Like all leading brands of innovative and desired products, there are fakes and copies of Gerard® Roofing Tiles that are offered for sale as the real thing. BEWARE! Because those roofs will NOT perform to our high standards.
ALWAYS CHECK THE BACK OF YOUR TILES FOR THE GERARD® LOGO
IF IT’S NOT THERE, IT’S NOT #GENUINEGERARD
CHOOSE GENUINE
ALU-ZINC STEEL
All Gerard® roof products are manufactured from alu-zinc steel which have shown in tests to last 6-9 times longer than ordinary galvanised steel roofing products. This is achieved by protecting the steel core with zinc, which is itself protected by an aluminium barrier. As a pioneer of using alu-zinc steel, Gerard® has unrivalled experience in long lasting steel roof tile manufacture.
NATURAL STONE
Gerard® Roofing tiles are coated with natural stone chips, volcanically formed and taken from quarries in New Zealand. These coatings add natural beauty to the roof and a hard layer of protection from the weather Being of natural stone, the vibrant colour is protected against the extreme UV of the African sun and will never change.
TECHNOLOGY
Long term performance is one thing that sets Gerard aprart from other stone coated tiles. For example, our unique advanced manufacturing techniques ensure that our stone chip remains attached to our tiles for a lifetime. We’re the only company to have a 60 year history of making stone coated roof tiles and we employ the experience & expertise gained over that time in our advanced manufacturing technology.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Perfect for coastal living
Protected against Corrosion
Fast Installation
Fire Resistant
60 Years Heritage
Hurricane Proof
Lightweight
Protected against Monsoons
Secure
Super Strong
Tested and Inspected
Weatherproof
BEWARE OF FAKES
Copies are rarely as good as the original, and no other manufacturer can match Gerard® for experience or heritage. Other tile manufacturers reduce the quality inside the tile where it is needed the most in order to make a tile that looks like Gerard on the outside. This is what they do…..
Reducing the amount of alu-zinc in the steel saves cost, but it also reduces the lifespan of the steel. Cutting the alu-zinc by half reduces the life of the steel by two thirds.
Instead of natural volcanic stone chip other manufacturers use painted stone to save money. This quickly changes colour do to UV.
Using a generic base coat to stick their coating to their steel means the product wasn’t designed with this job in mind. The result is chip loss, exposing the steel to corrosion.
“People have conned it and are using generics which has spoilt its name… Nigerians have started manufacturing a profile for ‘Gerard’ with metal and then painting it and if you use it here at the beach within five years it is finished.”
— Nigerian Installer
WHAT YOU CAN DO
MANDRIL TEST
When you bend a Gerard® Tile it will remain 100% covered with stone chip. On fake tiles this test can expose the steel. Tiles are bent during installation so this is a good test. If steel is exposed, the roof could rust from day one
SCRAPE TEST
Scraping the tile will reveal how well the stone chip is stuck on. With Gerard® chip loss will be minimal, but compare this to other tiles. On fake tiles, stone chip can wash off in heavy rain but not on Genuine Gerard tiles.
CHECK FOR THE LOGO
Genuine Gerard® roof tiles have the Gerard® logo printed on the back of the tile so that you can easily identify the real thing. Check for this when buying, and also when the tiles are delivered to your site.