Even Fred Flintstone's cantankerous boss Mr. Slate would be proud to have DaVinci Roofscapes slate polymer roofing products named in his honor. Modeled after natural slate pieces, these lightweight roofing tiles wouldn't break the back of any dinosaur to get them out of Mr. Slate's quarry!

Each DaVinci simulated slate roofing tile is lightweight, impervious to freeze/thaw cycles, impact resistant, maintenance free, color fade resistant, Class A fire rated (with specified underlayments), UL 2218 Class 4 impact rated, and wind resistant to 110 mph. All DaVinci synthetic tiles resist water absorption, which eliminates freeze-thaw issues and allows for installation in most weather conditions. And, every imitation slate tile from DaVinci is 100 percent recyclable and comes with a 50-year limited warranty.

DaVinci Multi-Width Slate is carefully engineered to provide the authentic look and durability of natural slate using virgin resins to guarantee a sustainable product. Available in 12", 10", 9", 7" and 6" widths, bundles of the sustainable roofing product arrive at the job site pre-sorted by color and size, eliminating on-site sorting and guesswork. The composite slate is crafted to display rough edges and natural stone-like surface textures and comes at an impressive 1/2" tile thickness.

One of the newer profiles available from DaVinci Roofscapes, Bellaforté manufactured slate roofing includes a leading edge tab and a self-aligning ledge to help reduce the installation time for the products. A square of Bellaforté slate roof shingles (with 100 pieces per square) weighs just 190 pounds. This lower tile weight helps reduce installation time and transportation costs.

Valoré Single-Width Slate roof tiles offer exceptional aesthetics and performance at a value-driven price point. Valoré Slate is available in a 12" tile width with a 1/2" thickness and is modeled after natural slate pieces.

Best of all, every DaVinci luxury roof tile resists curling, cracking, fading, mold, algae, fungus and insects, making them ideal for installation in a wide variety of geographic areas. Visit Check Out Polymer Slate Roofing Optionsfor more information on our slate roof alternatives!

An optimistic attitude is invigorating our neutral home exteriors with hot, bold hues from every color family with an emphasis on red, orange and pink. Ready to move forward and overcome any adversity, these hues are saying, "Enough already! We're ready to move forward!"

While it may take some effort to move forward in many areas of your life, changing the accent color on your home is an easy way to show the world that you are not standing still. Adding a bold, warm hue to the outside of your home, especially at the entrance, signals your energetic attitude, willingness to embrace the here and now and fully live in the moment.

Add a pop of color by painting your front door Rum Runner red, mix in colorful seating or accessories and some planters overflowing with pink, red or orange flowers. (image via Sophia's)

Spice up Warm Gray DaVinci Multi-width Slate and Classic French Gray with a Raucous Orange front door. (image from designonce)

Some regions of the country have an affinity for bold color. If your home is in one of these areas push it to the max by using a color like Dynamo. What an unlikely but perfect counterpoint to Bellaforté Sabino (image via Dwell.com)

Who Else Is Talking About This Trend

Pittsburg Paints also shows many reds, pinks and oranges in their trends forecast. Pink City is one of my favorites. "Mysterious, exotic, sensual, and eclectic. Like the Indian Pink City of Jaipur for which it is named, the Pink City palette vibrates with the very pulse of life and the spirit of adventure."

Another Pittsburgh Paints color trends palette that includes both red and orange is Ech Echo. "EcoLoco is the current trend that speaks of freedom and new possibilities. Ecoloco is audacious, humorous and exuberant at heart. It combines glamour and eccentricity and revisits the classics with irreverence."

Sherwin-Williams included pink, red, and orange among the colors in their 2014 color palette called Intrinsic gives an "earthy, folkloric aesthetic to this new Bohemianism." 

Now is the time to show the world you aren't sitting by and letting the world pass you by. Get bold. Go bright. Give you home a brilliant new look. 

Read more on 2014 color trends in these blogs:

• A Simple Guide to Exterior Color Trends 2014 | Take A New Look At Blue
• Exterior Color Trends 2014: Quiet Elegance

Mark Clement
MyFixitUpLife

I look at my roof every day.

Today it’s covered with snow. And it has been covered with snow at the snow guards and in the valleys for weeks.

If I lived in Lake Tahoe, so what? But, where I live near Philadelphia it’s weird. And it seems extra strange since this winter’s uber snow and Vermont-like temps are cold-on-the-heels of 10 of the warmest years around here in recorded weather history; years where the big weather stories were drought and the irreversible melting of the polar ice caps. It feels like what some climate scientists call global wierding—and seems to ensure a job for Ice Road Truckers to boot.

There are cars abandoned and, in one photo I saw—burning—on roads throughout the Southeast. Weather reports from the Sochi Olympic Games are recording temps in the 60s with reporters in shirtsleeves telling the story of the alpine games (Note: Sochi is on roughly an equal latitude with Bangor, Maine).

The point is that when I installed our DaVinci Roofscapes polymer roof in 2010 I knew it had awesome impact resistance, wind resistance and through-and-through durability. But looking back, 20/20 hindsight has me thinking this was more conceptual than comforting. And, it was good planning.

Why? We don’t get Texas-sized hail here. Trees aren’t normally laying across power lines in thousand-mile long swaths. Snow doesn’t sit on our snow guards.

Or does it?

I saw lightning last night (February 2014) while shoveling my driveway for the third time in two days. So when I look up at my DaVinci roof today and it looks exactly like it did the day I put it in, concept turns to actual comfort.

Four years in, as my neighbors with asphalt shingles have roofs that streak and stain, I rest assured knowing my roof is doing everything from keeping my family dry to maintaining my resale value as our weather maybe doesn’t warm, but undoubtedly weirds.

Mark knows more about tools than anyone has a right to know. From docks and decks to kitchen renovations, Mark Clement loves moving fast on the jobsite.

He is the tool and how-to expert for DIYNetwork.com and contributes to NBC’s The 10! Show, Men’s Health, Professional Deck Builder, Old House Journal, Popular Mechanics, Handy, and Extreme How-To magazines. He teaches clinics for JLC Live! and other professional trade shows. He is the former award-winning executive editor of Tools of the Trade, and has been a project manager for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and featured guest on shows airing on PBS, DIY Network, Discovery Channel, A&E. He’s been a regular contributor on Good Day Philadelphia, and other national radio and TV programs. Mark is the author of the critically-acclaimed novel The Carpenter’s Notebook, and Kid’s Carpenter’s Workbook.

Have you seen the TV commercial, "Choosy Moms Choose Jif?" Well, that peanut butter maker has the right idea. Be selective when making an important decision. That's why the experts at DaVinci Roofscapes recommend you "be picky" when picking the roofing contractor for your home re-roofing project.

Start by asking friends, neighbors, roofing material distributors and general contractors for recommendations. To find a qualified contractor, check out the tips we recently offered in our "The Hunt for a Qualified Roofing Contractor" blog.

When you start interviewing contractors (and we recommend you speak with several of them in order to identify two or three contractors you wish to request a written proposal from for your project), bring a list of questions to the meeting. Here's a good starting point for you:

• How long have you been in business?


• Do you have liability and worker's compensation insurance that covers all your employees?


• Do you have experience installing polymer roofing tiles?


• Are you familiar with codes for my area?


• Can you provide me with three to five references of similar types of re-roof projects that I can view and homeowners I can contact?


• Who will actually be installing my roof? Have this crew worked with synthetic roofing products in the past?


• Where are you purchasing my roofing materials from?


• What type of weather conditions will you and will you not work in?


• Do you have a contractor's license for our area?


• To what extent do you warrant your workmanship?


• How long do you believe our re-roofing project will take from start to finish?


• What are your daily disposal practices for the old roofing materials?

Begin by getting comfortable with the roofers you interview and their answers. Once you can identify two or three roofers you're very interested in, the next step is to request a written proposal. Find out what that proposal should include by checking out our next  DaVinci blog!

If you need to take a step backwards in this process, check out Who Can Install DaVinci Polymer Roofing? 

Have you ever wondered what a color expert would tell you if you asked the question, "What order should I go in when selecting exterior colors for my home?"

According to Kate Smith, DaVinci Roofscapes' color expert, the correct order is roof, siding, windows, front door, trim then garage door. Unless the home is brick or stone, the largest fixed feature is probably the roof, so you will want to start there.

Interested in learning more? Are you a professional in need of a continuing education credit? Jump over to AEC Daily's website to take our new course, The FRESH Approach to Choosing Exterior Colors. It is free and available online 24/7.

Recently our DaVinci Roofscapes team members have offered insights on our blog about how to locate and interview roofing contractors. Once that process is over, the next step in the process is to request a written proposal.

This proposal should provide a clear, written understanding for all parties on exactly what will be done by a contractor and what the cost will be to you. When requesting a written proposal, the experts at DaVinci recommend you consider asking for the following items:

1. The exact materials to be used in the project (including the underlayment, type of flashing, nails and and roofing materials) and the manufacturers of these products.




2. General idea of timing for the job. Certainly weather plays a role in any outside project, but a qualified contractor should be able to give you a specific timeframe for a start-to-finish re-roof project.



3. If you're having your current roof torn off, define in the contract that the roofing contractor is responsible for damage both inside and outside (including water damage if there is a rain storm) the house once the tear-off begins.


4. Ask to review the written warranty you will be given when the job is completed. Look for a warranty with strong service and product guarantees especially during the first few years in case there are immediate problems. Plus, look for a 50-year roof warranty on durable composite roofing tiles.


5. Request that the project site be cleaned up every day and old materials hauled away. Use of magnetized sweepers can be requested to remove screws and nails that fall to the ground.


6. If you are purchasing a composite slate or simulated shake DaVinci roof and live in areas prone to snow, make certain the proposal includes snow guards.


7. If there are roofing permits required in your area, have them spelled out in the proposal along with defining who secures and pays for them.


8. Have any special code requirements detailed in the proposal for your area.


9. Payment terms should be clearly defined for your review.


10. Worker's compensation and liability insurance details should be spelled out in the proposal along with the contractor's willingness to issue a certificate of insurance (in your name) if they are awarded the contract.

Looking for more insights on working with roofing contractors? Visit the "Consumers" section of the National Roofing Contractors Association website for valuable tips. You can also find more helpful information at Why Choose a DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor? and Who Can Install DaVinci Polymer Roofing?

So while I try to be frugal up front buying a new roof, I don’t want to “jump over a dollar to pick up a dime” and hurt re-sale value. In fact, I want to create a better re-sale value and buying a new roof is a great opportunity for that.

Add to that I want to install jobs and live in a place that’s nice. Many basic asphalt shingled homes that are just a few years old are streaked and stained and require cleaning to look nice. Who wants that?  And who wants to pay for it?

So when I’m buying a new roof I recommend something that will look fantastic when it’s 1-day old and 2001-days after that. And I don’t want it to look just like my neighbors’. My recommendation: Go for awesome.

DaVinci Roofscapes Bellaforte Shake and Slate polymer tiles have all this covered—from boss good looks to budget. Like anything that performs well—a remodeler, a professional athlete, your doctor—it’s not the cheapest thing in the world. But when your neighbors are paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to have their roofs cleaned, chances are your roof will look exactly like it did the day you installed it. And all you had to do was nuthin’. Yes, that’s a win. Gloating yet?

What’s more, it’ll look brand new and stylin’ to the couple trundling up your driveway to hopefully buy your house instead of your neighbor’s. They don’t want to buy something that looks old, dirty or like it needs work. And it’s then that you’ll think back 2001-days or so about when you decided to buy a roof that rocks the long haul from rake boards to ridge beam.

Guest Blogger: Mark Clement, MyFixitUpLife

Mark knows more about tools than anyone has a right to know. From docks and decks to kitchen renovations, Mark Clement loves moving fast on the jobsite.

He is the tool and how-to expert for DIYNetwork.com and contributes to NBC’s The 10! Show, Men’s Health, Professional Deck Builder, Old House Journal, Popular Mechanics, Handy, and Extreme How-To magazines. He teaches clinics for JLC Live! and other professional trade shows. He is the former award-winning executive editor of Tools of the Trade, and has been a project manager for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and featured guest on shows airing on PBS, DIY Network, Discovery Channel, A&E. He’s been a regular contributor on Good Day Philadelphia, and other national radio and TV programs. Mark is the author of the critically-acclaimed novel The Carpenter’s Notebook, and Kid’s Carpenter’s Workbook. 

When Mike and Andrea Boone decided to replace their worn-out shake roof, they wanted to make a big change. First the couple switched from the maintenance hassles of natural shake to the easy-care of DaVinci polymer slate roof tiles. Next, they wanted to add some color to their home.

With 49 colors to choose from, the Boones created a personalized DaVinci Multi-Width Slate synthetic roof featuring a blended combination of Slate Black and Slate Gray with highlight colors blended in of Light Green and Dark Green.

“We wanted a luxury roof with some interest to it, not just one tedious color,” says homeowner Boone, who lives in the coastal town of Cayucos, Calif. “Also, we needed a roof color combination that would not show sea salt spray or seagull poop.

"The subtleness of the colors we selected blended well together. We liked the blend of the roof colors so much that they inspired us to select exterior siding and accent colors to complement it. The roof is a focal point of the house and we are extremely happy with the decisions we made on all the colors and products that make up our ‘new’ older home.”

Across the country in Texas, homeowner Mercedez Tylock also decided to create her own DaVinci custom color roof. After consulting with national color expert Kate Smith of Sensational Color, Tylock decided to have DaVinci create a custom blend for her roof of Light and Dark Gray, Light and Dark Purple and Dark Violet tones.

“The Tylocks really wanted to make a color statement on their home’s exterior that unified their entire house,” says Smith, president of Sensational Color. “They were working with a great deal of pink/red hues in the exterior brick and also with natural stonework. To unify all these colors, I suggested they go with rich, deep colors for the composite slate roof to help the brick stand out on its own."

According to Tylock, Smith’s advice made sense and the family embraced the idea of “top-down” color. “I’m not sure anyone has ever created this custom blend of grays and purples before, but it’s perfect for our home,” says Tylock. “I wouldn’t change a thing about this experience. We now have a roof we can depend on to resist future severe weather along with colors that embrace the full aspect of our home.”

For more color inspiration, visit Color My Roof - Part I and Colorful Custom Roof Projects - Part I.

The question may be "to guard or not to guard" (with snow guards, that is!) but the answer is really easy.

If you live in an area of the country where accumulating snowfalls occur on a routine basis, then you should consider snow guards for your roof.

When snow accumulates on your roof sunshine and warmer temperatures can help melt the snow and ice away, as will the warm air under the roof in the attic of your home. But, problems can occur if all that snow and ice comes down in large chunks or in "snow slides" that dump too much snow in one area. Along with being potentially dangerous for people, property or landscaping that this lands on, it's difficult to navigate on the pathways around your home when an avalanche occurs!

Snow guards to the rescue. Installed either when your roof is originally installed or retrofitted in place, snow guards are strategically placed on your roof to help snow stay on the roof to melt instead of sliding to the ground. There are several different types of snow guards, so talk with your roofer to determine the best snow guard system for your home.

Snow guards recommended for use on DaVinci polymer roofs must have an attachment strap and be manufactured of long-lasting, non-corrosive metals.

To learn more about selecting snow guards for the home, visit Keep the Snow on the Roof with Snowguards and Don't Forget Snowguards!

If you're building a commercial structure in Lee's Summit, Missouri, you'd better check the local laws --- and use DaVinci slate or shake polymer roofing tiles!

Back in 2009, then Mayor Karen Messerli and the City Council voted to remove a restriction that allowed only concrete tile to be used on the roofs of commercial projects in the 65-square mile city. What product prompted this change? DaVinci Roofscapes synthetic roofing tiles.

To be considered for the waiver by the leadership in Lee’s Summit, DaVinci Roofscapes had to first show compliance with International Code Council – Evaluation Services (ICC-ES) for its imitation slate and shake products. An evaluation report --- which is used by architects, engineers, contractors and specifiers --- was presented to the City Council offering the positive findings of ICC-ES as to the compliance with code requirements of DaVinci plastic roofing materials.  

The independent testing helped the City Council in Lee's Summit understand that DaVinci Roofscapes are the perfect solution for new construction needs in their community. Impervious to freeze/thaw cycles, DaVinci slate and slate roof alternatives are often more cost effective than natural slate and shake shingles. They have superior color fade resistance with color throughout each designer roof tile for long-term durability. In addition, the virtually maintenance-free green roofing materials are ideal for commercial applications because they resist curling, fading and cracking under normal conditions.

The icing-on-the-cake for Lee's Summit? The 50-year limited warranty provided by DaVinci that backs up their product. Now Lee's Summit boasts at least a dozen projects with DaVinci simulated slate and shake roofing tiles overhead ... and law-abiding contractors below!

To understand more benefits of a low-maintenance polymer roof for commercial and residential projects, visit Reduce Your Roof Maintenance Worries with a DaVinci Roof!

Traditionally thought of as a "transition month" from winter to spring, March is more than just a time to think of burst of flowers and the wearin' of the green.

Start your March by celebrating National Women in Construction Week from March 2 - 8. There are nearly one million women employed in the construction trades nationwide, including 3,444 members of the National Association of Women in Construction. And, right in the middle of the week --- on March 7 --- is Employee Appreciation Day. That's a special time at DaVinci Roofscapes when we salute our dedicated workers who craft our polymer roofing tiles.

The week of March 2-9 focuses attention on National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. There's no better time than now (and before National Procrastination Week starts on March 9th) to check the condition of your roof before spring storms start up ... and perhaps add an impact-resistant DaVinci composite slate or imitation shake roof to your home!

Contractor and home improvement expert Mark Clement with MyFixitUpLife offers these tips to evaluate your roof this springtime:

1. Check your roof (from a ladder or from a neighbor’s home with binoculars) to determine the condition of your roof. Look for problem areas, such as missing or broken shingles, along with roofing tiles that may be “flapping” in the wind. These are all indications that a new roof may be in your future.


2. Don’t forget to check the sides of your roof. The southern exposure weathers significantly faster than the other sides of the roof, so make sure to carefully examine this one. Also, shallower pitches weather faster than steeper pitches. So again, if your roof has a shallow pitch — like a shed dormer — make certain you can clearly see it to get a true indication of the condition of your roof.


3. If you’re in the market for a new roof, investigate polymer roofing tiles as a good option. These impact-resistant slate and shake tiles are man-made in a wide variety of colors. Some tiles, like those from DaVinci Roofscapes, have a 50-year limited warranty and are ideal for all types of weather conditions, including hurricanes and hail.


4. Since the installation of a new roof exceeds the capabilities of most homeowners, make sure to research and hire a professional roofer. Check to make sure your roofer is insured, licensed and certified. Ask for a written job estimate and references along with warranty information for both the roof you select and his installation services.

 

For more home preparedness tips visit National Hurricane Preparedness Week and April is Tornado Awareness Month.

The U.S. Postal Service employees aren't the only ones who deliver in bad weather --- DaVinci Roofscapes polymer roofing tiles are manufactured to be installed and perform great in rugged, cold weather conditions!

Roofing contractors can install synthetic DaVinci roof products in temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. That's because our carefully-formulated imitation slate and shake alternative roof tiles aren't brittle (like plastic roofing materials are thought to be). Even in the bone-chilling cold temperatures, contractors don't have to worry about excess breakage of the luxury roof tiles due to cold weather conditions. DaVinci composite roofing tiles are manufactured to remain flexible in cold temperatures.

Of course we have a few tips for those warm-hearted, but cold weather installations. First of all, if you're the one on the roof, bundle up! Dress in layers and wear heavy shoes that can break pieces of ice or grip the roof sub-surface as you're installing slate and shake alternative products. Second, if you're using a pneumatic nail gun, make sure the pressure isn't set too high. And third, make sure that the DaVinci simulated slate and shake roofing tiles have been stored flat, and are flat when installed.

While winter installations are no "day at the beach" for a roofing contractor, the roof must go up --- and hardy installers can re-roof homes with confidence during winter months when installing DaVinci lightweight roofing systems. Check out more winter installation tips at Cold Weather Installation of DaVinci Roofing Materials.

No time to take a breather during February for any of the DaVinci Roofscapes team members. Show floor traffic at both the 2014 International Builders' Show and the 2014 International Roofing Expo --- both held in Las Vegas --- was strong and steady.

A renewed excitement in the housing market recovery brought more than 75,000 building industry professionals to the largest builders' show in the world --- and at times it felt like many of those people were crammed into the DaVinci booth checking out our polymer roof tiles and luxury roof products. During the three-day event in early February, the hot topics in the DaVinci booth were the eco friendly elements of composite slate and shake roofing tiles along with the color options available in synthetic roofing materials.

"Universally, at both of these major trade shows, industry professionals were impressed with the high-performance aspects of our polymer slate and shake roofing tiles," says Wendy Bruch, marketing manager for DaVinci Roofscapes. "Show attendees spent time talking about the benefits of our plastic roofing materials and how consumers are specifically asking for roofing products that offer a 50 year roof warranty and peace-of-mind against strong weather conditions.

"We're being told that homeowners are eager to invest in smart roofing choices and to express the style of their home exterior starting with their roof. Whether selecting a cedar shake alternative or a simulated slate roofing product, roofers report that consumers are becoming quite adept at selecting authentic-looking designer roof alternatives for their homes."

For more trade show insights, visit February Means Las Vegas for DaVinci Roofscapes and What Happens in Vegas....         

Many of the colors that are on trend right now are crossing borders and cultures. There is something about the colors that seems a bit exotic yet there is a familiarity that feels comforting. They are able to give us just what we need to keep one foot firmly planted on the solid ground at home while stepping forward with the other to explore something new and expand our understanding of other countries and cultures.

There is depth to these colors and a warm, aged quality that feels as if they've been touched and loved by past generations. Our comfort with these colors provides a bridge for anyone wanting to move away from just using safe neutrals and add more color to their home.

While teal may seem trendy, in many cultures around the world, it is a mainstay in the architectural landscape. It is a color that accents natural wood, stone, brick as well as both warm and cool neutrals beautifully. I especially like it with gray shakes as the siding or roofing. (image via southernliving.com)

Not too red, not too pink, coral is able to make both a home (and its owners) smile. Adds a kiss of color to weathered gray shakes. (image via interiorsbystudiom.com)

Green accents on an exterior never go out of style but instead of deep or forest green try grassy green. It comes across as more casual, friendly and welcoming.

Bronze can be a main or accent color. Dark Terracotta and Light Clay Shakes blend with the bricks and bronze. A shade of blue or purple on the front door could be a nice complement to bronze or any aged warm brown or tan. (image via stepuppainting)

To make a statement with an all neutral scheme go for colors that have depth such as a mid-tone tan and deep, rich brown. This type of combination gives the home an update personality right for today. If the colors were washed out or too toned down they would look dated before the paint dried. If you are committed to neutrals than really step forward and commit to hues that stand strong on their own. (Image via Home Design Software)

Who Else Is Talking About This Trend

Pittsburgh Paints 2014 Color Trends Report describes the Mosaic palette as expressive and dynamic. Both great words to communicate the feeling of these colors

Benjamin Moore 2014 "New Neutrals" Trend Palette takes a slightly more toned down approach to these colors that work both inside and out.

Many of these cultural colors are including in the Sherwin-Williams 2014 color palette called Intrinsic -- "Belonging naturally, essential. As the global melting pot slowly blends the world into one stew" and what a lovely stew it is.

By understanding what is influencing the color trends you may find a story that allows you to express yourself perfectly on your home exterior. If the colors shown here aren't uniquely you take a look at the other colors that are on trend for exteriors- -Everyday Elegance, A New Look At Blue, Orange, Pink and Red Hot-- and find those that best express you.

Coast-to-coast you'll find DaVinci polymer roofing tiles atop many different churches. While each church recognizes the benefits of the long-lasting synthetic roofing tiles, perhaps the churches that appreciate them the most are the oldest ones.

“This simulated slate roofing product truly looks like the original slate tile that was placed on our church and chapel more than 75 years ago," says Father Peter Grover, OMV with St. Clement Eucharist Shrine in Boston. "The Bellaforté product allowed us to preserve both the historical look and feel of our facilities. We also gained the advantage that these polymer tiles resist fire, high winds and severe weather. That gives us all peace-of-mind knowing that our church facility and seminary are protected."

In Jacksonville, Oregon, the town's Historic Architectural Review Committee approved a DaVinci Roofscapes shake shingle roof to replace the decaying cedar shakes on the roof at the historic First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, which opened in 1881. A Tahoe blend featuring five shades of brown in multi-width composite shake tiles provides the church with the authentic cedar look they desired.

"Our entire town is on the national historic register and we had to receive permission from the Historic Architectural Review Committee to use the DaVinci roofing product," says Dave Harter, elder at the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville. "Because the product looked so authentic to real cedar shakes and had a better fire rating than wood shingles, the committee made the decision for the first time ever to allow polymer roofing tiles on a structure in our city."

The DaVinci lightweight roofing materials used for both churches are Class 4 impact rated and have been rated Class A for fire retardance. The fake slate and fake cedar shake roofing materials have also achieved the highest ratings for straight line wind testing at 110 mph and have passed testing for extreme weather conditions.

Backed by a 50-year limited lifetime warranty, DaVinci plastic roofing materials resist insects, fungus, algae, mold, cracking, fading and curling.  

Looking for more details on how imitation slate shingles are used to create eco friendly roofs? Then visit Historic Church Gets High-Tech Polymer Roofand Historic Peterson House Gets DaVinci Polymer Roof.

Going paperless? Need an update to an existing architectural binder? Our website offers all documents found in our binders in one convenient place. Click here to get to our digital architectural binder and download the latest brochures, installation instructions, testing certifications, and green information on our steep slope roofing materials.

Happy Friday, Architects!

At last week's International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas, Bellaforté Slate and Shake received a lot of attention from the contractors who visited our booth. The installed displays looked great, but having the individual tiles to show people how the pieces align and fit together was the clear selling point. Bellaforté Slate is a polymer roofing option where the tiles are 15" long and 12" wide. The tiles self-align, and that feature, along with the built in rain gutter, means that the tiles install at a 12" exposure. Because of that, you only need 100 tiles to fulfill a square, reducing product, labor and shipping costs. 

Dynasty Roofing out of Fort Worth has installed several Bellaforté Slate tile roofs and were kind enough to share photos of their latest job done in the Milano blend. Interested in reading about another Bellaforté Slate project installed by Dynasty Roofing? Click here to see a video they put together showing an installation. 

DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program Member
Dynasty Roofing, Inc
817-423-0880
www.dynastyroofing.com

The good news is that you've made the decision to get a new roof. The GREAT NEWS is that you've decided to invest in a 50-year roof from DaVinci Roofscapes. Now, where do you go from here?

While some people say the next decision is color, slow down and decide first if you'd like a polymer slate roof or a composite shake roof. The synthetic slate product is made to resemble real slate tiles, while the imitation shake resembles natural cedar shakes.

Just because you may have shake or slate on your roof currently doesn't mean you can't "change things up" with a totally new roof look. Or, perhaps you have an asphalt shingle roof now and you're not sure what type of plastic roofing materials to select.

Start by looking at pictures of different homes with similar styles to yours to see what others have put on their roofs. (HINT: the Masterpiece Photo Gallery on the DaVinci website is a great place to look!). You may also want to get some different plastic slate and simulated shake roof samples to lay on your roof and hold up near your siding to see what appeals to your home's style. (HINT #2 - Check out the "FRESH Color Schemes for Your Home Exterior" downloadable guide to see a variety of home styles with different roofs!).

Whichever you select --- synthetic slate shingles or synthetic shake roofing, know that you're in good hands with the DaVinci product. These roofing products resist insects, fungus, algae and mold. They come in a variety of profile lines, and DaVinci leads the industry in tile thickness, tile width variety and the greatest selection of subtle earth-toned colors.

DaVinci Roofscapes has manufactured award-winning, lightweight roofing systems since 1999. The environmentally friendly roofing tiles are 100 percent recyclable. And, as a bonus all homeowners will appreciate, the virtually maintenance-free imitation slate and shake shingles are far more cost effective than the natural product.

For more insights, visitCheck Out Polymer Slate Roofing Optionsand Invest in Your Roof.         

Get ready ... after a brutal winter throughout the country, springtime weather is no picnic. Thunderstorms, high winds, hail and tornados are all commonplace as the weather warms up and storms kick in.

“Weather conditions have changed so much in recent years,” says Mark Clement, co-host of MyFixitUpLife home improvement radio show and a professional contractor. “My recommendation is to always select an impact-resistant roof for the home. Even though we live inland in Pennsylvania, we put a DaVinci Roofscapes polymer slate roof on our home.

“Now is the time to carefully evaluate your home’s exterior. Never assume that the roof, windows, doors or garage doors that held up well during previous storms will again be able to handle severe weather conditions.

“Repeated exposure to strong weather can take a toll on the home. Always review and evaluate the effectiveness of the entire home ‘envelope’ each year. Start at the top of your home and evaluate the condition of your roof first, then work down to your windows, entry doors and garage doors. These are the four most critical areas of the home because if any one of these areas is compromised, then wind and pressure can enter the home with devastating results.”

A home’s roof should be examined yearly to determine if there are missing shingles, curling or splitting shingles, lifting shingles or loss of granules. Both straight line winds and pressurized winds can cause different damage --- from uplifting the shingles off the roof to pushing intense wind-driven rain and flying debris onto the roof. Also check for damage from severe winter weather that may have included freeze/thaw cycles, heavy snow sliding off the roof, damage to gutters and loose tiles.

Clement notes that these headaches are greatly reduced when having a composite slate or imitation shake roof from DaVinci installed on the home. The manufactured slate and composite shake roofs resist impact, fire, insects and termites --- making for years of worry-free enjoyment of your designer roof.

For more insights on preparing your home for the next season, see Springtime Home Improvement Tips for Knowing When It’s Time to Replace The Roof on Your Homeand Hail Bounces Off DaVinci Synthetic Roofs.

All across the country condo and townhouse communities depend on DaVinci Roofscapes polymer slate and shake roofing solutions to help keep units safe from fire, severe weather and daily weather conditions.

In Florida, condo resident at Jupiter Ocean Grande discovered the hard way that the metal roofs on their high-rise homes and facility buildings started rusting and fading less than five years after installation.

To solve their roofing headaches, the homeowners association turned to compositive roofing tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes. Backed by a 50-year limited warranty, the impact-resistant tiles meet high wind velocity codes, making them ideal for this coastal community.

“We had many challenges when selecting a replacement roofing product,” says Richard P. Eannarino, president of the Jupiter Ocean Grande homeowners association. “First, we needed a replacement roofing product that would meet our area building codes and could stand up to hurricane-force weather conditions, including 125 mph winds. Second, since we’re less than 500 feet from the ocean, we needed a tile that would resist salt air, sea spray and potential damage from the sun. Third, we needed a color match to our original metal roof since we won’t be able to complete all the reroofing work at the same time.

“The Bellaforté Slate product meets all our needs. The imitation slate tiles resist curling, cracking and fading, mold, algae, fungus and insects. And, as a huge benefit, the company was able to create a color match for the steel green color of the original metal roof. This has turned out to be a win-win situation for our entire community.”

Another resort-location community that has found that environmentally friendly roof materials have solved their roof problems is Elk Track Town Homes in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

Each of the town homes in the community sells for between two and five million dollars, so the investment of custom roofing colors is essential. One of the key reasons DaVinci synthetic roofing tiles were selected for the Elk Track Town Homes projects was the company’s ability to custom match the colors of the tiles to the existing roofs in the community.

“Both the Design Review Board at Beaver Creek and the homeowners association for the town homes had to approve the product choice and the color before we could begin,” says Mark Belitt, owner and vice president of Arapahoe Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc. out of Broomfield, Colorado. “There’s a standard six-blend ‘Beaver Creek style’ throughout the village area that DaVinci was able to match up perfectly.”

Visit California’s Mai-Kai Condos Stand Out with New DaVinci Multi-Width Shake Roofingfor another successful DaVinci Roofscapes condo story!