We are trying to decide what color would look best on this house of the DaVinci Slate options. We like the darker colors, and are leaning towards Slate Black. What do you think?

Allyn Weddle
Manhattan, KS
Product: DaVinci Slate - Bellaforté or Multi-Width

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Dear Mr. Weddle,

A DaVinci Roofscapes Slate roof would be great on your home and a darker color would be a good choice.

I recommend the Single-Width profile in either Slate Black-VariBlend or Smokey Gray-VariBlend. The gray/black tones are a good match and subtle shift in color will work well with the stone on your home.

When it comes time to update the other exterior elements on your home look for shades or the colors you like that are slightly toned down or have a gray cast.

Sincerely,

Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert

That's right ... today is Insurance Awareness Day.

We're celebrating the day by sharing information on how you can save on your homeowner insurance costs --- especially if you've had roof hail damage in the past.

Because DaVinci Roofscapes polymer roof tiles resist hail, impact, severe weather and fire, many insurance companies offer discounts to homeowners who invest in our composite roofing.

For example, in Oklahoma, State Farm, Liberty Mutual and AAA are just three of several insurance companies offering homeowners with DaVinci lightweight roofing systems strong discounts on yearly premiums.(see Oklahoma Homeowners Get Insurance Discounts with DaVinci Roofscapes Impact-Resistant Roofs)

"We save about $2,000 a year on our homeowners insurance premiums with AAA since having our DaVinci roof installed," says homeowner Kevin Riley. "We were in the market for a new roof after a hail storm. 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."

Homeowner John Simonelli also received a discount on his homeowners insurance after having a DaVinci composite slate roof installed. "Hail severely damaged our original roof," says 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."

Think accessories are just for the fashion industry? Think again.

If you're a roofing installer looking to finish a course, rake end or valley with a solid piece of synthetic slate or shake, you're looking for roofing accessories. Fortunately, DaVinci Roofscapes has just what you need in our multi-width imitation slate and synthetic shake product lines!

While a solid accessory tile is not required for a successful roof application, we recognize that some installers prefer to use it as an option. The solid tile is just another method of blending the appearance of cut tiles to give a polished look to a finished luxury roof project.

Offered in several colors, our solid slate accessory tiles and are 18-inches long and 12-inches wide and solid shake accessory tiles are 22-inches long and 12-inches wide

Remember that the unique design of DaVinci slate roof tiles and cedar shake alternative tiles has ribbing to provide improved flexibility and reduced weight. (seeSolid Polymer Roof Tiles) This allows us to create a thick profile that is lightweight - the rib structure helps the tile have less mass than it otherwise would which makes the deck cooler than a solid tile would be to help keep both the tile and roof deck cooler.

During the early stages of DaVinci Roofscapes, roofer Mike Heiland was one of the first contractors to offer and install our polymer roof tiles. A roofer for more than 25 years, Mike and his company, Heiland Roofing & Exteriors, have been installing roofs throughout Kansas since 1987.

When we started our DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program (DMCP) in 2007, we invited Mike to join immediately. Now we're sharing his thoughts on our DMC program with you.

Q: What has it meant to your company to be part of our DMC Program?

A: It's a tremendous experience for our company. When we tell people of our DMC Program status, it brings us instant credibility. We received great training in the DaVinci plant and we stay on top of advances and new products from DaVinci. Because our company has grown right alongside of DaVinci, we've got our heart in every project using these polymer roofing tiles.

Q: What do you think is the best overall feature of the DMCP membership?

A: Our status as a DMCP member gives us a selling advantage over the competition in our marketplace that can't be beat.

Q: If a roofer in New Jersey, Arkansas or Utah asked you if they should become a DMC Program member, what would you tell them?

A: I really believe that, if you're fortunate enough to qualify for the DMC program, then you should go for it. DMCP membership is restricted, and it sets you apart in your market. It's a no brainer for any roofer who wants to increase their sales.

To see what another DMCP member has to say about DaVinci manufactured slate tiles and fake cedar shake roofing, read DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Profile: McRay Roofing.

You don't have to be a dummy to celebrate National Ventriloquism Week from July 15-18! Let us also remember that July is National Lettuce Month ... along with being the national month of honor for hot dogs, ice cream and blueberries. There are also specialty days dedicated to chocolate, French fries and lasagna in July, so get ready for culinary treats!

As you settle into summertime festivities, don't forget to take time to gaze up at your roof. Actually, July 2nd, which is "I Forgot Day" would be a good time to remember that your roof needs a visual "check up" every so often.

At DaVinci Roofscapes, we like to have fun with the many specialty days available each month. So, we offer a bit tongue-in-cheek that since July 27th is "Walk on Stilts Day" we want to remind you not to try this as a way to inspect your roof! Instead, use a secure ladder or hire a professional roofer to evaluate your roof.

Finally, if you celebrate "Fortune Cookie Day" on July 20th and the tiny slip of paper reads "put a new roof over your head," then we welcome you to check out the many polymer roofing options available from DaVinci!

July seems to be the ideal month to focus on American traditions --- and American-made products.

Naturally we celebrate Independence Day on July 4, but we also celebrate Made in the USA Day on July 2. At DaVinci Roofscapes, where we make all our polymer roofing products in Lenexa, Kansas, we happily celebrate both occasions!

By manufacturing every one of our composite roofing products in the United States, we help keep Americans working. Our company supports the economic structure of our country. And,  because we make our imitation slate and synthetic shake roofing product in America, we can get those roofs delivered quickly to our customers. (See Happy 4th of July --- Buy American!)

"We're part of the multiplier effect because our 'Made in America' commitment also means we purchase from suppliers located only in the United States," says Ray Rosewall, president and CEO of DaVinci Roofscapes. "So, with every roofing tile we sell we're helping our economy to expand in many, many ways."

You'll find DaVinci Roofscapes on thousands of homes and commercial projects "from sea to shining sea" in our country.  "DaVinci roofs are on the Dayton Veteran's Administration Chapel, several college campuses, in theme parks and even on the William Penn home," says Rosewall. "The successful reach of our designer roof products into the daily lives of Americans makes all of us at DaVinci extremely proud."

When you are working with 50 individual colors it can become pretty easy to overcomplicate things. Typically, the quest for finding your perfect custom color blend starts on our color designer, or with a set of our synthetic shake or slate color chips. While some have a great eye for color and can easily sort through and put together something that looks amazing, the rest of us are stuck on where to even start. In the context of possible blend customization, I often get asked if somebody can take a standard blend and just tweak it. Recently, an architect and I worked together to take the European Blend (which consists of Light Gray, Medium Gray, Dark Gray, Light Purple and Dark Purple in multi-width slate) and change it into something that the client wanted, which was essentially European with just a little less purple. By removing just the Light Purple from the blend, it turned out to be exactly the color blend they needed. Not every custom color blend story can be this easy, but often starting with something already created can help you and your clients know what needs to be added or removed. 

Happy Friday Architects!

The National Roofing Contractors Association has designated July 5 - 11 as the Second Annual National Roofing Week. The special focus on this week is the importance of hiring professional roofing contractors and making informed decisions about maintaining or replacing a roof system.

As we talk about regularly, the roof is one of the most important components on a home or business. If a roof fails, whether due to storm damage or old age, the entire structure is compromised. That's why DaVinci Roofscapes recommends that you make it a yearly goal to examine and evaluate your roof --- and what better time to do so than National Roofing Week!

We've shared these tips before, but they're worth repeating:

Tip #1 - If you're able to easily see all areas of your roof yourself, use either a ladder or binoculars from across the street, and look for problem areas. Missing or broken shingles or shingles "flapping" in the wind are all signs that your roof needs immediate help.

Tip #2 - If you have steep slope roofing or a roof with multiple valleys, or you're not able to see all areas of your roof, then hire a professional roofing contractor to inspect your roof. They have the proper safety equipment to accurately inspect your roof and know exactly how to look for rodent and animal damage around chimneys along with worn out areas of the roof.

Tip #3 - 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 area. 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. If you have a real cedar roof, consider your geographic location.

Tip #4 - Consider your geography. If you live in areas prone to hail, then impact resistant polymer roofing is a great choice. Or, if you live in the western portion of the country where wildfires are a problem, then having Class A Fire Rated imitation slate or simulated shake roofing is a great choice. Along with helping protect the home, these fake cedar shake and slate alternative roofs oftentimes come with a homeowner insurance discount.

Need more tips? Check out 6 Signs of a Failing Roof: How to Tell if You Need a New Roof.
 

Thousands of cyclists are currently spending 21 days pedaling their way through France as part of the Tour de France. Unfortunately they're mostly looking straight ahead and concentrating on their route. What a shame.

If these dedicated cyclists looked up, they'd be in for quite a treat.

During my recent trip to France I had the opportunity see some truly beautiful roofs. While my fellow travelers were oohing and aahing over the countryside, my camera was pointed upwards at these incredibly historic roofs.

My favorite was the very colorful designer roof at Hotel-Dieu in Beaune. Founded in 1443, this structure was actually built as a hospital. The medieval jewel boasts geometric, multi-colored Burgundian roof tiles. It reminded me so much of the custom color capabilities available from DaVinci Roofscapes that I could easily imagine replicating the roof in the United States!

More sedate roofs also caught my attention in France. Everywhere you turned there were turrets and structures covered mostly with old clay tiles. Slate roofs are also popular in France, as are concrete spires that top structures such as the impressive Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) in Avignon. Constructed in 1309, there are ten towers in the fortress that spans more than 148,000 square feet!

For a vacation trip with lots of roof-appeal, I've got to say, Vive la France!

I’ve been in the residential construction business for decades. I started while in college as a laborer for a man that rehabbed - we call it "flipping" now - houses. I loved working with my hands and still do.

You can’t describe the satisfaction of looking over something you just built knowing it’s done right and won’t have to be done over.

I’m experiencing that same feeling with my new DaVinci Roofscapes Single-Width Slate composite roofing tiles on my own home.

As crazy as it seems, I decided to do the installation myself. I’m qualified to do it as I’ve done roofing of all sorts for more than forty years. I’ll say it now before you read much more:

I love working with my DaVinci Roofscapes synthetic slate. It’s a dream product that’s easy to install. It’s not easy to impress me with products because I tend to be the Doubting Thomas. I tend to compare new products with older time-tested products that I know work well.

My son, a young man of few words, is helping me with this job. A few days into the project after installing enough of the polymer roofing shingles to where you can really see what it will look like when complete, he exclaimed, “Wow Dad, it really looks like real slate roof tiles! The shadow lines are so deep!”

Believe me, that’s a compliment of the highest from a young adult who rarely is impressed with all the great products I get to see on a routine basis.

The Decision

You may wonder what drove me to DaVinci Roofscapes?

Two things.

First and foremost I’ve known about their fine products for years because they have the best public relations machine working for them. It seems not a week goes by that I don’t hear about a success story about DaVinci. That’s a good thing.

Second, my 40-year-guarantee asphalt shingle roof failed in just 12 years. That’s not a typo. Couple that with other asphalt shingle failures in the news and I have to tell you I was leery about getting bitten a second time.

The Roofing Process

I’ve installed tens of thousands of shingles. I’ve repaired roofs. Roofs are designed to take advantage of gravity. One layer of shingles overlaps the row below it and this continues up the roof creating a weather-resistant barrier to rain, wind-driven rain, snow and ice.

What I discovered after reading the official installation instructions provided by DaVinci is this job was going to be a breeze. It was hard to believe that a synthetic slate roof tile could be so easy to install.

As the head of AsktheBuilder.com, I stand witness to tell you this product is easier to install than traditional asphalt shingles. Yes, easier and they look far better. Tune in tomorrow to find out exactly how easy it is to install DaVinci lightweight roofing materials!

Tim Carter
Founder
AsktheBuilder.com

Yesterday I covered "why I love DaVinci Roofscapes" and today I'm launching right into the step-by-step aspects of installing my new imitation slate roof.

Alignment Aids

Look at one of the DaVinci composite slate shingles and you’ll quickly see they provide all the needed alignment guides for your required exposure on each shingle.

They provide the target holes where you nail the shingles. I love those and it’s not a problem to hit the target.

The shingles provide reminders about the required spacing between the shingles so the roof looks fantastic for decades.

If you chalk lines every other course, you get to use the lines to align each course. That’s a great feature to keeping the roof looking just like real slate.

Cutting

You can cut the shingles with a sharp razor knife or a tin snips, but I find a sliding compound miter saw does it faster, safer and provides a cleaner cut. You want to use this same saw to make your miter cuts that create the stunning closed valleys.

A table saw is the tool of choice for me when cutting off the tops of the shingles that are found at roof ridge lines.

Nailing

The fasteners are as important as the simulated slate roofing shingles in my opinion. They need to last as long, or longer, than the roofing product.

I feel this is why DaVinci suggests to use hot-dipped galvanized nails. These, in my opinion, are the best nails for all roofing projects. The molten zinc atoms interlock with the steel on the entire nail. Hot-dipped nails simply won’t rust for many, many decades.

Use the hot-dipped galvanized nails and rest assured the fasteners will not fail. Be sure the nail is long enough to penetrate the roof sheathing. (see Stainless Steel Nails)

The Bottom Line

After working now with the DaVinci composite roofing product for a little over two weeks, I have to give it five hammers out of five.

My wife Kathy loves it, my kids love it, my neighbors love it and I’m swooning over it.

As a builder who demands quality not only in a product but the workmanship that goes with it, I’m glad to go on the record saying that given the choice, I’d go with DaVinci Roofscapes whenever the situation allowed it.

Why?

That’s easy. DaVinci is a perfect example of my AsktheBuilder.com motto:

Do It Right, Not Over!

Tim Carter
Founder
AsktheBuilder.com

If you plan on attending the Construction Specifiers Institute convention in St. Louis this fall, set aside some time to come and see the DaVinci Roofscapes booth at booth #637. We will be there ready to discuss our lifetime roof options, and armed with plenty of polymer roofing information and product samples, including our new Single-Width and Bellaforté Slate profiles. The exhibit hall is open October 1-2, 10:30-4:30. I look forward to seeing you there! 

The morning of April 2, 2015 started out clear and sunny for residents at the Harbor Isle community in Wichita, Kansas. By evening, a powerful microburst with winds reaching up to 100mph destroyed a bulk of the roofs in the subdivision --- except the DaVinci Roofscapes polymer roofing installed by Heiland Roofing.

According to homeowner Paul Dugan, concrete tiles littered the entire Harbor Isle community after the storm.

"Concrete roof tiles were thrown through neighbor's windows, into vehicles parked along the streets and in driveways," says Dugan. "Every home with a concrete tile roof was missing large sections while a couple of the homes that had been recently re-roofed by Heiland Roofing with DaVinci shake roofing tiles has every single tile in place and no visible damage to the property. I was very impressed and called Heiland Roofing the next morning.

"I now have a DaVinci Bellaforté Slate roof that looks exactly the same as the concrete tile roof but has the highest impact resistance in the industry. The impressive interlocking system allows for installation with securing the tile in all four corners so we're not going to worry about tiles peeling back and blowing away in future storms."

For more details about Heiland Roofing and their installation of green roofing options, see Featured Project of the Year - Heiland Roofing & Exteriors.

Ask roofer Mike Heiland what he likes about DaVinci Roofscapes polymer roofing and be ready to settle in for a long conversation. From the authenticity of the imitation slate and synthetic shake tiles to the impact-, fire- and insect-resistancy features, Heiland is a true fan of the composite roofing product.

However, ask him what makes him proud of installing the designer roof tiles and he'll quickly tell you: DaVinci Roofscapes are not just made in America, they're made in Kansas.

"Anytime we can support companies in our state we go the extra mile to do so," says Heiland, president of Heiland Roofing and Exteriors out of Wichita, Kansas. "We want to help our state grow. We consider ourselves partners with DaVinci Roofscapes in that growth. We support them, and they support us."

For almost a dozen years Heiland and his team have recommended and installed DaVinci's imitation slate and synthetic shake roofing products. With a company focus on re-roofing of residential homes, Heiland believes there's a DaVinci sustainable roofing product for every price range.

"We feel we can sell all the DaVinci products here in Kansas," says Heiland. "The higher priced homes have always been open to the quality of the DaVinci product. Then, when the Bellaforté line was introduced a few years ago it brought an affordable option to all homeowners. Even though this sustainable roofing costs more than regular asphalt, homeowners read the warranty, see the beauty and quality, and know they're getting a good return on their investment.

"Our final sales point to homeowners is that DaVinci luxury roof tiles are all made right here in Kansas. That clicks with many people. They want to make a purchase that is smart for their home while supporting their state."

Oh, how quickly we forget.

Just a few months ago a majority of the country was digging out from record snowfalls ... and now we're basking in the sunshine.

Don't let sizzling summer weather dull the memory of winter snowstorms. Now is the time to have snowguards retrofitted to your existing synthetic roofing material ... long before they're needed when the snow starts to fall again this coming winter.

Snowguards act as "breaking barriers" as snow melts and slides off the roof. Rather than experiencing an avalanche of snow that comes down all at one time and can harm landscaping and block doorways, snowguards help regulate the release of snow from your polymer roof tiles.

If you have DaVinci Roofscapes composite roofing and your home doesn't currently have snowguards, contact a professional roofer to have them installed (see Prepping Your Composite Roof for Winter Weather). Even though you're sipping icy lemonade right now, you'll thank yourself in a few months when there's a cup of hot chocolate in your hand and snow coming down from the sky!

Summer has always been my favorite time of the year. It invokes childhood memories of the days I used to spend at my grandmother’s house in north Louisiana. There was a grocery store down the road called the Dixie Dandy and their chocolate covered ice cream bars were the best ever!

The heat was sweltering, but we never stayed inside. I mean, come on! It’s summer vacation! I played outside from dawn to dusk.

One of the craziest things I remember was how, on a hot day, a storm blew in rather suddenly, and even though the thermometer was showing 90-degrees, big nuggets of ice started raining down from the sky! Hail storm!! Yes, that was summer down south.

I had the opportunity to re-visit that small Louisiana town recently, and between the scorching sun, many more hail storms and the strong winds that accompanied them, I noticed many of the houses were looking a little worse for the wear, especially the roofs.

It’s unreal what Mother Nature can do to a traditional shingle, slate or cedar shake roof. Curled edges, missing tabs, faded colors, cracked and split edges…..if this describes your roof, then it’s past time for a change.

Before spending your hard-earned money on another rooftop that starts to degrade the minute it’s sitting out in the elements, do a little homework and look into low-maintenance polymer roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes.

All those natural elements I talked about don’t stand a chance against a synthetic shake or composite slate roof. These lightweight roofing tiles are fade-resistant and the color runs completely through them.

Hail stones the size of golf balls? Not a dent! Hurricane force winds? They won’t budge! Aside from the fact that a polymer roof is going to last longer, it’s also going to look better and stay that way for years beyond that of a traditional roof. This is an added bonus, because it adds value and curb appeal to your home. (See Superman Roofs)

By the way, there’s a big difference between “standing out” and “sticking out” (like a sore thumb) and a composite slate roof  or simulated shake roofing from DaVinci stands out.

I would defy anyone to drive down the road and be able to tell the difference between a DaVinci fake slate roof and genuine slate, or DaVinci composite shake and a true cedar shake roofing. It looks that good!

One final thought to consider when choosing which product is right for you. DaVinci’s EcoBlend tiles have an Energy Star rated version called Cool Roof that actually helps reflect sun and heat away from the roof which, in turn, will reduce the load on your AC. That means your roof can positively impact your home's energy efficiency, the lifespan of your cooling unit AND help reduce power consumption to keep the house cool.

The moral of my story? Time will march on. I’m not a kid anymore…the recipe for the perfect Dixie Dandy ice cream bar is gone forever…but the right synthetic roofing material will stand the test of time well into the future.

Allen Lyle
Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford
Radio Show Co-Host

Summertime and the living is easy ... especially if you have low-maintenance products and sustainable roofing on your home!

With the launch of the Second Annual "National Curb Appeal Month" in August, the team at DaVinci Roofscapes reminds you that adding easy-care composite roofing to your home is a smart decision.

According to the 2015 Cost Versus Value Study conducted by Remodeling magazine, investments in a variety of exterior home improvement projects on a midrange priced home can have solid return-on-invest for homeowners. The study reports that a roof replacement can have a projected 71.6 percent cost versus value recoup.

If you're going to make home improvement enhancements during National Curb Appeal Month, color expert Kate Smith has some tips.

"Strategically placed 'pops of color' on a home exterior can make a huge difference in creating positive curb appeal," says Smith with Sensational Color. "Whether it's window boxes filled with bright red geraniums, a front door painted colonial blue or trim pieces in a striking deep green, colorful accents can really help a home stand out in the neighborhood.

"My advice is to add 'top down' color to the home to gain a cohesive and appealing exterior. Start with the color of your designer roof, then work your way down to the siding, trim, doors and landscaping. The colors should all complement each other. Even if you have a sedate color scheme, there's nothing wrong with shaking up a home with a warm, welcoming color on the front door and colorful landscaping."

Need more colorful polymer roofing details? Click HERE to get two free ebooks written by Smith, "FRESH Home Exterior Colors" and "FRESH Color Schemes for Your Home Exterior." And, check out 20 Sure Fire Ways To Create Curb Appealfor more ideas!

In the damp climate of the Pacific Northwest, algae and moss accumulation on cedar shake roofs is a common concern. For some homeowners tired of maintaining and constantly cleaning these pesky growth formations from their roofs, easy-care polymer roofing tiles are their new best friends.

"Natural slate and cedar shake roof shingles can be increasingly difficult to maintain over time in this environment," says Jordan Eades, president of HOPE Roofing & Construction. "When homeowners see the advances of man-made polymer roofing tiles they get almost giddy with the idea that they'll be spending much less of their valuable time and money on maintenance to remove unsightly moss and algae from their roofs."

In recent years Eades and her team have started offering synthetic shake and imitation slate roofing tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes. At the 2015 Building, Remodeling and Energy Expo in Sequim, Wash., Eades received overwhelming interest in the DaVinci product showcased in their booth.  

"We're seeing that more and more customers want long-lasting and low maintenance features in their roofs," says Eades, whose company is headquartered in Port Townsend, Wash. "The Bellaforté roofs we're installing offer those advantages plus the look is very realistic. The beauty of these tiles coupled with the lifetime warranty are features that homeowners in our area are very excited about."

Want to learn more about lightweight roofing tiles from DaVinci and what contractors think of our environmentally friendly roofs? Then see Out of the Mouths of Contractors.

For the last 15 years we have made it our mission to make the most authentic polymer slate and shake composite roofing tiles on the market. You know you've succeeded when time and time again you send homeowners, contractors, and architects out to see the products installed on a nearby home or business and their response is, "I drove right by it! It looked like natural slate and I was looking for a plastic slate." Or when you're standing in a tradeshow booth and people absentmindedly stop and touch the material, and end up blown away because it didn't feel like the slate or wood they were expecting to feel. 

I recently received this picture from a member of our DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program (Featured Project to come!) and had to share. With the copper gutters and flashings, these Multi-Width Slate tiles in the European Blend have the authentic look that people seeking a roof in our category require. If you were driving by and saw this roof, what would you think? 

Happy Friday, Architects!

In the summertime it feels a bit odd to think about snow and ice, but at DaVinci Roofscapes it is a year round conversation. The Teflon-like quality to our products offers so many amazing benefits, such as it resists mold and algae growth and is easy to clean without solutions (if necessary), but snow retention? Not so good at that. So, if you live in a climate where you are likely to get snow, it is strongly recommended that when you install your new, synthetic roofing material you also install snow guards. Installing snow guards will help prevent snow from sliding off your roof and damaging landscaping, gutters, and vehicles. 

This project, installed by NMC Exteriors out of Plymouth, MN, used snow guards on this home that now has a Multi-Width Shake tile roof in Weathered Gray.  

DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program Member
NMC Exteriors
855-424-5662