As part of a two-phase re-roofing project, two dozen townhomes at Buckhorn - Bachelor Gulch now have impact-resistant DaVinci Roofscapes Multi-Width Shake roofs overhead.

Located in Avon, Colo., Buckhorn - Bachelor Gulch offers luxury living and fast access for residents and visitors to area ski slopes. The homeowners association for the community selected the DaVinci lightweight roofing materials in the Autumn blend to complement their mountainous location. Custom copper flat seam roofs and a full snow-retention plan designed by Rocky Mountain Snowguards was incorporated into the luxury roofs on the multi-story townhomes.

"Our team has installed more than 100 DaVinci roofs in the Aspen and Vail areas," says Trevor H. Cannon, owner of Umbrella Roofing. "This is the only synthetic roof we install. The track record we have with this polymer roofing product is very impressive.

"In our geographic market people are moving away from real cedar shake shingles due to their deterioration and susceptibility to fire. Anytime we have a new customer looking for a simulated shake roofing product we discuss the cost, insurance, appearance and maintenance saving aspects of the DaVinci cedar shake alternative product. These are features that immediately win over the client."

A DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor program member, Umbrella Roofing has 35 employees. Many of those team members worked on the re-roofing project at Buckhorn - Bachelor Gulch.

"This project had a great number of steep slopes, was very 'cut up' and had many transitions from custom flat seam copper to the DaVinci polymer roofing tiles," says Cannon. "Our quality installers embraced the challenges of this project and produced a superior finished designer roof product.

"We specialize in re-roofing high-end residences. The combination of our expertise and the reliable DaVinci sustainable roofing product have positioned us a step above our competition. When homeowners in this area want peace-of-mind plus a sensational looking imitation shake or slate roof, they come to us!"

Want to learn about other composite roofing successes in multi-housing projects? Read Why You Should Care that DaVinci Polymer Roofs are Used on Condo Communitiesand Bellaforté Shake Roofs Top 207 Covington Creek Condos.

The great thing about this blog is that we can regularly feature projects so that we almost always have a project to point to when somebody calls and says, "Do you have any examples of ____________ (fill in the blank) that you can show me?". So we can definitely check the next four Featured Projects off the list - a historic clock tower, a residential project using the very colorful Vineyard Blend, a roof in Oklahoma that needs to stand up to the highest wind and impact standards, and a Bellaforté Shake roof that was a natural cedar shake tear off project. 

Featured Project - Vail, CO

Click here to read how this luxury roof tile has transformed the Vail Village skyline. 

Featured Project - Des Moines, IA

Click here to read about this project and the phases it took to complete the job. 

Featured Project - Greenwood Village, CO

Click here to read about this natural shake tear off and re-roof project in Colorado. 

Featured Project - Oklahoma

Click here to read about this impact resistant roof in Oklahoma. 

To see more of our projects, visit our media room and browse through our project profiles.

Happy Friday, Architects! 

In 2012 we interviewed Stacy Stines owner of Stacy Stines Roofing out of Elk Park, NC, and in the interview he discussed the shift from natural shake shingles to polymer roof tiles in his market place. He pinpointed the reason to be the low maintenance benefit of the products, unlike their natural counterparts which have a tendency to crack, curl and split in the North Carolina climate. 

Fast forward a couple of years and Stacy Stines Roofing is still going strong with DaVinci Roofscapes' products, most recently on this residential project using Bellaforté Shake. Bellaforté Shake has the thickness and texture of a jumbo cedar shake, but is Class A Fire Rated, Class 4 Impact Rated, wind certified to 110 mph and comes with a 50 year warranty. 

Something else to note here is the project's use of snow guards. You may notice a theme on this blog when it comes to snow retention, and it definitely worth mentioning often. In areas that are prone to snow (like Banner Elk) using a snow guard system, like the pad style pictured below, is a must. A snow guard manufacturer will be able to do a custom layout using your roof's location, design and size to determine what type of snow retention system you need to protect your home from damage due to shedding snow. Click here to read more from our own technical team on this topic. 

DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program Member
Stacy Stines Roofing
828-733-8104

I own a Garrison Colonial in Westchester County New York. It currently has an asphalt roof that needs replacing. The original design of the house was a Cedar roof with cedar siding going half way down the front and back of the house, while the sides and lower half of the front and back are red brick. My contractor and I have decided to go either with the single-width or multi-width Cedar Shake in an attempt to restore the original look. We are also now debating replacing the original cedar shingle siding with the your product as well. My wife and I were having a hard enough time deciding on a color when it was just the roof, but now that the siding might be replaced as well, we are completely stumped.

Very few of your Gallery pictures included red brick homes, they also tend to only include large homes, which I wish was not the case since your products are very affordable for a house of any size.

We are open to almost anything, although we tend to feel the house should be simple and respect its original look, which I assume was unpainted cedar siding and the cedar roof. The siding is currently varied width, with each shingle of the same length.

We are also planning on bring back the original shutters on the Single windows on the upper stories and the two sides of the house, which were removed because they were in poor condition. Our doors are also about to be replaced, so the choice of roofing and siding color determines these as well.

Thank you for your time.

John Knittel
Hastings On Hudson, NY
Product: Single- or Multi-Width Shake

 

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Hello Mr. Knittel,

It sounds like you are making all of the right changes to restore this home to its original beauty. It is going to be a nice improvement.

I recommend staying with the multi-width shake. You can continue with the even lengths or could go with varied lengths if you prefer that look. Either will work on your home and keep the integrity of the original look.

It looks like your bricks have a warm color cast that will work nicely with Weathered Gray or Tahoe. Weathered Gray is lighter and Tahoe darker so it just depends what you have in mind. Both have a look of natural cedar with the gray being more weathered and thus the name.

Using the same shake on both the roof and siding is the best choice and will give you home a very cohesive look from top to bottom. Either of the two colors I am suggesting will blend nicely with the brick. 

When you paint the trim it would be nice to go with an off-white rather than bright white to continue to tie the look together. As for shutters and front door go with whatever color you like best-- there are so many choices that would work great once you have the bricks and roof/siding working together. Muted to dark greens, blues, reds, golds and more. Find a color family you like and then hone in on the exact shade you think works best for your overall look.

I hope this advice helps you to make your color decisions.

Sincerely,

Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert

An ice dam is an open invitation for water to invade your house and cost lots of fear and money.

An ice dam is also a great way to give lots of your money to a roofer when it tears the gutters off.

Or…

Prevent an ice dam with some smart DIY.

First, a few don’ts:

If you do get an ice dam, don’t try to break it off. That’s just pouring gasoline on the fire. And, don’t trust a roofer who says he can break it off.

What is an ice dam? Think of an ice dam like a three-legged stool: Above-freezing temperatures + below-freezing temperatures + snow are the three legs.

Remove one leg of the stool and the problem should disappear.

Here’s the chain reaction: It snows. Temperatures remain below freezing. Snow sits on the roof. Air inside the attic is above freezing. The snow in contact with the roof melts. That water drains to the edge of the roof and re-freezes forming an ice barrier or dam. New water can’t get past so it causes more ice (and icicles). Once the dam builds up enough ice to where it is above freezing, the water remains liquid. It can’t go down any more, so it goes up. Under the shingles and into the house.

“Hey honey, it’s snowing outside, right?! But get this—IT’S RAINING IN JACK’S BEDROOM! OK kids, off to bed…

Ahhh…good times…

1. Insulate. Check with your local building department about what’s best for your area. The goal is to keep heat in the rooms below the attic in those rooms.

2. Insulate properly. DO—add enough insulation. If you have no insulation now and you’re adding it, DO—use a vapor barrier. DON’T let the insulation block soffit vents or touch the bottom of the roof deck. DO get a permit or hire a reputable pro to at least consult on the project.

3. Light. If you’re adding new lighting—say for a remodel in an upstairs room—make sure they don’t add any heat to the attic space.

4. Seal. Make sure hatches or attic doors are properly sealed with weather stripping. Also, just make sure they’re closed or close properly.

5. Vent. Besides keeping heat out of the attic space, a great way to prevent an ice dam is to let the air in. More precisely, a well vented attic lets the air in and then lets it back out. If you have—or you’re getting—a new roof, make sure however it is vented there is intake (soffit or gable vents) and venting (attic fans or ridge vents). One doesn’t work without the other. It’s like a straw with one hole.

6. New Windows. If you’ve added new windows or doors you’ve made the house more efficient. That means more heat remains inside. Obviously this is a good thing. But it also means there’s more heat to escape and if this is going into your attic it could cause ice dams. All of the above should prevent the problem but if an ice dam is new in your home, this could be the cause.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

If you’re feeling lazy, maybe this is a motivator: Adding insulation and weather-stripping is about 900% cheaper than dealing with water running down your walls, tears running down your face, and ice ripping off your gutters.

-Mark Clement

Ask Scott Cunningham with Turner Morris, Inc. how he feels about DaVinci Roofscapes and get ready to be captivated.

"DaVinci is a true stand alone (roofing material) in the synthetic world," says Cunningham, mountain project manager with Turner Morris Roof Systems in Colorado. "The product itself is durable and withstands the stringent demands of our high alpine environment. This is the only product we've found that works well in our climatic region."

Cunningham should know. In the past eight years his company has installed more than a dozen commercial roofing projects in Colorado using DaVinci synthetic roofing material.

"The impressive thing is that DaVinci stands behind its product," says Cunningham, a member of the DaVinci Masterpiece Contractors program. "I have been installing DaVinci imitation slate and composite shake for eight years and have never had any significant product issues. The problems that I have seen throughout the years have been specifically contractor installation defects, and unforeseen issues with snow and ice migration due to Mother Nature.

"I always recommend that extra caution should be taken when switching traditional cedar shakes to synthetic shake roofing as their insulation value and breathability is very much different."

A major project recently completed by Turner Morris is the reroofing of 30 condo units with simulated shake roofing from DaVinci. "These roofs are impact- and fire-resistant with the natural look of real cedar with great shadow lines, but with all the advantages of a man-made product," says Cunningham. "Best of all, they have a 50-year limited warranty, so this is a great investment for the community."

No, it's not a remake of Oprah Winfrey's famous "You Get a New Car" historic television program, but it might have felt that way for three lucky winners of the 2014 Great TOH Giveaway sponsored by This Old House magazine. (See $75,000 of FREE Bellaforté Roofing!)

Daniel Garnaat, Elizabeth Weinberger and Jennifer Skaggs have all won free Bellaforté polymer roofing product from DaVinci Roofscapes as part of this year's big giveaway. 

"I've won some smaller raffle-type contests in the past, but nothing like this!" says Weinberger, a Wisconsin resident. "We bought a foreclosed home a little over a year ago and almost everything needs to be fixed, replaced or updated. Having a better quality, nicer-looking roof would add greatly to the exterior aesthetics of our house and give us a kick-in-the-pants to start other exterior projects."

As she prepares to say farewell to the 20-year old black asphalt shingles now on the home, Weinberger is thinking of a light gray color for her new luxury roof.

In Arkansas, Garnaat is also focusing on gray for his new 50 year roof from DaVinci. "I'm leaning toward the Tahoe-VariBlend in the Bellaforté Shake product line," says Garnaat. "I knew I had to replace my roof within the next three to four years, so it was on my mind. I was hoping to put it off so I was especially happy to win this prize!"

We plan to also track the progress of the third winner, Jennifer Skaggs of Missouri to determine what composite roofing choice she makes for her home. Stay tuned to see how the three winners transform their home exteriors with their new designer roofs!

See how one of last year's winners loves her new Class A Fire Rated roof at DaVinci Roofscapes WINNER Share Her Experience.

At DaVinci Roofscapes, we understand that homeowners do a substantial amount of research before selecting a new environmentally friendly roof for their homes. We applaud consumers for learning as much as they can about roofing options and encourage everyone to visit our recently-enhanced DaVinci website for lots of resources and information.

Plus, since we know you'd like to hear from other homeowners who have made the investment in our synthetic roofing material, we're sharing these quotes with you today from people across the country who have chosen composite roofing for their homes to create a designer roof overhead! 

“We felt that this fake slate roof would be a huge improvement in our area over the old asphalt shingle roof. They truly replicate natural slate shingles, and it definitely lends an air of authenticity to our somewhat contemporary home design.”

            Rob Fanjoy - Maine

"This so accurately resembles real slate that we’re completely delighted with its beauty. Now we’re the envy of the neighborhood and our roof is ready for any weather we face in Texas!”

                        Kathy Telecky - Texas

“It’s wonderful to now have this new custom color polymer slate tile on our roof. Our home features many design elements that make it unique, and the roofing is the icing on the cake. The bold custom colors created by DaVinci give the house a unified look that complements the detail work of the house trim, siding and stone pathways.”

                        Carol Knoff - Iowa

“We did an extensive amount of research on roofing materials and searched for a realistic and durable slate product. The result is a DaVinci Roofscapes Multi-Width Slate roof that we love. We brightened up the home’s exterior by selecting the Vineyard blend of eight different colors --- dark and medium tan, light and medium gray, light and dark violet, dark stone and dark amber. This color combination fits the era of the home and complements our cobblestone driveway and sidewalk, the stone exterior of the house and our copper gutters and snow guards.”

                        Nancy Dye - Virginia

"This home is a few blocks from the ocean with lots of incredible rooflines so we needed a simulated shake roofing alternative that could withstand potentially high winds and storms. We're pleased with both the beauty and adaptability of the DaVinci composite shake roof."

                        Jim McIntire - New Jersey

Want to learn more about what homeowners think of our lightweight roofing tiles? See Roof Envy - A Tale of Two Roofsand Slate Roof Alternatives Applauded by Homeowners.

Need a DaVinci Roofscapes' composite roofing 3-part spec? Look no further because you can find one right here. Need it in an editable document (Word), a spec for a specific project only or need to talk something out with me? No problem! Contact me and I will be happy to work with you or put you in touch with a local representative who can make an appointment to come in and assist you and answer questions. 

Happy Friday, Architects!

I am using this slate tile as an accent for the roof above the garage and above the entry porch. I was thinking that the Brownstone VariBlend would match well. Any comments or recommendations?

Thanks,

Pete Daniele
Bellaforté or Single-Width Slate
 

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Hi Mr. Daniele,

An accent roof over the garage doors and entry porch will add another nice element to your exterior design.

You are on the right track with your thinking. Brownstone appears to match the brown tones in your stone work. My only suggestion would be is to make sure it is not too light compared to the main roof. 

The accent roof over the garage is a strong visual horizontal element in your overall design. Currently the strong contrast between the roof against the siding and the stone is one one of the reasons it works so well to balance the design and move the eye across the entire front of your home. If the roof colors blends in too closely with the siding and/or stone color you will lose some of the character that the accent roof adds to your home.

Another thing to look at with the Brownstone would be how it works with the main roof. From the picture your main roof looks gray. If that is the case you will want to avoid going too light or chocolate brown and instead look for a brown-black. That will help to bridge the brown in the stone with the gray in the roof. A color like Dark Tahoe would be one to consider.

I like the Single-Width but either Single- or Multi-Width profile would work. Go with the look you prefer.

Sincerely,

Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert

Problem: Philadelphia area homeowner John Mastronardo needed to replace the original slate roof on a 1920s English Tudor style home he purchased plus the home's garage, pool cabana and patio areas. The poor condition of the 80-year old slate, plus missing tiles made the roof replacement a top priority.

Solution: Cost-effective and long-lasting DaVinci Roofscapes Multi-Width polymer roofing tiles in a Castle Gray blend of light, medium and dark gray tiles.

Reasoning:  “We wanted to preserve the look and feel of the original roof along with the overall character of the home," says Mastronardo. "But, as with most people, I had a budget. The cost of a synthetic slate roof from DaVinci was much more affordable than using real slate.

“The more I learned about the synthetic DaVinci roofing tiles, the more I liked them. The product perfectly complements the stone, brick and stucco features of our home. As an added benefit, the product comes with a 50-year warranty. Even if the costs were equal, I’d still choose this DaVinci product because of all the inherent benefits of synthetic roofing tiles.

“From the street, you simply cannot tell that these are not real slate tiles. My neighbors stop me all the time to ask about the roof. They’re surprised to discover it’s a synthetic product. You can see the wheels turning in their minds. There are so many of my neighbors who have old slate roofs that need replacing. I’m quite certain we’ll see a growing number of these roofs in this neighborhood in the coming years.”

It happened again. The last time it was during a garage sale. This time it was when my minister came to visit and I was trying to show off my new landscaping.

What happened? Instead of looking at my gorgeous red maple and blooming fuchsia baskets, my minister turned to me and said, "Is that slate on your roof?"

Since that was the exact same reaction I received a few months ago from people who took notice of my roof instead of the priceless junk I was selling, I had to laugh. No matter who comes to my home, my Bellaforté roof seems to steal the show.

I don't own a McMansion ... in fact, far from it. My small ranch-style home has less than 1,500 square feet with vinyl siding and sits on a nice lot. But, what really sets my house apart these days is the DaVinci polymer roofing overhead. My synthetic slate roofing captures the attention of first-time visitors and even garage sale shoppers!

The truth is, I don't blame people for noticing my plastic slate roof. In fact, each time it happens I silently pat myself on the back for making a smart purchasing decision.

After a freak hail storm demolished my asphalt shingle roof, I turned to DaVinci for a 50 year roof. I didn't want to ever worry about replacing my roof again. What I didn't know when I made the decision to purchase simulated slate roofing was that my roof would be the talk of the neighborhood. Now apparently it's also the talk of my church. I just may have to have a "roof blessing" party in the near future!

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.

Happy Friday, Architects! 

Why should children get the best gifts during the holidays? This year, Santa's reindeer have started their own "wish list" that includes peppermint-flavored lichen, full-body insulated sweaters and impact-resistant polymer roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes.
 
"It's hard on our hoofs to land on millions of slate roofs in a single night," says Blitzen, spokes-deer for Santa's nine reindeer. "We have the weight of Santa's sled filled with toys, to say nothing of Santa's ever-increasing waistline, to pull through the sky. When we land, the reindeer are looking for durable composite roofing that can really support our weight and be easy on our hoofs!"

At DaVinci, creating impact-resistant composite slate and simulated shake roofing tiles that can withstand strong winds, severe weather and reindeer-landings is a daily occurrence. The earth-bound elves at the Kansas-based company focus on being good all year long and creating reliable sustainable roofing products 365 days a year.
 
"Last year Rudolph made a mistake and brought the sleigh down too quickly on a shake tile roof that he thought had DaVinci shake shingles," says Blitzen. "It was ugly. With the weight of the sleigh and Santa aboard, our hooves went right through those darned cedar roof shingles and we had our legs dangling through a living room ceiling. Rudolph won't make that mistake again!"
 
While Blitzen and the team can't depend on rooftop lights to guide their way and identify DaVinci simulated slate roofing and composite shake roofs, the spokes-deer says they have worked out an alternate identification roof method.
 
"We always know when there's a DaVinci 50 year roof below us because their colors shine through in the sky," says Blitzen. "From New York to California, we've seen these colorful roofs on homes all across America and we look for them to guide our way. I can't say it officially on the record, but the European blend of five gray and purple shades is our personal favorite."
 
With the introduction of the new Smokey Gray color in January of 2015, DaVinci will offer 50 different colors for their realistic slate and shake alternative roofing tiles. The company's polymer roof tiles are Class 4 impact rated, making it possible for them to handle severe weather conditions and unscheduled sleigh landings. The roofing tiles have passed the highest rating wind tests, so even if weather conditions are blustery on December 24th, Santa and his reindeer will have no difficulties landing on the secure DaVinci luxury roofs.

It's not just the reindeer who love synthetic slate roof shingles from DaVinci ... Reindeer-Resistant Synthetic Roofing High on Santa's Wish List!

People throughout the Northeast and Midwest aren't singing "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" any longer. Their new song is "stop the snow, Stop The Snow, STOP THE SNOW!"

And, with such a dramatic snowfall start to the 2014-2015 winter season, who can blame them? With the November "dump" of 90 inches of snow on areas in Buffalo, New York, homeowners can only hope they've seen the worst Mother Nature has to offer.

But, what if they're wrong?

As we all know, Mother Nature can be fickle. So, what if the early snowfall is just an indicator of what's to come this winter season? That chilling thought should give all homeowners pause to consider the value of adding snow guards to their homes right now ... before Mother Nature hits with her next round of record-breaking snow.

Why get snow guards? Quite simply, to help slow down and regulate the snow melt from your roof. When the snow starts to melt, snow guards help control the "departure" of the snow to break up the snow and control the melting process. Snow guards can help create friction, or a barrier, between the roof surface and the snow on the roof. So, when the snow starts to melt, it doesn't come sliding down all at one time as an avalanche that covers up landscaping, doorways, driveways and decks.

Especially if you have polymer roofing, like the composite shake and synthetic slate roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes, snow guards can really be an asset for composite roofing. (see Q & A Guide to Snow Guards )

Here's an extra tip: don't worry if you have a designer roof with synthetic roofing materials and no snow guards. The good news is you can have your roofer "retrofit" snow guards to your roof right now ... before Mother Nature sends her next white blanket to cover you!

Tune in on Monday, December 22nd when the popular show Tiny House Nation returns for its second season on FYI Network. Airing at 9 EST, this television series focuses on the construction of tiny homes (less than 500 square feet!) for homeowners across America.

In the December 22 and 29 shows (episodes 109 and 110), DaVinci Roofscapes composite shake roofing products will be highlighted in the construction process of both homes. You can also watch on-line HERE once the shows have aired.

For the two upcoming season-opening houses, Bellaforté Shake polymer roofing tiles in the Mountain-VariBlend of three brown tones was installed on the tiny houses. Show producers liked the authentic look of the simulated shake roofing and loved the fact that DaVinci products are Class A Fire Rated and also resist impact, moisture and insects.

If you haven't seen the popular show yet, here's a quick overview from the FYI.TV network:

In “Tiny House Nation,” renovation experts and hosts, John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin, travel across America to show off ingenious small spaces and the inventive people who live in them, as well as help new families design and construct their own mini-dream home in a space no larger than 500 square feet. From a micro-apartment in New York City to a caboose car turned home in Montana to a micro-sized mobile home for road tripping – this is a series that celebrates the exploding movement of tiny homes. From pricey to budget friendly, “Tiny House Nation” is not a typical design show, but one that proves size doesn’t always matter – it’s creativity that counts.

Check out DaVinci Roofscapes Makes Big Impact on Tiny Houses to see how other DaVinci polymer roofing products were used during Season 1 of the show!

Boing! Up pops a real wood shake from your roof. Unable to stop itself from curling and warping over time, real cedar shake roofing often causes problems and replacement concerns over the years.

These "sissy shake shingles" may look pretty the first year or so after they are installed, but they're unreliable over time. Plus, they're a fire hazard and can't withstand severe weather and high winds prone to some areas of the country.

What to do if you really like the look of cedar roofing and want it on your home? Explore the many options for cedar shake alternative roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes.

Manufactured to resist curling, fading, high winds and especially fire and impact, Class A Fire Rated simulated shake roofing from DaVinci is backed by a 50 year roof limited warranty to give you peace-of-mind. This sustainable roofing option creates an environmentally friendly roof that can make you the envy of the neighborhood. (See Shake, Rattle and ... DaVincifor more details!)

When it's time to replace your real shake roofing materials, visit our DaVinci website to learn about these great synthetic shake roofing shingles:

> DaVinci Multi-Width Shake: Available in 9", 8", 7", 6" and 4" widths that can be installed in a non-repeating fashion in either a straight or staggered pattern. A deep 5/8" profile has both wavy and straight grains throughout the blend to create enviable shadow lines.

> DaVinci Single-Width Shake: 9" shake alternative tiles resemble hand-split cedar shake roofing. The 5/8" profile deepens shadow lines replicate real cedar roofing.

> Bellaforté Shake: The 12" tile width with multiple profiles simulates a multi-width, staggered rough hewn wood shake. And, at 1" average tile thickness, Bellaforté Shake designer roof tiles are reminiscent of natural jumbo shakes.

> Fancy Shake: With a clean, smooth look replicating machine-sawn shake, these 7/16" thick shake shingles provide a polished beauty for your roof. Available in 12", 7" and 5" widths with bundles arriving at the job site pre-sorted by color and size, eliminating on-site sorting and guesswork.

We've all seen them. Patched-up roofs that resemble grandma's old quilt more than they do an attractive luxury roof.

When roofing problems happen with some types of roofs --- like broken or cracked slate roof tiles, insect-infested cedar roof shingles or curling asphalt shingles --- there's no choice other than to patch up the problem and grimace.

We want you to know that roofs don't have to resemble an old patchwork quilt. When selecting DaVinci Roofscapes simulated slate roofing you get a 50 year roof you can depend on. No more worries about algae or mold growing on slate, or shattered slate pieces from a falling branch that have to be replaced. Impact- and fire-resistant imitation slate shingles are lightweight and durable, able to resist high winds and severe weather conditions.

Best of all, the color is blended throughout each slate alternative roof tile in the manufacturing process, so you can depend on consistency of color for decades to come. If you're considering slate roof alternatives, we invite you to consider these three outstanding synthetic slate roofing options from DaVinci:

> DaVinci Multi-Width Slate: Available in 12", 10", 9", 7" and 6" widths making it easy to create a natural, non-repeat appearance in either a straight or staggered pattern. Authentic-looking slate roof shingles can be ordered in a variety of colors or blends.

>DaVinci Single-Width Slate: Crafted using only virgin resins to guarantee a stainable roofing product, single-width tiles are available in 12" widths. This composite slate roof brings you a clean, simple design with the authentic look of natural slate.

> Bellaforté Slate: Designed with snap-fit features for each imitation slate tile that creates a built-in rain gutter, Bellaforté simulated slate roofing tiles feature a leading edge tab that secures the lightweight tiles to drastically improve wind performance. Available in a 12" tile width in a variety of colors and blends.

Which DaVinci Slate is Right for My Home?can help you select the manufactured slate tiles best suite for your home!

When the team at Epic Exteriors gets started on a project --- watch out! This talented group of roofers can tackle any challenge, including this steep slope roofing project at a home in Lawrence, Kansas this past October.

For this "epic" transformation, Epic Exteriors installed Bellaforté Slate from DaVinci Roofscapes to replace tired, worn out shake shingles. And, while there were a variety of challenges associated with this sloped roofing project, the team at Epic Exteriors handled the job with expert efficiency.

"My company has installed almost 20 Bellaforté synthetic roofs since the product was launched several years ago," says Shawn Bellis with Epic Exteriors. "This durable imitation slate roofing tile resists impact, fire, algae and insects. It's a real winner for our geographic area."

According to Bellis, who is a member of the DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program, there are many advantages to working with DaVinci. "When your sole business is synthetic roofing material, like DaVinci and unlike other roofing manufacturers, you can really focus on making it the best product on the market by solving all the issues that the other products have," says Bellis. "As asphalt products continue to go up in price, it makes the sale of DaVinci all the easier. In fact, I think that Bellaforté is going to make the asphalt market merge into the synthetic. 

"When it comes to the color blends, there is nothing better. DaVinci has simplified the color collation process for the contractor. With other synthetic products, the contractor has to work with the homeowner and figure it out --- and sometimes that takes forever. Furthermore, with other roofing products, when you do have to pre-blend and sort the roof, it takes a lot of extra time on the job site too. 

"When it comes to the color blends, I love the selection. I'm not interested in being a designer and neither is the homeowner. I say leave the color stuff to the professionals at DaVinci, they are the experts at the color blends. If you start to complicate it then the job drags on. By streamlining the process for the homeowner, DaVinci gives the homeowner the right amount of choices."

Want to know what other roofers think about polymer roof tiles from DaVinci? Then check out Simulated Slate Roofing the "Go To" Product for Champion Roofingand Interview with DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor, Doug Fry of Douglas Fry Roofing in Wichita.

Early season, fast snowfalls have kick-started winter in areas all across the country. Instead of wallowing in the cold, DaVinci Roofscapes invites you to relax and reflect on this sunny California project next to the Pacific Ocean.

In Carlsbad, California, there are 48-rooms at the seaside Beach Terrace Inn hotel. And, while guests may initially be drawn to the oceanfront views, it doesn't take long for their gaze to wander to the fully-renovated hotel itself. That's when they're likely to notice the structure's unique design and low-pitch roof that boasts colorful polymer roofing from DaVinci.

The hotel's management team selected the Aberdeen blend of  Dark Gray, Light Brown, Dark Purple, Green Stone and Dark Stone for its luxury roof. The eco friendly roof was the perfect choice for the oceanfront hotel, since it resists both the salt air and harsh rays of the sun. The Class A Fire Rating on the compositing roofing also means the owners have an added sense of security when their guests go to sleep at night.

The hacienda-style hotel needed a dependable designer roof, and they fulfilled their needs with the composite slate roof from DaVinci. The fake slate roof stands up to tough coastal conditions, plus high winds, impact and potential fire with virtually no periodic maintenance.

Check Out DaVinci Roofs on Hotelsfor more roof projects featuring synthetic roofing material!