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Tile bird stops and roof-profile gaps
Where Oregon R327 is adopted, a profiled roof is not done when the covering is on the truck. If the profile leaves a space between covering and deck, that space has to be built to keep out flames and embers, fireblocked, or covered with one layer of minimum 72-pound ASTM D3909 cap sheet over combustible decking (amendment PDF). IBHS Base wants noncombustible bird stops at barrel-tile or corrugated eave ends. That edge detail is not the valley stack.
You are at the eave looking up under a barrel tile. There is a tunnel. Needles sit in it. That tunnel is the gap.
The tile bird-stop drawing (DET-013) is not published yet. Valley metal lives on valley flashing. Do not use a house-level hub graphic as this edge.
Why it matters
Embers and debris travel under tile and corrugated metal the way they travel under a deck. A Class A letter on the tile does not plug the eave end. See covering versus assembly.
How the gaps split
| Gap | What decides it | What it is not |
|---|---|---|
| Between covering and deck | R327.3 close, fireblock, or D3909 cap sheet | Valley 26-gage |
| Barrel-tile or corrugated eave ends (IBHS) | Noncombustible bird stops | An 8165 vent |
| Hips and ridges (FEMA) | Fully mortar, plus bird stops at eaves | A ridge-vent listing |
| Wood shake profile | Not permitted where R327.3 applies | A bird-stop fix |
The paths
1. Oregon field gap (R327.3). Construct the space to prevent flames and embers, fireblock with approved materials, or install the named D3909 cap sheet over combustible decking.
2. IBHS bird stops. Where barrel tile or corrugated covering is provided, noncombustible bird stops at the eave ends. The covering still needs Class A under E108 or UL 790 for that designation.
3. FEMA maintenance. Bird stops at eaves. Mortar hips and ridges. Inspect bird stops annually so they stay in place.
4. Colorado. CWRC 403.2.1 names noncombustible firestopping, ASTM D3909 cap sheet, or a listed Class A assembly. It does not name Oregon’s 72-pound cap sheet. Confirm the local ordinance.
5. California. CWUIC is a different book. Do not paste Oregon’s cap-sheet sentence onto a California tile roof without reading Chapter 5.
What people mix up
- Using the valley stack as the bird stop.
- Treating Class A as the eave-end plug.
- Leaving the tunnels open because the tile is concrete.
- Calling a foam backer an R327 fireblock without the official.
How to check
- Look under the first course. Is there a tunnel.
- Name the R327.3 path on the drawing, or the IBHS bird-stop product if you are scoring that designation.
- Do not merge this detail with the valley.
- If the covering is wood shake, you are not on this page. See the wood-shake finding.
Limits
This page does not spec a bird-stop SKU. DET-013 is not published. FireApproved is not the AHJ. FEMA P-737 is a builder guide. IBHS is a designation.
Related records
Questions
Are bird stops the same as valley cap sheet?
No. Profile gaps between covering and deck are one R327.3 sentence. Valley flashing, where installed, is 26-gage galvanized over 36-inch D3909. Do not use one stack as the other.
Does a Class A tile listing close the bird-stop gaps?
Class A, B, and C attach to a tested covering-on-deck. Edge gaps at the eave are a field detail. IBHS Base wants noncombustible bird stops at barrel-tile or corrugated eave ends where those coverings are provided.
Can I skip bird stops if I mortar the ridge?
FEMA recommends bird stops at eaves and fully mortar hips and ridges to avoid debris under tiles. Those are two edges. Annual inspection of bird stops is FEMA maintenance language, not R327.