Mortar Falling Off Your Gable End or Ridge? What It Means & How to Fix It

Where is the mortar coming from?

• Verge: the sloping edges of the roof at the gable ends. Mortar here fills the gap under the end tiles.
• Ridge: the row of tiles along the very top of the roof, traditionally bedded on mortar.
• Hips: the sloping corners on hipped roofs, also often bedded in mortar.

Why roof mortar fails

Sand and cement mortar is rigid, but a roof moves slightly with wind and temperature. Fine cracks appear, rain gets in, freezes and expands, and the mortar gradually breaks up. The verge takes the worst of it because it faces wind-driven rain head-on.

Is it urgent?

A few small pieces of mortar isn't an emergency, but it's a warning. Once enough mortar has gone, end tiles and ridge tiles can work loose and lift in the next storm. If you can see gaps, loose tiles or ridge tiles out of line, get it looked at soon. If tiles are already loose or have fallen, treat it as urgent — keep people away from the area below.

Repoint or go dry fix?

Repointing (re-bedding in fresh mortar) is cheaper upfront, but it's the same material that failed in the first place, so you'll likely be doing it again in a few years. A dry verge and dry ridge system replaces the mortar with mechanically fixed units, so there's nothing left to crumble. Since the 2014 revision of BS 5534, new roofs and re-roofs must have mechanically fixed ridges and verges.

What a dry verge & dry ridge job involves

1. Safe access — scaffold or a tower, depending on the house
2. Old verge and ridge mortar removed
3. Any cracked or slipped tiles replaced
4. Dry verge units clipped to each course from eaves to ridge
5. Ridge batten, breathable roll-out seal and ridge tiles mechanically fixed
6. End caps fitted, site cleared and photos sent

Why we only fit Manthorpe

Cheap, unbranded verge caps can become brittle in sunlight and come loose in storms. We only fit Manthorpe — the leading UK brand for dry fix roofing products — so the job is done once and done right.