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Featured Project - Newton Square, PA

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Customizing your roof can seem like a scary process. What if you can't land on the right color combination, or what if you pick something out and you end up hating it? At DaVinci Roofscapes we try to make the custom color blend process easy (or easier, anyway) by putting a few fail safes in place. If you follow these steps, you'll be putting together your own special blend in no time.

1. Visit the online Color Designer - here you can look at shake colors in slate molds, play with color combinations, and tentatively decide on what direction you want to go. 

2. Call on the advice of one of our Project Specialists. Guess what? They do this for a living, and love it. They will look at pictures of your home and make recommendations on colors and let you know what they have seen work well for others in the past. They will also be able to request you color chips, samples of our standard blends so you can see how we blend our colors, and refer you to a roofing contractor who is familiar with installing our composite slate roof products. 

3. Request Samples - once you have your blend colors and percentages figure out, our Project Specialists will get you samples requested. In fact, this step is a required step in our custom blend order process. This ensures you get plenty of material (up to several bundles) to build a mock up, put outside next to your siding, outdoor fixtures, and landscaping and make sure you love it!

This project was installed by Gillespie Contracting out of Glenmoore, PA. The product is Single-Width Slate in a custom color blend. Also, notice the snow guards which is always something we recommend in areas that are prone to accumulate snow. Thanks for sharing your photos Gillespie Contracting

Gillespie Contracting, Inc
610-942-9877
www.gillespiecontractinginc.com

 


Tip of the Day: NO Red Chalk

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If you're a roofer installing DaVinci synthetic shake or simulated slate roofing, here's our "tip of the day" for you: Do NOT use red chalk when snapping chalk lines.

Polymer SlateMade of iron oxide, red chalk will not come off composite roofing tiles. Check the packaging for your chalk products. No matter what color you select, if it says "permanent chalk" on the label, believe it.

At DaVinci Roofscapes we've heard stories over the years from installers who used red chalk when snapping lines. The headaches this causes are unbelievable. Even if you power wash the tiles, that red chalk does not come off.

For a hassle-free installation, look for and use a chalk that is not permanent. Usually blue chalk is a better choice. And, when doing a staggered installation, consider adding your snap lines directly to the underlayment. Then lay the tips of the tiles to match up with the underlayment. When you don't mark the tiles directly, you don't end up with headaches on the job site.

Need more advice in installing sustainable roofing from DaVinci? Check out Five Top DaVinci Install Tipsand DaVinci Installation – Things To Keep In Mind. 

 

 

Bee-ware of Cedar Shake Roofing!

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Nestled amongst 26 wooded acres in Mentor, Ohio you'll find the Deepwood North apartment complex. Twelve separate buildings are home to about 200 apartment units.

A distinctive element of the design of the buildings are the mansard roofs that extend vertically from the top of the first floor up to the top of the second floor. An attractive decorative detail of the complex, these siding/roofs were originally covered in real cedar shake shingles.

With time, the cedar roofing rotted and became infested with thousands of bees. That's when it became apparent a solution was needed.

"The owners realized they were spending a lot of money year after year repairing and treating the old wood shakes," says Todd Runyon, president of Runyon and Sons Roofing out of Mentor, Ohio. "The apartment owners wanted to maintain the look and character of the original wood shake design without having all of the future maintenance work.

"Once they saw the Bellaforté Shake synthetic shake shingles they fell in love with the look and functionality. We've previously done another roof project with DaVinci composite roofing and we're seeing more and more opportunities for these imitation slate and composite shake products in the marketplace."

Fake Cedar Shake

 

Working through rough Cleveland winter weather, the re-roofing project took seven months for Runyon and his team. Along the way they created unique flashings around the windows and the second floor balcony doors.

"The new fake cedar shake shingles transform and update the look of the entire apartment complex," says Runyon. "Best of all, the apartment owners will have decades of no maintenance hassles ... plus no bees!"

Bellaforté Shake Roofs Top 207 Covington Creek Condos and Colorado Townhome Community Topped with DaVinci Roofscapes Composite Shake Tiles tell the stories of other multi-family housing locations that made the smart choice to invest in polymer roofing from DaVinci!

Understanding Paint Color Undertone

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When it comes to choosing color for your home, what you don't immediately see about a paint color is as important as what you do notice.

Color is dynamic and energetic. Every color has a vibrant public persona, but it also has more subtle attributes that the human eye does not immediately see. This is what makes color both fascinating and frustrating. One of the most effective techniques for alleviating frustration and mastering color is to understand how color undertones affect what the eye actually sees.

More than meets the eye

It is easy to think that first see about a color gives you all the information you need. But you can't always trust what you see. Often a color’s has qualities that at first are concealed. It isn't until you take a closer look that you discover exactly what a color is all about.

There is the color you first notice but there may also be a quality that is less obvious. This is the color’s undertone and it is often "hidden" and takes a closer look to see. It is important however that you do take a closer look because if you fail to recognize the colors undertone, it will show up when you least expect it. Choosing a color, especially a neutral, without considering the undertone can cause the color schemes you thought was perfect to feel amiss.

Understanding Undertone

To understand undertone you need to know that colors have both mass tone and undertone. Mass tone is the color you immediately see. Undertone is the characteristic of the color that is often concealed when a color is viewed on its own. Undertones become more apparent when a color is place near other colors.

In some colors, the mass tone and undertone are very similar; other colors have undertones that are quite different from their mass tone. A true blue, for example, will have a mass tone and an undertone that are very close to the same hue. However, turquoise has an undertone of either green or blue and periwinkle has an undertone of violet. Sometimes the undertone is referred as the way a color "leans" -- a turquoise that leans blue or a purple that leans red. These undertones are usually easy to see. 

With whites, neutrals and muted colors, that isn’t always the case. The more complex and less pure the color is, the more difficult it can become to determine the undertone. In my experience, either not recognizing, or incorrectly identifying undertone causes most color mishaps.

An example of a well-chosen white. The color blends beautifully with the surrounding
and the
Bellaforté Shake Shingles in Mountain Vari-Blend.

Finding the undertone

Understanding how to select the correct color is important, but selecting the correct color that also has the right undertone is even more important on your home's exterior. Here’s why: if you’ve ever seen or created a scheme that you thought should work, but didn’t, it was probably the undertones threw the scheme off rather than the mass tones of the colors. The specific colors you chose may have had undertones that were fighting each other instead of working together.

The mass tone and the undertone of the colors you select need to work together to create a harmonious color scheme. Now that you understand the importance of identifying the undertone, the next step is to learn how to detect it. For those just learning, the easiest way to see the undertone is to compare one color to another similar color. Start by looking at your chosen color alongside other colors from the same color family. Although the hues all belong to the same color family, you will see how their undertones are different. For example, some blues will lean more purple, while others will lean more green.

Comparing your paint swatch to the purest version of the main color is another way to see the undertone. When you place your blue swatch next to a true or pure blue, the undertones will become apparent.

This technique works for white as well. If you thought white was exempt from the undertone issue, think again. When looking at a white swatch on its own, it may be almost impossible to distinguish the undertone. Look at the same swatch next to pure white and it will mysteriously turn into a faint yellow or pink or some other color. That is the magic of undertone.

Neutral territory

Neutrals are a bit more difficult. You can compare neutrals to other similar neutrals, but that doesn’t guarantee you will easily recognize the color of their undertone. Neutrals are the toughest to get right, but don’t let that discourage you.

One way to confirm the undertone of the neutral you select won't class with your other colors is to place the neutral swatch against pure hues -- red, yellow, blue, green, orange, or purple. If your neutral has a green undertone, placing it next to red (the complement of green) will bring the green undertone out. If the neutral if the neutral has red or pink undertones those will more clearly come into view against green. Yellow undertones pop out against purple, orange against blue,

A little tidbit that can help you to know your right is that while neutrals can have an undertone of any color some are most common:

  • Beiges undertones are green, yellow/gold, red/pink and occasionally orange.
  • Undertones of colors most people describe as a gray are blue, green or purple.
  • Taupe or Greige is a color that is between beige and gray and doesn't lean towards a particular color.
     

Creating harmonies

It’s important to identify the undertone of your paint color because selecting a main color and trim color with harmonious undertones is the secret to creating a successful color scheme. Evaluating the color and its undertones is well worth the effort. Expertly choosing colors that harmonize is the foundation for designing a beautiful exterior. It may seem challenging at first, but like most things – a little effort now will pay off every time you look at your home.

Ready to know even more about choosing color? Here is another post that can help you as you choose your exterior color Color Lesson: Defining Colors

New DaVinci EcoBlend Colors Provide More Energy-Saving Roof Options

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Four newly-introduced color blends for DaVinci EcoBlend roofing tiles give homeowners and roofers more ways to add cool roofs to residential and business structures.

Approved by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC), EcoBlend shake and slate designer roof tiles reflect heat and emit the sun's energy back into the atmosphere instead of into a structure. They help reduce the cooling load for a building, and, as a result, increase the energy efficiency of the structure.

Looking for another reason to request these green roofing materials? By helping create a cooler roof, EcoBlend tiles contribute to a lower heat island effect in heavily populated areas. This in turn helps reduce a building's carbon footprint.

In compliant with Title 24 requirements in California, the new EcoBlend polymer shake and slate roofs include:

                        - Tahoe-EcoBlend: Light Tahoe, Medium Light Tahoe and Medium Tahoe

 

                        - Mountain-EcoBlend: Light Mountain, Medium Mountain and Dark Mountain

 

                        - Brownstone-EcoBlend: Light Brown, Dark Stone and Dark Tan

 

                        - Slate Gray-EcoBlend: Slate Gray

 

 

EcoBlend color blends previously accessible from DaVinci Roofscapes that meet the stringent requirements to receive ENERGY STAR® designations, and still available from the company include:

                        - Weathered Gray-EcoBlend: Light Weathered Gray, Medium Weathered Gray and Dark Weathered Gray

 

                        - Castle Gray-EcoBlend: Light Gray, Medium Gray and Dark Gray

 

For more information on EcoBlend products, see Save $$$ With an Eco-Friendly Roofand What is EcoBlend?

Featured Project - Fort Worth, TX

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Polymer SlateThe hail storms of 2016, while certainly a burden for many, are also an opportunity for people to replace their low impact rated roof (asphalt, slate, shake, tile, etc) with a Class 4 Impact Rated composite slate or shake roofing tile. Are you affected by a recent hail storm? Our advice - have patience. Tim Gentry, our VP of Technical Services and a long time roofing contractor, points out that just because your roof has been totaled in a storm, doesn't mean it is going to leak the next time it rains. The reality is, you likely have time to do your research and find a good, local installer to do you roof. Things are heating up in Texas where recent storms have homeowners looking for a contractor, researching roofing materials, and looking at going through this process all over again. This project was recently installed by Texas Tile Roofing out of Fort Worth, and for it they went with Single-Width Slate in the Slate Gray color blend. Thank you for sharing with us TTR! 

Texas Tile Roofing
817-838-6100
www.texastileroofing.com 

 

Understanding Class A Fire Ratings

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Dry timber. Drought conditions. A lightning strike.  These three things can instantly spark a wildfire.

Summer is a time of tension for fire fighters throughout western regions of the U.S. and in many other states. During this time when conditions are right for the spread of sparks and flames to structures, homeowners are also on edge.

One way to gain some peace-of-mind is to invest in Class A Fired Rated composite roofing. This is the highest fire rating available for a roof, and one attained by DaVinci Roofscapes for all our products.

Want proof?

There are three tests our polymer roofs have undertaken to achieve the Class A Fire Rating. These include:

1. Intermittent Flame Test - an assembly of tiles is subjected to an intense flame for two minutes then turned off for two minutes. This is cycled 15 times to see if there is failure in the roof deck.

2. Spread of Flame Test -  flame and air current are applied for 10 consecutive minutes and then checked for failure. 

3. Burning Brand Test - in this test, a burning brand is placed on an assembly of roofing tiles with a high volume of wind behind it. The decking of the assembly is constantly monitored for 90 minutes to see if any fire burns through.  If fire burns through the roof deck anytime during the 90 minute trial, the tiles fail. 

Since seeing is believing, check out this video of flame spread testing of our DaVinci products:

For more information on roof ratings, see Fire Codes and Your Roof: Class A vs. Class C Codes.

 

 

EcoBlend Roof Meets Needs of California Homeowner

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When it came time to move from San Francisco to Pebble Beach, Calif., the Hines were uttering the famous real estate mantra: location, location, location.

Cool Roof ShinglesThe couple fell in love with a home that had the perfect location, but needed lots of work ... probably more work than they expected.

Even though the home was just 31 years old, it had sat abandoned for several years. As a result, it required new floors, landscaping, windows, fencing and a roof. And that's just for starters.

"The old cedar shingles were in terrible shape," says Ray Hines. "They were turned up like potato chips, falling off and rotting."

Hines headed to a roofer he trusted --- Bob Denison with Denison Roofing --- for advice.

"The owners wanted to change the look of the roof and asked for my advice," says Denison. "I explained that the best product they could select would be a Bellaforté Slate roof from DaVinci Roofscapes. I've installed this synthetic roofing product in the past with great success."

To help make their home more energy efficient, the Hines selected the Castle Gray-EcoBlend product that is ENERGY STAR® rated and has been approved by the Cool Roof Rating Council to reflect sunlight and heat away from a home. All six EcoBlend color blends offered by DaVinci also meet Title 24 requirements in California. (SeeDaVinci Roofscapes Introduces Four New EcoBlend Colors for Cool Roofs)

"We're glad we listened to our roofer," says Hines. "The team at Denison Roofing did a terrific job and we love the new roof. Many of our neighbors have complemented it and we'd strongly recommend this good-looking, hard-working roofing product!"     


Learn the Lingo of Rooftops

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Guest Blogger: Bud Dietrich, Houzz

When it comes to a roof, knowing a few terms will help you talk to your roofer next time there’s a leak or you decide to reshingle. They’ll also help you discuss a remodel project that includes an addition, skylight or dormer. For the most part, these terms cover the principal parts of a roof and the openings we commonly find going through a roof — creating the possibility of leaks.

 

Tile Roofs
Bud Dietrich, original photo on Houzz

 

Two of the most basic and common roof types are the gable and hip. These are easy to build and economical. Because they shed water and snow easily, they’re well-suited to wet and cold climates around the world.

 

Tile Roofs
Abby Design and Construction, original photo on Houzz

 

Aesthetically, gable roofs and hip roofs are quite different. A gable roof wants to stress the vertical; it points upward to the sky. It’s identified by triangular gable ends and a single ridge between two sloping roof panels.

 

Tile Roofs
Transitional exterior, original photo on Houzz

 

All four sides of a hip roof slope inward. Its lines stress the horizontal and float in parallel over the earth. These are important distinctions, because the way a house meets the earth and sky tells us a lot about its designer’s intent.

 

Tile Roofs
Bud Dietrich, original photo on Houzz

 

A few more basic roof parts are the ridge, rake and eave. The ridge is the highest point where two roof planes meet and is generally going to be the highest part of the house. Because of its linear nature, a ridge is commonly referred to as a ridge line. The location of the ridge is important in many localities where there are height restrictions on building, as the height of a house is often measured from the ground to the ridge. For this reason, it’s important to know what the local restrictions are and how these will affect the design. The rake is the angled element at the gable end of a roof and is composed of the trim and structure (rafters) that extend out from the house. The rake can be finished in a plain, simple manner or in a highly stylized and elaborate way. The eave is that element of a roof that projects out from the wall of the house and consists of a soffit and fascia. The eave can either be close, or tight, to the wall of the house or quite a distance away. Since the primary function of the eave is to take rainwater away from the walls of the house, the farther out it is the better it can serve that function.

 

 

TIle Roofs
Bud Dietrich, original photo on Houzz

 

The roof planes are the large, flat and tilted portions that make up any roof. Whether of a low slope, steeply pitched, made of multiple pitches, curved, etc., these sections are what give a roof its distinctive character. Where two roof planes meet will either be a hip or a valley. A hip is where the roof planes form an outside corner. A valley is where an inside valley is created. Note that in complex roofs with many roof planes, there will be many hips and valleys. And while a hip is relatively easy to keep waterproof, a valley is one of those places on a roof that needs extra attention to keep water out.

 

 

Tile Roofs
Bud Dietrich, original photo on Houzz

 

Just about every roof will have openings, or penetrations. These can be plumbing vents, dormers, skylights, chimneys and other vents. And wherever there’s a roof penetration there’s the potential for a leak. So while keeping the number of penetrations to a minimum is a good thing, there are also good reasons for having them, such as the natural light brought into a house by a skylight. The trick, then, is to make sure that all penetrations are installed properly with sealant and flashing, thin pieces of metal or plastic that create a waterproof barrier. Find a Ladder to Help You Get the Job Done You should also think about how all these penetrations will look on the exterior. For example, plumbing vents can show up in the visually worst places, such as just above or near the entry. Another one to look out for is the large mushroom vent. Be sure to study the plan for your total exterior design, including all the little bits and pieces that go into any house.

 

Tile Roofs
Scandic Builders, Inc., original photo on Houzz

 

When thinking about flashing, consider how it will look and function. For example, stepped copper flashing where a chimney penetrates a roof, such as in this house, can be visually striking as well as an excellent, long-lasting material. Roof vents, coupled with soffit vents or gable end vents and other types of vents, allow air to travel through the attic and out. Cooler, well-ventilated attics have less chance of getting moldy than do attics where moist air is trapped.

 

Tile Roofs:
Murphy & Co. Design, original photo on Houzz

 

A ridge vent is visually the best option when attic venting is required. These vents sit at the ridge of the roof and are most often covered with the same shingle material as the roof, so they visually blend in. Of course, a ridge vent can become quite a nice detail in itself if designed to be special, such as the one seen here. The most conspicuous vent is the mushroom vent. These are usually large and quite visible; appearing like a mushroom sprouting from the roof. These are rarely installed on houses anymore, as they aren’t the most attractive venting option. Know Your House: What Kind of Roof Do You have?

 

Tile Roofs:
Bud Dietrich, original photo on Houzz

 

Seamless additions to houses with gable or hip roofs can be easily done by matching the roof slopes and designing the addition roof as a reverse gable (or a reverse hip) perpendicular to the original house. The trick is to ensure that the ridge of the addition is below or even with the ridge of the original house, as nothing says “addition” quite like a new roof ridge higher than the old one. For wide additions where a single gable may need to be taller than the original house to span its full width, you might consider a double reverse gable, as seen here, to keep the new roofline in scale with the existing house.

Warming Up Your Home Exterior

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Say farewell to the days of harsh exterior color combinations on a house. These days, warmer tones of beiges and neutral hues, plus soft shades of gray, are the colors homeowners are leaning toward for their homes.

According to Kate Smith, color trend forecaster at Sensational Color, homeowners are marrying up warm beige exteriors with trim work and shutters in eye-catching contrasting tones.

Brownstone Blend"Today's homeowners are looking to express quiet sophistication on their home exteriors," says Smith. "That can be achieved by viewing the home from a 'top-down' overview. By starting with the roof and letting the eye travel downwards on the house, different soothing color combinations can be joined to create an overall warm exterior."

As an example, Smith cites a DaVinci Roofscapes® synthetic slate roof in a Brownstone Blend of browns and tans. Flowing down the home, a welcoming Antique White paint on the siding would be offset by a Mahogany front door and accenting trim work in a deep Chocolate.

Castle Gray"Neutral tones of beige and brown certainly warm up a home exterior, but they're not a homeowner's only option," says Smith. "Gray is a popular and powerful color these days. There are softer tones of gray, like Smokey Gray, that easily flow into this trend of creating warmer exteriors."

For this type of home, Smith cites the example of a Castle Gray Blend of roofing that leads the eye visually down the home painted in Silverpointe and accented with Snowcap White trim and Steely Gray shutters. A front door in Ibis Rose or Royal Gray completes the exterior.

For more color tips from Smith, see The Best Shades Of Gray Paint For A Home Exterior. 

Featured Project - Aspen, CO

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Back when we first came out with our Class A Fire Rated shake, we knew we had to develop color blends so that each region of the country would have a color option that looked like what they were used to. Due to the climate, natural cedar shakes in mountainous areas age to be a different color than shakes in other parts of the country. From this research, the Mountain Blend was born. In Multi-Width Shake the Mountain Blend consists of three colors - Light Mountain, Medium Mountain, and Dark Mountain and looks just like natural cedar shake in places like Aspen. 

Umbrella Roofing installed this project, in the Mountain Blend, in Aspen earlier this year. What does Trevor Cannon, owner of Umbrella Roofing have to say about DaVinci's impact rated shake tiles? "In our geographic market people are moving away from real cedar shake shingles due to their deterioration and susceptibility to fire. Anytime we have a new customer looking for a simulated shake roofing product we discuss the cost, insurance, appearance and maintenance saving aspects of the DaVinci cedar shake alternative product. These are features that immediately win over the client."

Thank you for sharing this project with us, Umbrella Roofing! 

Umbrella Roofing
970-704-9130
www.umbrella-roofing.com 

10 Safety Tips for Roofers

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Safety First.  It's a theme we often hear in manufacturing operations and on job sites. And, it's a motto that roofers should also adopt.

How can roofers help keep themselves safe? Here are some tips from the experts at DaVinci Roofscapes:

Shake roofTip #1 - Wear the right clothing and shoes. Make sure your clothing is comfortable and "moves with you" easily, but also that it's sensible. Wear closed-toes shoes or soft-soled work boots that can gain a firm grip on the roof surface. And, use leather work gloves to protect your hands.

Tip #2 -Use eye protection.  Whether you're using a pneumatic nailer on the roof or pounding in nails one at a time, it's always smart to wear safety glasses.

Tip #3 - Use safety ties. Whenever you're on the roof, safety ropes should be used and a safety harnesses to assure a slip on a pitched roof doesn't result in you falling off that roof.

Tip #4 - Take time to secure your ladder. Make certain your ladder is on a solid, level surface. Some roofers like to weight the base of the ladder down with sand bags to keep them in place.

Tip #5 - Use a magnetic nail sweeper regularly during the installation on both the roof and on the ground. Picking up and safely discarding loose nails can prevent a foot injury for both yourself and the homeowners.

Tip #6 - Keep the work area organized and clean as you go. This will help prevent slipping on trash, extra tiles and nails.

Tip #7 - Never work on a roof in wet conditions. A slippery roof can cause problems for any roofer and isn't worth the risk of a fall.

Tip #8 - When using a utility knife, always cut away from you. Retract the blade when not in use and replace blades frequently. Safely discard old blades.

Tip #9 - Take extra care when carrying bundles up the ladder to the roof. Make your legs do the work, not your back. Taking several trips up the ladder with smaller bundles is safer than trying to carry too much at one time.

Tip #10 - When working on steeply pitched roofs, add netting and guardrails for extra safety support. You may even consider adding scaffolding for some projects.

For more safety tips, seeCold Weather Installation of DaVinci Roofing MaterialsandTips for Cold Weather Installation.

 

 

Composite Shakes Replace Real Cedar on Historic Home

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Built in 1853, the Douglas House in Waukegan, Illinois has a great history. Robert Douglas came to Waukegan from England in 1844. He traveled to California and made his fortune in a gold strike and then returned to Illinois to build his dream home.

The house closely resembles a Gothic cottage that Douglas had loved in England. With its steeply-pitched roofs, wall dormers, hooded window molds and gingerbread bargeboards along the eaves, the home perfectly ties in with the Gothic Revival style.

Fake SlateFast forward through the years and the home was purchased and donated by the Upton family to the Waukegan Park District. It now houses offices and space where recreation programs are held for special needs individuals.

In its 169-year history, the Douglas House has gone through several roofs. Most recently, in 1998, wood shake shingles were added to the structure to preserve the historic look.

As cedar roofing is prone to do, the individual cedar shake tiles deteriorated badly over the years. The rotting, insect-infested shakes suffered from nails failing and wood shakes cupping and falling off the roof.

This year the city decided to invest in a new composite shake roof. After receiving a recommendation from Legat Architects, it was decided that a low-maintenance DaVinci RoofscapesMulti-Width Shake roof in Weathered Gray would preserve the historic shake look while being a smart long-term investment.

"The appearance and projected durability made it an easy choice for us to select DaVinci products," says Lali Salinas, parks department support aide in the Waukegan Park District. "On this historic building the DaVinci product offers the look of cedar shake shingles, but will give a greater lifespan and lower long term maintenance cost."

For more historical roofing projects using DaVinci composite slate and synthetic shake roofing products, see History Repeats Itself --- With DaVinci Composite Roofing.

 

 

 

Colorful Imitation Slate Shingles from DaVinci

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Go ahead and imagine it ... a new composite slate roof sitting atop your home. Now close your eyes. What colors do you imagine for your polymer slate roof?

Whether your answer is Dark Gray, Light New Cedar or even Dark Violet ... at DaVinci Roofscapes we offer 50 standard roofing colors to make your dreams come true.

Designer Roof

 

One of the most fun elements for homeowners when purchasing new synthetic slate roof shingles is picking a color that works well with their home exterior. Our color expert, Kate Smith with Sensational Color, offers great advice on how to select the color that's right for your home (see Top Tips from Color Expert Kate Smith and "Top Down" Color Message from Kate Smith).

One of our key tips is to look at your home from the "top down" to determine a color that will serve as the perfect accent for your home's style. Don't know how to start? Then download our free e-guide: FRESH Color Schemes For Your Home Exterior.  There are lots of color options in the booklet that match up with different styles of homes. Best of all, we take you from the top of your house down to the lawn, so you get color recommendations for your roof, siding, shutters, door and trim!

Here's another tip: you don't have to select just one of our 50 colors. Our blends of two or more colors are especially popular because they add visual depth and character to the roof. For example, a Bellaforté Slate roof in the European-VariBlend includes Light Gray, Medium Gray, Dark Gray and Dark Purple. Or, you could select an imitation slate roof in a bright Sonora blend of Light Terracotta, Medium Terracotta, Dark Terracotta, Light Clay and Dark Clay!

Whichever color (or colors!) you select for your DaVinci polymer slate roof, we're here to make the process a colorful and fun experience. Visit our Color & Inspiration section of our website for more color assistance and ideas!

Bellaforté Shake Shingles = Peace of Mind

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Fire.  A homeowner's worst nightmare.

It happened recently to the Matthews family in California. A chimney fire caused by hot embers and ash got through the spark arrestor and ignited the dry, combustible cedar shake roofing at the top of the chimney.

Fortunately the Alameda Fire Department responded quickly to stop the fire from entering the living areas. However, the damage to the roof was severe, requiring the old shake shingles to be replaced.

Fake Shake 

"We're part of the Seastrand Homeowners Association of 28 homes that overlook the San Francisco bay and skyline," says Ron Matthews. "Coincidentally, the HOA was in the process of approving DaVinci Roofscapes products for roof replacement in our community. After our fire, they approved the Class A Fire Rated polymer roofing immediately."

Matthews selected Bellaforté Shake roofing tiles in a Mountain VariBlend for his home and had the team at Roof Guard Roofing Company Inc. install the new composite shake roof.

"There are several reasons why we like our new cedar shake alternative roof," says Matthews. "The lifetime limited warranty on the product plus the Class A Fire Rating are 90% of the reason behind the total replacement.  The fact that the polymer shake product is an authentic-looking alternative and that we were ready for the roof replacement sealed the deal.

"The DaVinci synthetic shake roofing actually looks BETTER than real shake tiles. All of my neighbors were very anxious to see the finished roof and they have nothing but positive comments about it. I believe we'll see many more of these DaVinci roofs in our neighborhood in the coming years."

Seastrand Homeowners Association isn't the only HOA selecting lightweight roofing tiles from DaVinci. See Condo Community Chooses Impact- and Fire-Resistant DaVinci Polymer Roofing Tiles, Bellaforté Shake Roofs Chosen by Florida HOA for Townhomes  and HOA Selects Polymer Roofingfor more stories.

 


Mosquitoes, Hobos and Elvis Shakes it Up

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August Monthly Celebrations!"Thank you ... thank you very much." Who is famous for saying those words? If you guessed Elvis Presley, then you easily qualify to celebrate Elvis Week from August 8 through 12. You don't have to be in Memphis to join the fun ... just put on your blue suede shoes and dance the night away!

If you're not an Elvis fan, then maybe you'd like to celebrate National Psychics Week (August 1-5), International Clown Week (August 1-7) or National Hobo Week (August 11-14). This month also marks some fun and special days ... like Spiderman Day on August 1st, National Underwear Day on August 5th, I Love My Feet Day on August 17th and World Mosquito Day on August 20th (go ahead and swat a few!).

As in many households across the country, at DaVinci Roofscapes we're getting ready to cheer on Team USA when the XXXI Summer Olympics start on August 5th. Whether you're rooting for your favorite swimmer or volleyball player, make sure to stay up-to-date on all the activities by following the schedule provided at Rio2016. From equestrian events to water polo to table tennis, this site has it all. Go Team USA! And we offer a hearty "thank you ... thank you very much" to all the competing athletes!

Five Fast Tips From A Roofing Expert

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When you've been in the roofing industry as long as Tim Gentry (30+ years), you pick up a few tips along the way.

Lifetime RoofToday we invite you to learn from Tim's on-the-jobsite experiences ... plus his 15 years working at DaVinci Roofscapes.

Tim's Tip #1: Start with the right nails. DaVinci roofing systems can be installed with copper, stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized nails.

Tim's Tip #2: Install snow guards during a new roof installation instead of retrofitting later. But if your DaVinci roof is already installed, don’t worry. There are snow guards available that are specifically designed to be installed after your roof is on. These are known as retro-fit snow guards and this type of snow guard won’t compromise the integrity, warranty or longevity of your beautiful DaVinci roof.

Tim's Tip #3: Make valley cuts with a circular saw. There's no need for wasteful tile cuts, find the correct angle and cut with a circular saw. Use all the leftovers to finish the hips.

Tim's Tip #4 - Never use red or black chalk lines -- stick with blue. If you're installing DaVinci composite roofing tiles in a staggered application, add snap lines to the underlayment. Then lay the tips of the tiles to those lines rather than marking the roofing tiles themselves.

Tim's Tip #5 - Try using rake tiles on gable ends when installing Bellaforté shake tiles. It makes your life easier and the project looks better. You don't need to be very concerned with how precise your cuts are on the gable end because the rake tile covers up all the cuts!

BONUS! Installing a composite slate roof? Here are some extra tips:Slate Installation – Tips And Tricks

 

 

Synthetic Shake Beats Out Real Shake

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It can be tiring to own real cedar shake roofing. There are cedar roof shingles that need replacing from time to time due to popping or warping, and insect infestations need to be dealt with regularly.

For Dave and Jeannie Schwab, the effort of cleaning and applying shake oil to their massive cedar shake roof every five years or so eventually wore them down. They loved the look of shake on their home, but hated the maintenance aspects.

"Our home was built in 1993 and there's a lot of roofing involved in its design," says Dave Schwab. "Eventually the roof really needed to be replaced. We liked how the natural cedar roofing looked on the house, but when we went shopping for a new roof we wanted a cedar shake alternative."

The Schwabs discovered DaVinci Roofscapes composite shake roofing tiles and were sold.

Fake Cedar Shake

"The authentic appearance of the DaVinci fake cedar shake sold us right away," says Schwab. "Then you add in the Class A Fire Rating, the impact resistance and the lifetime limited warranty and it was easy to make our decision."

The large roof on the Schwab home is broken up visually by seven skylights and the addition of decorative European-designed ridge vents. The DaVinci Multi-Width roof, in the Mountain blend, now covers the home and attached three-car garage.

"Every time I pull up to the house I still get a 'wow' experience," says Schwab. "The color is perfect for our home. It looks so natural, yet we know we'll never again have to spend another hour maintaining this roof. That's the real joy of selecting synthetic shake shingles."

Discover why The Switch is On! ... and how you can Invest in Your Roofwith synthetic shake roofing materials!

Curb Appeal Starts Up on the Roof

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During National Curb Appeal Month in August, national color expert Kate Smith reminds everyone that adding "top down" color to a home exterior can enhance its overall curb appeal.

"True curb appeal of a home happens only when all the exterior elements are viewed as a whole," says Smith, chief color maven at Sensational Color. "When evaluating a home's appearance a person needs to first look at the roof, then let their eyes wander down to the siding, windows, door, porch and then the landscaping.

"The colors should 'flow' down the home exterior cohesively. For example, a slate gray roof works well with siding that's painted either pure white or a light shade of gray. Then accent colors of dark red or deep blue could be used for the shutters and entry door to give the home specific color 'pops' that increase the curb appeal."

 

Just because color starts with the roof doesn't mean it has to be boring. At DaVinci Roofscapes, there are 50 different colors to choose from for the roof. (See 50 Shades of DaVinci)

"We offer bright colors like Medium Terracotta and Light Violet for people looking for stand-out roof colors," says Wendy Bruch, marketing manager for DaVinci Roofscapes. "But we also have more subdued colors like Medium Tan, Dark Weathered Gray and Medium Dark Tahoe. And, Slate Black is still one of our most popular colors."

The company also offers four dozen blends of colors, where two or more roofing colors are mixed and matched together on the roof. Up to six colors come in some of DaVinci's standard blends or homeowners can create their own personal color blend online in our Color Designer tool
 

To Stagger, or Not to Stagger ... That is the Question

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Straight, staggered or custom staggered. What's your preference?

When purchasing DaVinci Roofscapes synthetic slate roofing tiles, it's important to determine before ordering your composite slate shingles exactly what type of coursing you plan to have on a roof. That's because the coursing can affect the amount of product needed along with the overall appearance of the roof.

A quick education can help you know the differences between the coursing options.

Straight Coursing is when a roofer snaps a chalk line on the underlayment and then installs every tile on the line. The first course of slates is laid directly on the starter tiles. The simulated slate roofing tiles should be laid out directly as they come out of the bundle (also known as rack-style, stairstepping or pyramiding) to prevent the same size shingle from being placed on top of another.

Fake Slate

 

Staggered Coursing is when a roofer snaps the chalk line (again on the underlayment and not on the tiles) and then "drops" every other tile down an inch. The alternating placement of the tiles makes them appear staggered.

Slate Alternative

 

Custom (or Double) Coursing can be achieved when a roofer creates their own staggered look. They may start by snapping a chalk line as the beginning location and then drop tiles down every inch (or even two) in a random manner.

Polymer Roof

 

A few key notes about coursing:

  • Bellaforté Slate tiles cannot be staggered; they have to be placed in a straight course. That's because the tiles are self-aligning.
  • Never use red chalk. It may permanently discolor the polymer slate.(SeeUsing The Right Color Chalk Line Makes a Difference)
  • For more installation details, view our installation guides by clicking HERE.

 

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