Recently the Walton County Courthouse, located in Monroe, Georgia, got mini makeover. The metal roof on the facility was still in working order, but a vertical accent portion of the roof needed to be replaced. Bone Dry Roofing out of Bogart, Georgia replaced the old imitation slate product with new Single-Width Slate roof tiles by DaVinci Roofscapes. The gray tiles were accented by a light grey stripe every few courses, adding some visual interest to the project. 

DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program Member
Bone Dry Roofing
706-543-1275

Look at a Ranch or European style home and you just naturally expect to see slate shingles. Similarly, if you're looking at a Bungalow or Cottage style home, you might expect to see cedar shake roofing.

Is there a right or wrong roof product for different style homes? The answer is no.

While some home styles go together like peanut butter and jelly, there are no right or wrong answers. In fact, we're surprised how often we hear from homeowners who "inherited" a specific style roof and when it came time to replace the roof, they switched to a completely different polymer roofing product.

Take Mary Katherine Hirsh for example. Her Nevada home had a cedar shake roof on it for 42 years. When she decided to replace her failing cedar roof shingles, she chose to use DaVinci Roofscapes simulated slate roofing. Hirsh reports that the slate style suits her home’s design more than the original wooden shakes.

“With slate I would have paid yearly fees just to maintain the roof,” says Hirsh. “Now with this new polymer roof I won’t have to worry about it ever again.”

Michael Klappa is another homeowner who made the switch. He too had cedar roofing on his home, but after bug infestations and storm damage, switched to synthetic slate roofing.             

"I knew we could not install real slate because of the roof pitch and structure on our home," says Klappa, a Kansas homeowner. "Plus, real slate is extremely heavy and we would have had to spend considerable money to reinforce the roof to make it capable of holding the weight of a slate roof. Also, it would not stand up to the hail we sometimes get in our area. However, the DaVinci slate roof was so natural looking that we felt really good about our decision to make the change to this product."

Are you ready to make the switch? If so, make sure to switch to easy-care composite roofing from DaVinci!

Selecting a new designer roof is a significant home improvement project. So, you want to do your research and make sure your investment is protected.

The newly-enhanced Lifetime Limited Material Warranty from DaVinci Roofscapes provides peace-of-mind when you select a new luxury roof from DaVinci. In addition to assuring you of impact, fire and insect resistance, this warranty now includes color fade protection. We can offer that confidently because our composite roofing has color running throughout each composite slate and synthetic shake tile.  

Another great aspect of the improved warranty is that it's transferable TWICE within the first 10 years of ownership. That means the warranty is viable for you, the person you sell your home to and potentially the person they sell it to --- all within the first 10 years!

And, if you live in a high wind area with severe weather and storms, this warranty covers you for winds up to 110mph when your installer follows specific high wind installation instructions for installing our sustainable roofing.

All together, we've taken a great roofing warranty and made it even stronger. Click HERE to see all the details on our new warranty. Or, call 913-599-0766 and ask to speak with one of our customer service specialists about how this warranty will help protect you and your home!

If you have any doubt that hail can severely damage a roof, just ask the residents of Oklahoma.

On March 25th severe weather tore through the state of Oklahoma wrecking havoc for millions of homeowners --- and damaging thousands of roofs. Hail the size of baseballs, tornados and hurricane-strength winds reminded Midwesterners that tornado season is well underway.

During the anxious afternoon and evening of storms, which Oklahomans rested easier? Kevin Riley, John Simonelli and James Magnusson. These are just some of the many homeowners who had DaVinci Roofscapes composite roofing installed last year after previously experiencing roof hail damage in recent years. (see Hail No Match for DaVinci Roofscapes Polymer Roof Tiles)

"We were in the market for a new roof after a hail storm," says homeowner Kevin Riley of Norman, OK. "Being in Oklahoma I wanted to put something on our roof that would stand up to future storms. The DaVinci roofing product has provided us with the durability to handle our unpredictable weather plus enhanced the architectural look of our home."

"Hail severely damaged our original roof," says John Simonelli. "The new engineered polymer Bellaforté Slate roof we had installed got us a discount from State Farm and made our home look more elegant and tailored. We're now getting compliments on our roof, and that never happened before."

Another Oklahoma resident, Dr. James Magnusson, also upgraded to impact-resistant composite roofing due to hail damage on his previous roof. "If you live in Oklahoma, you have to expect hail," says James Magnusson. "We made the investment in DaVinci Single-Width Slate roofing because of its durability to hail coupled with its classic look. That's a winning combination."

I've helped so many homeowners makeover their exteriors that I've lost count but that doesn't mean I have lost my enjoyment of looking at before and after pictures. When I see images like the ones below I can't help but decipher exactly what the homeowners changed to improve the curb appeal of their exterior.

Here are a couple of my favorites from an article on Better Homes & Gardens (bhg.com) showing many before and after photos.

One of the main factors in creating curb appeal is to draw attention to the entrance and to make it feel welcoming. These homeowners did that by adding architectural details, new landscaping and updated colors. Those changes have made this nondescript house into a charming home. Even without all of the changes to the details and doorway this home would have been much improved by updating the siding and trim color.

I often see homes like this painted all white or black and white. This scheme does little to show off the details that make this style special. Removing the shutters, painting the siding a rich red enhanced by the high contrast white trim plays up the details beautifully. Just changing the color would go a long way in improving the look of this home. Adding more trim and a front porch maximizes its appeal.

I don't often advocate painting brick but when it looks like a dated hodgepodge as in this home painting it is the best solution. Khaki on the siding and shutters unifies the home exterior and both blend with the roof color. Adding stone with the same colorcast to the steps and adding to the roof enhance the entranceway.

Admit it. You enjoy looking at before and after images as much as I do, right? Would you like me to see before and after pictures of your home? Here is your opportunity. All you have to do for a chance to win a home exterior makeover including a rendering of the "after" to your "before" picture is enter the 2015 "Shake it Up" Exterior Color Contest. 

Just submit your home's "before" picture. Then, tell us (in 250 words or less) how you'd like to "shake up" your home exterior with color and colorful products.

Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford radio show co-host Allen Lyle and I will look at the pictures and text submitted to the contest to determine three finalists. I will then work with a professional artist to create a renderings of each "after" images along with a product wish lists of how the three finalists can transform their home’s exteriors by adding color and colorful products manufactured by the contest sponsor and partners.

Wouldn't you like to see your home in one of the "after" images? If so go now and enter... you only have until April 24 to enter for your chance at $2,500 cash to add color to your home!

Before the Gapultos had their cedar roof shingles replaced with DaVinci Roofscapes polymer roofing, you'd swear aliens had chewed off part of their cedar shake roof.

Just 12 years after being installed, several cedar roofing shingles were missing, while others were curling up badly. The entire roof was faded, stained and had suffered roof hail damage. Now, after the installation of simulated shake roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes, the home’s exterior has been transformed.

 “The original cedar shakes should have lasted another eight years or so, but they were installed straight to the deck without an underlayment, so they’re history,” says Jim Butters, owner of Advanced Roofing and Gutters Systems. “When I was called in on this project I knew the only way to restore the homeowner’s faith in their roof was to install synthetic shake shingles.”

The 125 squares of DaVinci shake alternative tiles installed on the Gapultos home have a deep-grained surface that reflects the natural texture of cedar shakes. Butters and his team of 12 installed the Tahoe blend of tiles in May of 2010.

“Along with being able to withstand the hail that originally damaged them, these eco-friendly roof tiles have been tested for high winds and fire resistance,” says Butters. “This new roof will endure whatever kind of weather comes our way in Alabama.”

For more details on this synthetic cedar shake roofing, seeDaVinci Shakes Up Cedar Shake Roofing Options.

Are you heading to Atlanta for the 2015 American Institute of Architects Convention and Trade Show May 14-16th? So are we! We would love to see you, so plan to swing by booth #3832 while you're there. In the booth we're going to be showing off our NEW profile in both our Single-Width and Multi-Width polymer slate roof tiles. We will also be happy to answer technical questions, give you a rundown of our products' features and benefits, and discuss your upcoming projects. 

We had a great time in Chicago last year and we think this year will be even better!

Happy Friday, Architects!

Boosting your home’s curb appeal can help it stand out. Whether your goal is to personalize the exterior for your own enjoyment or you have plans to sell and want to improve resale value, there is great worth in this pursuit.

To get started, take a logical top to bottom approach, and keep in mind the importance of texture, which can add personality and style to a home.

Start at the roof ... and realize you don’t need to say goodbye to the authentic look of real slate or cedar shake roofing in order to have a durable designer roof that’s resistant to the elements. Check out polymer slate and synthetic shake roofing tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes, which resist hail, high winds, fire and other nasty conditions.

DaVinci makes it easy to get the right “top” accent for your home. With 50 different color options and the ability to create custom colors, your roof can boast any color you like. (see "Over the Roof” Color Options Available for color selection assistance)

“Color personalizes every aspect of our lifestyles,” says Kate Smith, president and chief color maven of Sensational Color. “It makes complete sense for homeowners wanting to express themselves through the color of their roof.”

Working your way down the home, add different textures of product, such as stone, brick, stucco or concrete to the siding of the house. Accent with smooth, wood grain, stone or sandstone style trims around the windows, doors and porch areas. And, for added texture to the home, consider a woodgrain entryway made of fiberglass that can be either painted or stained.  

For more style tips for your home’s exterior, click HERE to download the free FRESH Home Exterior Colors Guide, authored by Kate Smith.   

I am debating between Bellaforté Shake or Multi-Width Slate. I am not finding a color in the shake that I think will go well with my house. I love the blues in the European multi-width slate. I just am confused if my house (18th Century Williamsburg Colonial) would look better with a shake or slate look. When I was building my house, I tried very hard to stay true to that time period. I have had my shake roof for 23 years, but think perhaps the blues in the slate will complement the blues in my brick/shutters. Or will it be too busy? The slate seems a little "cleaner" looking. Please help!

Leslie Hickey
Burr Ridge, IL
Product: Not sure - slate or shake?

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

Dear Ms. Hickey,

I appreciate you wanting to keep the integrity of the style of the home. Either the shake or slate profile would be appropriate in this case. Shake was widely used on the homes in Williamsburg but many of the larger buildings such as the Governor's Palace featured slate.

While any of the DaVinci Roofscapes products will give your home a refreshed look, going with a slate profile will be a more noticeable update, which can be nice when you are replacing your roof. 

Any of the profiles could work on your home but I like the size (slate) and texture (shake) of the Bellaforté product. Either would work very well on your size home.

I can see why you would like the European blend with your shutters however when selecting a roof color, your primary focus needs to be on finding a color that works well with your brick. You may decide to change your shutter color but your brick is a permanent element as is a roof with a lifetime warranty. These two elements must work well together first. Then you can look at how the color of the roof works with other elements.

In the photos it looks like you brick has a gray colorcast but it may be more brown. It is difficult to see true color in a photograph. It is best for you to look at the roof colors while standing in front of your home to determine the best blend. Here is a link to an article that explains colorcast that will show you what that is all about and show you examples of several different types of brick matched to roof colors:

http://blog.davinciroofscapes.com/blog/color-from-the-top-down/what-is-colorcast-and-why-is-it-important

I also have an ebook available - {FRESH} Home Exterior Colors - that I think you will find helpful. If you haven't already downloaded it from the website you can find it here:

http://www.davinciroofscapes.com/color/choosing-color/

Attached you will see the slate and shake profiles and colors I recommend you consider for your home. 

I hope this information is helpful as you make your decision.

Best regards,

Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert

One of the handiest things a roofer can have in his toolbox is a chalk line. Reliable for creating straight lines to follow when installing composite roofing tiles, a chalk line is basically a taut nylon or string that is coated with a loose dye, usually chalk.

As roofers know, pulling the string tight and then plucking it sharply leaves behind a chalk marking ... and this line is followed for installing slate roof shingles and composite shake tiles. While this is one of the easiest-to-use tools available for a roofer, there are still some "tricks of the trade" you need to know.

First, be careful of the material in your chalk line and try to use just chalk --- not a "permanent chalk" or a colored chalk that will be difficult to remove (especially red as it will permanently stain the tiles). Stick with a washable blue chalk that won't cause a permanent marking. (See Using the Right Color Chalk Line)

Second, if you're running a chalk line on a very long expanse, consider a "double snap" procedure. This is where the chalk line is pulled across the long area, then held down in the center by a second person or staple. To the left of the center area snap the line, then do the same thing to the right of the center area. This "double snap" gives a more precise line over a long area.

Third, have a back up chalk line in your tool box. Nothing is worse than getting to the job site and starting to mark the roof and having a brittle string break from overuse or tension on the line. This can mean stopping work and going to the local hardware store for a replacement chalk line. It's faster to keep a spare in your tool box.

Fourth, with DaVinci tiles never place a chalk line on the tiles themselves. After determining where the butts of the tile will be place a chalk 18” above that point and make a line. Use that line on the underlayment to align the top tips of the DaVinci tiles.

For more DaVinci Roofscapes installation tips, see the INSTALLATION GUIDES on our website.

Let's face it ... real cedar shake shingles are, well, shaky at best.

They have a history of curling, warping and getting infected with nasty wood-eating insects. They split over time and can pop their nails. Worst of all, they're very susceptible to fire.

If you love the look of cedar roof shingles, but don't want to invest in a product that has a very limited lifespan with unappealing problems, consider composite shake roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes.

Created to replicate the look of cedar roofing without the maintenance hassles, simulated shake roofing from DaVinci is covered by a Limited Lifetime Materials Warranty. Our synthetic cedar shake shingles are authentic looking, fire-resistant and insect-resistant ... plus they come in a wide array of colors. (See Shake, Rattle and ... DaVinci)

A helpful chart on the DaVinci polymer roof tiles website easily allows you to compare the beauty, performance and installation labor related to natural cedar shake roofing to DaVinci shake roofing materials and to other synthetic shake shingles. You'll find that Single-Width Shake, Multi-Width Shake, Bellaforté Shake and Fancy Shake products all have envious features --- including a Class A Fire Rating, wind resistance up to 110mph and color fade resistance.

When it comes time to adding a luxury roof to your home, shake off your concerns by requesting low maintenance synthetic cedar shaking roofing from DaVinci.

Looking for a new designer roof color? Take a hint from some of Hollywood's silver foxes --- and go gray on top.

"Gray is the 'in' color these days for everything from the hair of sexy actors to luxury cars to homes," says Smith, chief color maven at Sensational Color. "Women openly sigh over the gorgeous gray locks of George Clooney, Richard Gere and Jon Stewart. And I've seen jaws drop on men when they see pictures of Jamie Lee Curtis, Diane Keaton and Blythe Danner. People are embracing gray on top... and this includes the top of the home."

Smith, a trends color forecaster, recommends homeowners consider adding a bit of sex appeal to the luxury roofs on their homes with DaVinci Roofscapes synthetic shake and imitation slate roofing in colors such as light Chesapeake, Smokey Gray, Medium Light Weathered Gray and Slate Gray.

"Grays work so beautifully for the top of the home because they complement nature," says Smith. "A blend of grays on the roof, like those from DaVinci, sets the visual stage for working from the 'top down' to unite the home exterior."

While most homes look great with gray composite roofing, Smith believes that Traditional and New American style homes especially lend themselves to gray tops. (see The Power of Gray)

"The classic aspect of these home designs encourages the use of gray," says Smith. "Sometimes gray looks great as a weathered color, like on composite shake shingles on a cottage style home. Other times the sleekness of a rich, dark gray brings a simple, clean look that's ideal for a contemporary style home."

When roofer John Blair heard about a fire that destroyed Yesterday's Restaurant in Hazlet, New Jersey, he knew the restaurant would be rebuilt. After all, the Spalliero family had served up authentic southern Italian and American cuisine at the restaurant for almost 50 years before the tragic fire in 2010.

Blair was pleased that his company was chosen for the roofing job for the new restaurant --- and especially excited about the owner's choice of a Class A Fire Rated Bellaforté composite slate roof.

“I’ve installed other DaVinci Roofscapes roofs in the past when we needed products with outstanding aesthetic appeal, and we’ve always had superior results,” says Blair, president of Garden State Roofing. “Our business is also family-owned, so I knew how important it was to everyone at Yesterday’s Restaurant to get back to work quickly.

"The snap-fit application of the Bellaforté product went smoothly and was easy to install. This roof has a high-end look at a reasonable price.”

The patented snap-fit, self-locating Bellaforté sustainable roofing tiles installed on Yesterday’s Restaurant replaced old, burnt-up asphalt shingles. Featuring an integrated rain gutter and leading edge tab, the synthetic slate roofing tiles resist insects, fungus, algae, mold, cracking, fading and curling.

“There was never a doubt that we’d rebuild,” says Vinny Spalliero, owner of the Bayshore community restaurant. “This business is family owned and operated, so we pulled together to get back in business as quickly as possible.

“I picked out the slate gray Bellaforté roof because it had the look I was going for that matched up with the stone and stucco siding features we added to the building after the renovation. The polymer roof is a nice, durable product and the fire resistant benefit gives us all added peace-of-mind.”

Want to read about more restaurants using lightweight roofing materials? See Serving Up DaVinci Roofs

An eyebrow window can be a charming focal point of a house. Prevalent in the Northeast (but found all over the US), it can also cause a challenge. How do you cover it? Metal? Shingles? What if you want the portion over the window to match the rest of the house? Natural slate, shake or cement tile definitely would not be an option.

DaVinci Roofscapes' composite slate and shake are plastic roofing materials. The components of the product allow it to be malleable, if necessary, so it can curve around an architectural detail such as this.

Happy Friday, Architects!

In Texas, homeowners take what they put on their roofs very seriously. They have to, with a climate that can produce hail, tornados and high winds pretty much year round. The folks over at Dynasty Roofing are quick to offer their customers products that will protect their home for many years, including synthetic slate roofing tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes. On this project, the homeowners went with Bellaforté Slate in the European Blend. Bellaforté products are self-aligning and they interlock at a 12" exposure, which means a faster, easier installation as the roofers don't need to worry as much as about chalking lines and keeping the exposure consistent among courses. 

DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program Member
Dynasty Roofing
817-631-7171
www.dynastyroofing.com

There's no resource quite like the DaVinci Roofscapes website for materials roofers can use.

The Installation Details page offers several different installation guides and videos plus Cold Weather Installation Tips, how to Retrofit Snow Guards, Five Top DaVinci Install Tips and Calculating Waste for DaVinci Products. In the Technical Details section you'll also find code compliance documents, product selection guides, product specification sheets and color guides!

Look deeper into the site and you'll also find a checklist of Things to Consider When Quoting a polymer roofing job and a detailed Turret Package brochure. What more can you find on the DaVinci website? Plenty!

            > LEED and Sustainability information

            > Color Designer Tool for creating a custom roofing blend

            > Recycling Program details

            > Project Profiles to share with potential clients

            > Videos showing everything from color selection to testing & certification to our plant manufacturing video

Lots of companies say they have a one-stop website for all the needs of contractors and roofers. But, at DaVinci we really do have everything you could possibly need on composite roofing, steep slope roofing and lightweight roofing materials. Visit our website today for all your technical roofing support!

"There's not a week that goes by when someone passing by doesn't remark on our 'real slate' roof. I enjoy explaining about the benefits of our DaVinci polymer roof and have no worries now about future storms in our area. This roof can handle it."  Michael Klappa, a resident of the Lionsgate community in Overland Park, Kansas

At DaVinci Roofscapes, we hear this kind of comment quite a bit. People are actually surprised that our imitation slate roofing tiles look so close to the real thing that they can't tell the difference between what's real and what's composite roofing.

We take that as a compliment. After all, we're constantly seeking to improve the authentic profiles of our fake slate and composite shake roofing. The closer they look to natural slate and cedar roofing, the better they'll look on the home.

Try it for yourself ... which of these pictures is real slate and which is manufactured slate?

Did you guess the second one as real slate? Then we fooled you ... actually, the third one is natural slate while the first two images show our DaVinci synthetic slate roof shingles.

While pictures can be tricky, there's no kidding around when it comes to the benefits of simulated slate roofing over a natural slate tile roof. Our man-made product features lightweight roofing tiles that install faster and easier than heavy natural slate, plus they provide maintenance-free peace-of-mind for homeowners for decades. (See To Slate, or Not to Slate ... That is the Question)

So, if you're ready to invest in a new luxury roof and have slate roof tiles on your mind, visit our comparison chart to learn the many benefits of synthetic slate roofing.

April 22 is here ... the 45th anniversary of Earth Day! Celebrated worldwide, Earth Day focuses our attention on taking steps to save our environment by doing smart things like recycling.

At DaVinci Roofscapes we encourage recycling in two ways.

First, we recycle polymer roofing tiles at our Kansas facility. Any composite slate or composite shake tiles that fail to meet our finished high standards are recycled for use in our starter tiles. Since every DaVinci composite roofing tile is 100% recyclable, this means we use all of our materials, helping keep roof tiles out of landfills.

Second, we have two recycling programs (see Return Those DaVinci Scraps!) that provide a way for roofers to return scraps, cuttings and unused synthetic roofing material to our plant for recycling. Waste products from a job site can be returned to our plant in the first program for recycling ... and in the second program expired tiles (those older than 50+ years old) can be returned for recycling.

Just as it's important that all our sustainable roofing products are Made in America (see DaVinci Roofscapes Applauds "American Made Matters Day"), it's also important that we keep our earth as clean and healthy as possible. So, when it comes time to celebrating Earth Day this year know that the team at DaVinci is with you ... in spirit and in our recycling efforts!

This could be your lucky and colorful year. There are just a few days left to enter the 2015 "Shake it Up" Exterior Color Contest that could bring you $2,500 CASH to add color to your home exterior!

Just send a picture of your home exterior to us and tell us ( in 250 words or less) how you'd like to "shake up" your home exterior with color and colorful products. All the details are at www.todayshomeowner.com/color and you have until April 24th to enter.

Think you can't be a winner? That's what Brigette Meehan thought last year --- until she got the call from DaVinci Roofscapes that she had won the grand prize!

"We were surprised, happy and excited, all rolled into one," says Meehan. "We love the rendering that the artist created that adds color and unique products to our home."

Living in a "cookie cutter" house in Elgin, Illinois, Meehan really wanted to add color and stand out in her community. With more than 1,000 homes in the neighborhood, she yearned to include colorful new exterior products and landscaping. Thanks to her grand prize winnings, Meehan was able to achieve her colorful dreams.

Now it's your turn.

Click HERE for more details and to get started. Remember, there will be three finalists selected who will all get professional artist renderings of what their homes can look like with colorful new accents. Then, it's all up to the voting public with online voting running from May 16 to May 30!

PSST -- click here for Tips for Shaking Up Your Home’s Exterior with Color

When Kevin and Nancy Dye purchased their 1929 historic home in Virginia, they did so knowing a new roof was in their future.

The home originally sported a red Mediterranean tile roof, but it had been replaced by an artificial black slate roof that that the homeowners disliked.

 “We did an extensive amount of research on roofing materials and searched for a realistic and durable slate product," says homeowner Nancy Dye. "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.”

Half way across the country in Texas, the Telecky family faced the same challenge of replacing the roof on their historic 1914 home.

“The home originally had wooden shake shingles, which were covered up over the years with several layers of asphalt shingles,” says homeowner Kathy Telecky. “We discovered that only the polymer roof tiles produced by DaVinci Roofscapes are uniquely designed to resist warping, fading, curling and cracking. And, these polymer tiles are fire and impact resistant, so we never have to worry about how our intense Texas heat or hail storms will affect them.”
 
The Telecky family is pleased with their new imitation slate roof. “The roofing tiles never look like plastic," says Telecky. "Right from the start they looked very natural with their understated slate gray color. 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!”

See Roof Envy - A Tale of Two Roofsand Homeowners Talk About DaVinci Roofscapesfor more homeowner insights on composite roofing from DaVinci!