Natural slate, while beautiful, comes with its down falls. It is heavy, it is expensive, and it requires a considerable amount of maintenance. Last year we redesigned the molds for our Multi-Width Slate, giving the edges a more quarried look and adding deeper impression lines. The goal was to create an even more authentic quarried slate appearance, so that somebody visiting the home would never be able to tell the tiles on the roof were actually polymer slates. The result has been an exceptionally authentic, thicker look, but with no added weight or change in the performance of the tiles.   

This project was recently installed by Cedar Roofing Company, out of Lake Forest, IL. This high end roofing company has an arsenal full of premium roof products, and has installed dozens luxury roofs by DaVinci Roofscapes over the last few years. Thank you for sending these pictures over, CRC! 

Cedar Roofing Company
847-247-4400
www.cedarroofingcompany.com

Need color suggestions - see attached photos of home - existing cedar shake roof.

David Brunjes
Lake Forest, IL
Product: Bellaforté Shake

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

Dear Mr. Brunjes,

In the Bellaforté Shake, I recommend either Mountain-VariBlend or Tahoe-VariBlend. The Mountain color is darker and more similar to your current roof and give the home a more formal look than a lighter roof.

The Tahoe color is not quite as dark and is slightly more brown which might be more of the natural shake look you have in mind.

Either of these colors will work very nicely with the color of your brick and the other elements of your home and landscaping I see in the pictures you provided.

The texture of the Bellaforté Shake will give your roof more dimension that will also add to the overall good look of your home.

Sincerely,

Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert

Today we're offering a Bellaforté 101 class. This product line is one of our most versatile, dependable and easy-to-install products.

Let's get started. If you're ordering Bellaforté synthetic shake or imitation slate roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes, you'll find there are three different types of tiles in the collated bundles that arrive on the job site.

First, there are field tiles. These are the main tiles that will cover almost the entire roof and they're the most visible on the roof. Field tiles must be laid from left to right. Contractors should draw horizontal lines to ensure that the tiles are aligned properly.

Second, there are rake tiles. These are installed to finish gable ends. The first rake tile should be installed at the gable end so that the butt of the tile is flush with the butt of the first course of the field tiles. The second rake tile should be installed so its tip touches the butt of the second course. Subsequent tiles should be installed similarly.

Finally, there are the hip and ridge tiles. These should be maintained at 12” exposure and can be installed over hips and ridges in two ways: the standard method or the alternative method, both of which are explained in detail in the Bellaforté installation guide.

Here are some other important tips you need to know about Bellaforté synthetic roofing material:

-  Our one-piece hip and ridge bundle is composed of 10 pieces and covers 10 lineal feet.

-  Our rake bundle has 20 pieces for covering 10 lineal feet.

-  The 12-inch starter has 20 pieces per bundle and can cover 20 lineal feet.

-  Transition pieces come in 10 per bundle, which can cover 10 lineal feet.

-  The field tiles come 10 per bundle. Because Bellaforté is installed at a 12" exposure just 100 tiles are needed per roofing square.

For more details on DaVinci lightweight roofing materials, see Imitation Slate Tiles By DaVinci Roofscapes.

You've definitely decided to invest in composite shake roofing. Congratulations ... but you're not quite done making decisions.

At DaVinci Roofscapes, we offer both single- and multi-width simulated shake roofing products. They're both terrific roofing options, but depending on how they're installed and the product you select, you can get completely different looks on your roof.

Here's a quick guide to help you make the decision that's perfect for your home!

• Multiple-Width --- a very popular, realistic look, this installation requires your roofer to take extra care to offset the between-tile gaps from one course to the next.
• Single-Width --- every synthetic shake tile is the same size, and your roofer can stagger each course to give you a textured look to the roof.
• Straight Course --- row after row of composite shake tiles are installed on the roof, with no overlapping, to give a very uniform look.
• Staggered Course --- a ragged, saw-tooth pattern on each course gives this roof a rustic appearance.

When it comes to options for shake alternative products, DaVinci has you covered. Here are the realistic-looking cedar shake alternative tiles we offer: 

> DaVinci Multi-Width Shake:Reminiscent of natural cedar shake roofing with a deep-grained surface reflecting natural cedar roofing. 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: Forget the worries of fire, wind and rain withNo Sissy Shakes our durable eco friendly roof made of composite shake. These 9" shake alternative tiles resemble hand-split cedar shake roofing. The 5/8" profile deepens shadow lines replicate real cedar roofing.

> Bellaforté Shake: Designed with a snap-fit tile that creates a built-in rain gutter, Bellaforté simulated shake roofing tiles feature a leading edge tab that secures every tile to drastically improve wind performance. 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: If you're looking for a more refined cedar look, then Fancy Shake synthetic shakes are for you. 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.

While you consider Class A Fire Rated cedar roofing options from DaVinci, check out this story: No Sissy Shakes

Guest Blogger: Jay Sifford, Houzz

The best landscapes connect with the homes that sit atop them in both large and small ways. Attention to detail is what will move your space from ordinary to extraordinary. Pulling hues from brick, stone or painted siding into the landscape with thoughtful plant choices is one thing, but what about that roof? Whether you’ve purchased a home with unusually colored shingles, built a home with a colored metal roof or inherited a home crowned with a tile roof, the principles are the same. Let’s see how to tackle your dilemma and ground your home in your landscape.

Nancekivell Home Planning & Design, original photo on Houzz

Homeowners frequently forget to look up when designing their landscapes. Sometimes, I think, they are secretly hoping their challenging roofs will just go away. But for a seamless home-garden connection, there should be a continuous flow, with all parts supporting the others.

Consider three things: color, texture and shape. After addressing these three things, consider accessories to bring all parts of your composition together.

Connect With a Roofing Professional

Color

Roofing is available in myriad colors, some safer and easier to work with than others. Hardscape, such as sidewalks and decking, can be chosen to create continuity through color. If you have purchased a home that presents a challenge to you in this respect, consider painting or staining your ground-level hardscape to create a connection.

Southfen, original photo on Houzz

The cut stone pavers in this photo do double duty, picking up both the hue of the home’s metal roof and the gray in the stone cladding. Notice how the shape of the pavers speaks to the vertical seams of the roof, then visually pushes the eye outward toward the greater landscape.

Your planting scheme is of paramount importance when it comes to creating this color connection. Ornamental grasses are valuable tools in creating this connection. Species and cultivars can be found in a wide range of hues, such as blue, orange, red, pink and green.

Metal roofs with orange or brown metallic hues can easily be complemented or contrasted with foliage. Consider Coppertina or Center Glow ninebark (Physocarpus opulifoliouscvs, zones 3 to 8; find your zone), Orangeola Japanese maple (Acer palmatum vardissectum ‘Orangeola’, zones 5 to 8) or Buttered Rum coral bells (Heucherella ‘Buttered Rum’, zones 4 to 9). Don’t neglect seasonal foliage color provided by shrubs such as oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia,zones 5 to 9).

Texture

By playing up texture, you can help your home and garden shine among the mundane spaces of your neighbors. As a designer, my goal is to emphasize texture as much as possible.

Some roofing materials have more texture than others. If you have wood shakes, slate or tile on your roof, seize the opportunity to pull that texture into your garden.

Ron Herman Landscape Architect, original photo on Houzz

Up to this point we’ve looked at using hardscaping to pull texture from the home into the garden, but plants can also create this connection. Notice in this photo how the roofing texture is pulled down by informed plantings, starting with New Zealand flax (Phormium sp). The designer of this space starts the mental connection for us by repeating the roof color in the plants closest to the house. Moving farther away from the foundation, the texture then takes over with lavender and heathers. The lesson learned from this well-designed vignette is that you can make the plants closest to the home the ones that most resemble it in color and texture, to set the precedent for the rest of the garden.

Shape and Line

Shape and line make up our third parameter. If your roofing material has a prominent shape or pattern, accentuate that to create your connection.

Martin Patrick 3, original photo on Houzz

In this example the primary line, or run, of the roofing material is picked up by the stone siding, then brought down to the garden floor with the staggered edges of the stone patio. Also notice how the lines of the patio furniture further reinforce the connection to the home. This kind of attention to detail is what will create a professionally designed look in your space.

Accessories

The proper selection and placement of accessories will make or break your space. Ceramic or terra-cotta pottery, sculpture, light fixtures, mailboxes and house numbers are all fair game to use in achieving your home-garden connection.

GFDS Engineers, original photo on Houzz

Notice how the boulders in this almost-monochromatic garden add texture while pulling out the gray from the shingles. Meanwhile, the crushed stone on the garden floor seems to flow effortlessly from the house, making a second meaningful connection between home and garden.

Choose your boulders carefully to create your connection, remembering color, texture, size and shape. An ill-chosen boulder can be an eyesore rather than an asset in your design.

Well-chosen and well-sited sculpture is a primary tool in the creation of a connection.

Real quarried slate has many uses: flooring, chalkboards, signage, and of course, slate roofs.

The benefit of real slate as a natural product is its beauty. For roofing applications, that's where the benefits stop.

Known to be heavy and brittle, real slate requires extra support on roofing structures to carry its extensive weight. Slate can be hard to install, time-consuming to collate with colors and sizes on the job site, and most importantly, expensive.

Now, think about polymer slate tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes. They have just one use: roofing. But, they have so many benefits: impact-resistance, lightweight, durable and resistant to cracking.

We manufacture Multi-Width, Single-Width and Bellaforté Slate tiles in 50 colors, giving you more options than Mother Nature provides in real slate. Plus, DaVinci offers collated color blends to give you different shading and color combination options --- something nature can't do. And, if you're looking for a custom color in a synthetic slate roof tile to match the fur of your favorite dog or even in a tropical blend, we can do that too.

Maintenance-free simulated slate roofing from DaVinci does not require inspection or repair ... and it's backed by a lifetime limited warranty.  (See Polymer Slate - How Does It Compare to the Real Thing?)

Weigh the options ...and the tiles. You'll find that lightweight roofing tiles from DaVinci beat out heavy slate shingles from Mother Nature every time!

What traveled at 11 mph for 5 hours in order to cover the distance of 9 miles? The Johnson County All Electric House!

Originally built in the 1950s, the All Electric House was carefully (and slowly!) moved in May to its new home inside the county's Arts & Heritage Center. The All Electric House is being refurbished and will reopen to the public in 2017. When it does, it will feature Bellaforté Shake shingles on top in an Autumn-VariBlend color.

"We're excited to support this local project by donating our top-quality simulated shake roofing tiles to this project," says Mark Hansen, vice president of sales and marketing for DaVinci Roofscapes. "This project is in the same county as our manufacturing operations in Lenexa, Kansas, so it's got special meaning for us."

Since opening in 1998, more than 55,000 people have toured the House. At the new location, the All-Electric House will be protected from the elements since it will be featured inside the massive Arts & Heritage Center as a cornerstone of the new signature exhibition, Becoming Johnson County.

Stay tuned for more news on the "Museum on the Move" --- including the installation of the composite shakes. The move itself (which involved 50 officers from six jurisdictions!) - stay tuned for updates! Or, learn more about roofing systems for other museums at Museum Rooftops. 

I imagine when a roofing company like TCC Roofing sits down at the kitchen table with a homeowner and uses the words, "lifetime roof" it might sound too good to be true. Homeowners in Colorado are used to premature roof replacement whether it be from the high winds or hail, or accelerated breakdown of roofing materials due to frequent cycles of freeze-thaw. The cedar shakes on this home were about ready to fall off when TCC Roofing out of Eagle tore them off and replaced them with DaVinci Roofscapes' Multi-Width Slate polymer roof tiles. Multi-Width Slate comes in 5 widths, 12", 10", 9", 7", and 6", and in 12 natural color blends (pictured here Aberdeen Blend). 

TCC Roofing Contractors Inc
970-328-2340
www.tccroofinginc.com

                Old Shakes                                                   New DaVinci Polymer Slate

Looking at color schemes for Single Width Slate DaVinci roofing. Initially thought Brownstone-VariBlend would be good but now having some second thoughts. Would like some opinions and ideas.

Thanks.,
Wade

Name: Wade Gaeddert
McPherson, KS
Product: DaVinci Single-Width Slate

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

Dear Mr. Gaeddert,

You are among a special group of homeowners, who can't go wrong with any of DaVinci colors. Your home would work with just about every color and style offered. That being said there are a few that I think you would be very happy with so allow me to point those out. In the end it really will just come down to personal taste.

You mentioned DaVinci Single-Width Slate and that would be an excellent profile for your home. I think the straight rows complement the look of your home.

The varied warm tones of the Brownstone-VariBlend would work well. The variation in the brown tones would add additional texture and design to your roof that would be very nice.

Smokey Gray or Slate Gray are other colors to consider. Smokey Gray is darker; Slate Gray lighter and warmer.

Look at the colors while standing outside your home and go with the colors that looks best to you. You really can't go wrong.

Sincerely,

Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert

It's 75 degrees outside and your new DaVinci Roofscapes designer roof will be installed by the end of the month. Congratulations!

Your roofer has just one more question: do you want snow guards?

Don't let the warm weather sway your decision. When it's 25 degrees outside next January with snow falling fast, you want your composite roofing to have snow guards. Why? Because snow guards can help stop the "movement" of a snow avalanche from coming off your roof all at one time. They help break up the melting snows so they come off in smaller amounts.

Snow guards don't have to be intrusive on your roof. Companies like Rocky Mountain Snow Guards specialize in offering a variety of options that look good and work effectively with synthetic roofing material. And, they can powder coat the snow guards to match the color of your DaVinci roof!

What kind of costs are we talking about? Lars Walburg, President of Rocky Mountain Snow Guards, offers this insight: "Painted aluminum and steel snow guards generally cost between $5 and $6 each, while copper snow guards cost between $8 and $10 each. Then, the roofer will charge for installing the snow guards. Depending on the roofer, they may charge between $3 to $6 each for installation."

Your roofer can work with experts like Walburg to determine exactly where the snow guards should be placed on your roof, in what type of pattern and how many are needed. The pitch of your roof is important when deciding where snow guards will be placed (see Ask the Experts: Snow Guards). Another placement consideration is to plan on having snow guards located over key walkways, entry areas of the home and landscaping elements.

Click HERE to learn more about snow guards offered by Rocky Mountain Snow Guards that are designed especially for simulated shake roofing and imitation slate shingles. And, to learn more about snow guards overall, seeQ & A Guide to Snow Guards.

**Snow guards should be considered in all geographic areas where accumulating snow fall is possible.**

You head to the grocery store with a written list of food items to purchase, so why can't you do that when it comes to buying a designer roof? You can!

DaVinci Roofscapes has created a roofing checklist for you that makes it easy to see the benefits of composite roofing products when compared to any other products. Here's your checklist:

- Weight: Ranging from 182 to 356 pounds per square (depending on the product and the exposure) polymer roofing weighs about the same as asphalt shingles. However, it's significantly less in weight that quarried slate (which can weigh 2,000 pounds per square!).

- Thickness: Thanks to a ribbed structure on the underside, synthetic shake and imitation slate tiles from DaVinci appear to be as thick as natural materials, but they aren't as heavy in most cases.

- Colors: With DaVinci composite roofing, you can choose from 50 standard color options, or have a custom color created. You can also select from an existing blend of several colors, or custom create your own blend. Bundles are color-coordinated at the factory, saving roofers time at the job site and ensuring a random variation of colors across the roof.

- Warranty: At DaVinci, we stand behind our products for a lifetime ... that's why we offer a transferable lifetime limited warranty on our simulated shake roofing and composite slate roofing materials.

- Fire Resistance: Based on actual fire tests, DaVinci tiles have earned a Class A rating, which is the highest resistance to flame spread and makes our products suitable even for wildland-urban interface zones.

- Wind Rating: Our durable Eco-friendly roof materials can withstand winds of up to 110mph.

- Impact Resistance: Here's where DaVinci products really shine with a Class 4 impact rating. Both our sturdy shake alternative and imitation slate roof products can withstand hail, failing tree limbs and even workers walking on your roof!

- Pests and Growth: Nonporous polymer tiles discourage algae, moss, lichen and fungi, and will not harbor wood-eating insects.

- Recycled Content: None. DaVinci uses virgin polymers to ensure optimum performance and longevity. Only the starter course tiles (which are not generally seen) include recycled content. And yes, at the end of their life, all of our polymer tiles are 100% recyclable.

- Insurance Discounts: Because of synthetic slate and shake's resistance to impact and fire spread, many insurance companies offer discounts on homeowners insurance to those people with our sustainable roofing.

Shopping list complete! For more details on polymer roof tiles, see Multi-Width DaVinci Shake Tiles - Providing a "Premium Shake" Look to Your Homeand DaVinci Slate Roofing Rivals Natural Slate.

Roofer Dave Spence spends a lot of time up on roofs ... and much of that time he and his team are installing DaVinci Roofscapes sustainable roofing.

Spence, who works for Umbrella Roofing out of Basalt, Colorado, and his crew have just finished up adding DaVinci Multi-Width Shake roofing to 15 town-homes in Aspen. The Maroon Creek Town-home Association decided to replace their worn out real cedar roof shingles in favor of more reliable DaVinci composite shake roofing.

"The original cedar roofing was about 15 years old and had started to dry out, split and cup," says Spence, general manager at Umbrella Roofing. "The homeowners association wanted a more dependable product that would last longer and resist impact, so we recommended DaVinci composite shake roofing.

"A key selling point for this shake alternative roof in our area is its Class A Fire Rating. Wildfires are always a concern here and the DaVinci roofing products bring peace-of-mind to homeowners."

The Autumn blend of synthetic cedar shake the Umbrella Roofing team installed on the town-homes in Aspen complement the exteriors of the large town-homes. "This is a beautiful development that was both fun and challenging for the roof installation," says Spence. "We had to go into the structural end of the roofing trusses to build up blocking so we could do an extensive snow retention system on top of the DaVinci tiles. Due to the amount of snow we get in this area, the units needed both snow fences and snow stops added."

The challenges of high roofs and complicated roofing didn't faze the Umbrella Roofing team.

"We install about 25 to 30 DaVinci roofs each year on single family homes and associations," says Spence. "This is a simulated shake roofing product everyone in our market appreciates for its beauty, authenticity, durability, and especially for its resistancy to fire and impact."

For more insights on Umbrella Roofing projects, click HERE.

**Snow guards should be considered in all geographic areas where accumulating snow fall is possible.**

Summer is flying by and it is time to think a head to September! Are you headed to Austin this fall for the 2016 CONSTRUCT convention and trade show? Swing by booth #225 September 8th & 9th to see what's new at DaVinci Roofscapes and pick up some information and chat with one of our  luxury roof experts. Our polymer slate and shake roof tiles are perfect for your steep sloped commercial projects as they not only look beautiful, but meet (and often exceed) building codes in most cities! Hope to see you there.

If your vacation home is sitting empty for parts of the year, it is important to find the right exterior building products that will stand up to mother nature, as well as not prematurely break down due to the natural cycles of the weather. DaVinci polymer roofing systems are perfect for all types of get away homes, including lake properties. The products look natural, but are strong against damage from wind and hail, are resistant to mold, algae, and moss growth, and are virtually maintenance free. Backed with a Lifetime Limited Warranty these owners likely won't have to replace this roof anytime soon!

This home sits near Lake Kahola in Kansas and recently had Bellaforté Slate in the European Blend installed on it by a loyal DaVinci Roofscapes contractor out of Emporia, Kansas. Thank you Geo. Groh & Sons for the pictures!

Geo. Groh & Sons Roofing
620-342-7576 
www.grohroofing.com

Happy Made in USA Day!

July 2 each year is the time to remember that buying Made in America materials --- including building products --- helps support our economy.

"Selecting a toilet, roof or window that's made in the United States supports our economy and keeps Americans employed," says Tim Carter, founder of AsktheBuilder.com. "I've had my hand on the pulse of the building industry for 20+ years as a builder, and now 20 more years as a new product reviewer, and I've seen firsthand that American-made products resonate with consumers in today's market.

"Some consumers don't realize how much rides on their decision when purchasing a new garage door or insulation for the attic. Every purchase we make impacts our nation's economy, so it's important to make a conscious effort to choose American-made products. That's an important part of the reason why I selected synthetic slate roofing tile from DaVinci Roofscapes, made in Kansas, for my own home last year." (See the story Roof Busters!)

Carter and others in the building industry have found through the years that USA-made products are quality-made with the added benefit of arriving faster at the job site.

"There's no magic to purchasing Made in America products for home construction," says Carter. "All it takes is the dedicated effort of consumers and building professionals to look for Made in America packaging and commit to supporting our country and our economy."

Every month seems to have a different theme ... and July is all about food.

If you're hungry, this is the month for you! Month-long celebrations in July are dedicated to grilling, blueberries, ice cream and hot dogs. Special mini-festivities focus on beans and bacon, garlic and even baby food.

You can actually "eat your way through" July with a different food festival every day. There's International Chicken Wing Day, French Fry Day, Mac & Cheese Day, Slurpee Day (on 7-11!), Cheesecake Day and Lasagna Day. For those with discriminating tastes there's also National Caviar Day. And, if all that eating makes you a little lazy, don't worry ... July 24th is National Drive Thru Day!

At DaVinci Roofscapes we think it's fun to share these crazy, offbeat celebrations with you each month. We know you can't be thinking about your home and your roof all the time. After all, you have to eat!

But, when you do start thinking about a roof replacement, we hope you'll consider our synthetic roofing material. Made to withstand severe weather, fire and impact, our polymer slate and composite shake roofing tiles are durable and reliable.

Another note ... stick to the cheesecake and chicken wings this month. Neither you nor insects can eat our polymer roofing. While our composite roofing may look "good enough to eat" ... they're termite-resistant so insects and critters will have to look somewhere else for their next meal!

Happy July 4th! Cut open the watermelon, grill the burgers and get the sparklers ready ... today is a day to celebrate!

While you're observing the holiday and feeling patriotic, remember that DaVinci Roofscapes is a company that was born in the USA. Our manufacturing facility in Kansas is as "red, white and blue" as they come ... we even make custom red, white and blue synthetic slate roofing tiles!

DaVinci was started almost 20 years ago and we manufacture all our composite slate and synthetic slate roofing tiles in the USA, with American workers. When we searched for a new, larger manufacturing site a few years ago, we didn't look for available space in China, Mexico or Asia ... we focused on staying in Kansas to help the economy of our state and our nation.

Not only do we support the economy, we're environmentally responsible to our country.

While you're thinking red, white and blue today, we encourage you to also think green. Because recycling is so important to everyone in America, the team at DaVinci takes extra steps to do our part.

In 2015 we recycled more than 800,000 pounds of polymer materials. This year we're on track for recycling one million pounds of composite roofing. That's a million pounds of material being re-purposed as starter tiles instead of heading for landfills.(See2016 Earth Day: DaVinci Roofscapes Recycled 800,000 Pounds of Polymer Last Year)

Every piece of our lightweight roofing materials is 100% recyclable. That means our Eco friendly roof shingles can be recycled not just at our plant operations, but from the job site. (See Return Those DaVinci Scraps!)

So this Fourth of July, as you reflect on our country, think about how companies like DaVinci help keep the economy growing and our environment greener.

Have a toothache? You go to a trusted dentist. Need your car worked on? You head to a trusted mechanic. Ready for a roof replacement? Then call an expert roofer.

When it's time to invest in a new roof, ask the roofers you interview what synthetic roofing material they recommend. We're betting you'll hear these words: DaVinci Roofscapes.

Once a roofer works with our lightweight roofing materials, they're hooked. The ease of installation married with the strong warranty behind our simulated shake roofing and synthetic slate roof shingles makes a big impression on professional roofers.

Here are some comments from roofers you should take into consideration when searching for your new roof:

"Delta Exteriors has total confidence in the DaVinci Roofscapes product. From our experiences we've learned that DaVinci is a first-class company and they've taken the measures to assure their composite roofing product will stand the test of time. To their credit, DaVinci did not rush in to the market hoping to make a quick buck. Instead, they invested the time and energy into creating a reliable product that differentiates itself from other competitive synthetic roofing products in the marketplace."

Rob Orf
Owner
Delta Exteriors

"Purchasing DaVinci's composite roofing over natural slate roof tiles or cedar shake roofing is a no brainer. The look and durability of these imitation slate and synthetic shake shingles is simply incredible. Plus, we save time and money on the jobsite for the homeowner by installing these sustainable roofing tiles."

Mike Heiland
President
Heiland Roofing and Exteriors

"Half of the roofs I install these days are polymer shake or slate products. Once someone sees this product installed, they love it and want it on their own home. The roof has a good profile and dimension to it, the color blends are terrific and the advantage of knowing you have a roof backed by a limited lifetime warranty is extremely impressive."

Stacy Stines
Owner
Stacy Stines Roofing

Neutral tones of beige, brown and gray are the "in" thing when it comes to color for the home exterior. But don't worry about selecting a color that's just trendy --- these warm, traditional colors are timeless.

"Soft tones of gray, browns and beiges work well with so many different home style exteriors," says Kate Smith, color trends forecaster with Sensational Color. "Always begin by working from the 'top down' on your home. The roof has a huge visual impact and that's the place to start!"

Smith, who offers color guidance to homeowners choosing composite roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes, has compiled these five tips for people ready to take the plunge and warm up the colors of their home exterior:

                       Tip #1 - Use paint samples liberally. Take time to paint out a large enough sample area so you can really see the true color of a chosen paint. The full beauty of many colors, especially a neutral color, isn't always apparent when looking at a small sample. You might be surprised at just how beautiful the color you thought was "too dull" really is when you see the true hue on your home exterior.

                        Tip #2 -  Don't dismiss gray. A great choice for a roof, colors like Smokey Gray can be used with warm or cool neutrals and a wide range of colors on the home exterior. For a house that has natural wood siding or is predominantly brown in color, going with the warmer tones that fall between gray and brown (such as a Mountain Blend) would also work well on a synthetic slate or shake roof.

                        Tip #3 - Surface texture matters. The lightness or darkness of a color, along with the texture of the surface it is applied to, will affect the amount of light reflected. If you are applying paint to stucco or another textured surface, the color will appear darker. If applying paint to a smooth surface, the color will appear lighter.

                        Tip #4 - Go outside with your samples. It's always best to view all color samples and materials (including your roofing options) in the natural light outside your home and at different times of the day. This allows you to see the way the light changes the colors throughout the day and allows you to envision what the product will most closely look like before placing your order.

                        Tip #5 - Accent neutral colors with deep, rich and slightly toned down colors. You can use neutrals, textures and accent colors to give your home personality and make it stand out. Stone, brick and roofing tiles all add texture and depth to a neutral palette. Then, choose a statement color on your front door to turn it into a focal point.

Need more color advice? See Please Help Narrow Down Color Selections... and To Determine The Best Color For Your Roof Start By Looking Down Not Up.

Ed Delaney is like many other homeowners. He has an older house (built in the 1930s) and, after a rough winter, his old asphalt roofing shingles were failing.

Faced with a pending roof replacement project, he did what many other homeowners do: he drove around neighborhoods looking at roofs he liked.

"There was a new home being built in Newton and I admired the roof," says Delaney, a Massachusetts resident. "I asked the roofer what was the roofing material and he told me it was DaVinci. Then I contacted DaVinci and asked for other locations to check out in the Boston area. They all looked great."

Delaney was a bit surprised to find out that an acquaintance locally also had a DaVinci roof, so he went to check it out. "The composite roofing looked like it was brand new, even though it had been installed eight years earlier," says Delaney. "I considered alternative composite slate products, but DaVinci looked the most like real slate so we made the commitment."

That's when Jim Gordon with Twin Metals, Inc. entered the picture. He and his team installed the DaVinci Multi-Width Slate in European-VariBlend in late 2015. To enhance the home exterior, he recommended copper valleys and ridge caps.

"The copper accents add a distinguished look to the roof," says Delaney. "We also liberally used snow guards since we have some nice plantings below our roof line that we wanted to protect.

"The finished roof is really striking. The European color blend is very distinctive and looks like natural slate on my roof. Now we're one of the houses people come to see when they want to gain insights on simulated slate roofing in our area!"