof tiles and accessories, in clay, concrete and slate as well as
the Koramic range of clay roof tiles.
•
In addition to traditional plain tiles, pantiles and slates, the Sandtoft range
includes some of the industry’s most innovative products such as New Generation
clay tiles which make a clay roof more affordable.
•
Its renowned Heritage Service makes tiles and fittings to order and offers
bespoke handmade solutions for restoration projects.