Custom color blends make up a good chunck of our sales every year, and at DaVinci we try to make going that route as easy as possible - starting in the DaVinci Color Studio. This colorful (and dizzingly steep) project, installed by Advanced Exteriors out of Denver, is a blend of Dark Gray, Light Brown, Dark Purple, Green Stone, Dark Stone and Light Violet.
DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program Member
Advanced Exteriors
303-756-7663
www.advancedexteriors.biz
Finding the right roofing material and type can be a challenge when you have many options to choose from.
Are you looking for a new roof? Slate? Shake? Sustainable roofing?
You're in luck - our website is carefully organized to make it easy to locate the information that is most important to you. With the technical specifications menu you are able to see the characteristics of each of our products and better assess how their respective performance can meet your needs. We also have the DaVinci Color Studio on our website that allows you to see just how your slate or shake colors will look and discuss the many options with your contractor of choice. If you don’t have a contractor, we can help. Simply complete the online form and we do the rest.
DaVinci also has a YouTube channel where you can get more information about the types of lightweight roofing systems we manufacture. The videos also show the certification testing that our products undergo to give you the highest quality and safest options on the market.
You can also learn more about the best color to choose for your roofing project by watching the YouTube videos or reading the information on our website that our color specialist Kate has complied to share with you. Read the many customer reviews of the people that are proud to have been DaVinci’s clients and you will see that our roofing materials are made with the highest standards.
Need further help still? We can help - just give us a call. 1-800-328-4624
Need opinion on color. I prefer slate, but may have to get shake as I ultimately have to get product and color approved by HOA.
The approved products for the neighborhood are cedar shake, stone coated metal, dimensional asphalt and concrete tile.
Stephen Holmes
Centennial, CO
Product: Slate preferred and then Shake
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Dear Mr. Holmes,
Here are my recommendations for both slate and shake products for your home. It looks like your trim and colorcast of your bricks are warm tan/brown and I would carry that color onto the roof.
If you are going to convince your HOA to allow slate rather than shake I think your best bet will be to go with a slate that is similar in color to your current roof. From the photo the Bellaforté Cambridge blend or Multi-Width Brownstone blend look like the closest blends. The Bellaforté profile is more uniform than the Multi-Width so again the Multi-Width could have a look that is more similar to your current shakes although either would work well on your home.
If you go with shake I like the color of the Tahoe blend with your brick. It will be slightly darker and richer in color than your current roof.
Good luck with the HOA.
Sincerely,
Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert
If you are familiar with our lightweight roofing materials, then you probably know that we recommend a clean, smooth flat surface to start with for installation of our products.
As well, if you are familiar with roofing products, then you know that asphalt shingles, for example, can be laid on top of more asphalt shingles. In fact, this practice is so common that sometimes you can have multiple layers of asphalt shingles on a roof, occasionally more than are permitted.
While we recommend that our Bellaforté Tiles are installed on a smooth flat surface like our other shingles, in some circumstances, overlaying our Bellaforté tiles over one layer of Class A fiberglass asphalt shingles is an acceptable alternative.
In order for this type of application to be acceptable, we have specific recommendations in our Bellaforté Installation Guide for:
How does the ability to lay Bellaforté lightweight roofing tiles over a layer of existing asphalt shingles help you? Well, it means that you don't have to pay for the removal labor or haul away of that layer of shingles, which means that it saves you money.
To learn more about the installation of our Bellaforté tiles, please feel free to reference our Bellaforté Installation Guide.
What installation questions do you have about our products?
Over the years, we have found that the people that work with our products on a daily basis - the roofers - certainly have a lot to say about them. Here is a run down of recent contractor interviews and brief summaries of what some of these roofers had to say about DaVinci products:
Are you a roofer? What do you like about our products? Please share your comments below!
If you want to choose colors like a professional the first thing you must acknowledge is that your home is as unique as you are. Even if it is similar to other homes nearby it is not exactly identical. It is in a different location. There are differences in materials. And most importantly a different family lives inside.
When you chose your color scheme it needs to fit the distinctive qualities of both you and your home. But how can you choose your colors knowing you’ve made the right choice? In helping thousands of people make confident color choices, I have found that understanding the color decision making process is even more important than having an eye for color when it comes to your home's exterior.
Once you understand the process, you’ll discover that your home can point you in the right color direction. In my ebook, The {FRESH} Guide To Exterior Color, you will learn the 5-step method I use for choosing exterior colors.
Then I take you a step further in my ebook, {FRESH} Schemes For Your Home Exterior. You learn how to apply the {FRESH} thinking process to different styles of homes including yours. Beginning with the established colors, you will see examples of how I used my FRESH approach to select colors for seven different homes. As you look at each example you will see how different homes call for different colors and how easy it can be to find inspiration without ever leaving home.
For each style you’ll first see three different color schemes that includes the roof, siding, windows, door and trim. Then I’ll walk you through my thought process for choosing a scheme for a home of that style. You can find tips for how to handle the different materials and exterior details often found on that particular style.
Don’t worry if your home doesn’t fall into one of these particular styles. The benefit of getting to peak inside my mind through the explanations and illustrations is that you can clearly see how you can apply the same thought process confident that your choices are the right ones for your home.
Are you familiar with the show, MyFixitUpLife? The host, Mark Clement, likes to look at different building products and evaluate them.
Recently, Mark took a look at our polymer roofing tiles - well, taking a look was more like taking a hammer to it. He also took a hammer to:
He then proceeded to take "Sluggo" to each roofing tile - "Sluggo", of course, is his sledge hammer.
The impact of Mark's hammer is very similar to the impact that a large hail stone would make when it hits your roof at a certain speed.
If you live in an area that is prone to hail, then it appears from Mark's experiment that DaVinci Roofscapes lightweight tiles might be just what your roof asks for to protect your family, your business and your belongings.
The video of Mark's testing is posted below - check it out!
Do you have a DaVinci roof? Do you live in a hail prone area and that's why you chose DaVinci? How has your roof stood up in the storms since you have had with your new roof? We want to hear your story - please feel free to leave a comment below with details.
In our new course, The FRESH Approach to Choosing Exterior Colors, Color Expert Kate Smith explains how the color scheme of a home must match the architecture of a home. What is the style of the residential project you are working on? Cape Code? Tudor? Georgian? In the course Kate outlines what colors are traditionally seen on the trim, windows, doors, siding and roofs of several popular styles of homes, but also recommends finding hues within the color families of the traditional colors that fit with today's taste.
Sound interesting and need a credit? Click here to download our free continuing education course from AEC Daily.
Interested in seeing more course previews? Click here for week one's preview and here for week two's.
Interested in learning more about synthetic slate and shake roofing material while earning a CEU? Click here to take our other course, The Design Advantages of Synthetic Roofing Solutions, also free and available 24/7 online.
One of the fun things about DaVinci products is the possibilities with colors. Yes, all of our products are offered in 49 standard colors and several different color blends, but that's not all!
Did you know that you can order one of our standard slate color blends and have it delivered to your roofing project in our shake profile? Yep, that's right, if you like Slate Gray blend, but would like it in our Shake polymer roofing tiles instead - we can do it!
The same goes the other way too! If you like our Mountain Blend in our standard Shake color blends, but want to use our fake slate tiles instead - we can certainly run your order in the slate profile with the Mountain Blend colors rather than a standard slate blend (pictured below).
Of course, you are also welcome to come up with a custom color blend from the colors we have in stock or even create your own custom color. You can have a lot of creative fun with our color blend tool.
Do you have a DaVinci roof? Did you go with a standard color blend matching the standard profile of that blend? Or did you switch it up? We want to hear about it and see it - please feel free to submit your DaVinci story.
I like the look of the Bellaforté Cambridge look that I saw on a house similar to mine. Please give insight for my home in Omaha, Nebraska. Thank you
Michael Walsh
Omaha, NE
Product: Bellaforté
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Hello Mr. Walsh,
I think the Bellaforté Cambridge would be an excellent choice for your home and a nice replacement for your shake. The slate profile will give a more elegant look and the variation and mid-tone of the roof color blend will keep the eye moving upward accentuating the grandness of your home.
You could also choose any of the medium warm brown tones and blend several close colors. Just stay more medium tones than dark.
I hope that helps you decide on your new roof.
Sincerely,
Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert
Are you familiar with fire codes and how they work with roofs? Depending on where you live in the world, you may have more stringent fire codes than in other parts of the world. For example, in the United States, if you live in the Midwest where the rainfall is usually plentiful, the fire codes may not be as strict as they would be in New Mexico, for example, where wildfires can cause havoc on a number of properties.
Roofing tiles can earn one of three main ratings that range from "A" to "C". When a roofing product has a Class A fire rating, it has attained the best fire rating that is available. It also means that the material in question meets the following criteria:
A Class C fire rating on a roofing material, means the tests on the assemblies are done with 1 1/2" brands instead of 12" x 12" brands and the tests are run for shorter periods of time.
DaVinci Roofscapes tiles are Class A fire rated with the proper underlayments. The video below shows a burning brand test on our roof tiles.
What questions about testing certifications do you have about our polymer roof tiles?
In short, the answer to this question is, "Yes!"
Do you have a natural shake roof? If so, you may have had to treat your shingles with chemicals to keep the pests out as they are attracted to natural materials. In fact, some areas of the United States have such bad insect and pest infestations in roofs that they have to have chemicals sprayed on their roofs once or twice a year to keep the bugs out - NO THANKS!
However, man-made polymer like DaVinci tiles are not susceptible to many things including, insects, termites, rot, mold, mildew and freeze-thaw damage. With DaVinci polymer roof tiles you will have a worry-free and virtually maintenance free roof - no need to worry about wood rot or mold or mildew or any of those nasty pests lingering above your head on your roof!
Do you have a DaVinci roof? Did you choose to go with a synthetic roofing material because you wanted to avoid dealing with pests and insects with your new roof? Please tell us more about it in the comments below!
Villa Maria Guadalupe Retreat in Stamford, Ct. serves as home to educational seminars, retreats and programs. The restful setting features a Mediterranean-style complex and gardens. And now, thanks to the expert roofers at Classic Restorations Inc., the structure has a new polymer Multi-Width Slate roof from DaVinci Roofscapes overhead.
Constructed as a series of interconnecting buildings and gardens, the white stucco structure is accented with red-hued corner tile pieces and brick. The new DaVinci polymer roof color was selected to carry the orange-red color of the tiles and brick across the entire expanse of the retreat.
“We had the DaVinci team create a custom color that involved 33 percent each of dark and medium terracotta with light clay colors to capture just the right blend to complement the Villa Maria Guadalupe Retreat,” says Victoria Jackson, president of Classic Restorations in Stamford, Ct. “We recommended the DaVinci slate synthetic tiles based on our past successful work with this company. We believe DaVinci is the best synthetic slate product in the marketplace and we’ve installed the roofing tiles on several homes in our area.”
The center was created by the Knights of Columbus and is operated by the Sisters of Life.
Classic Restoration, founded in 1980, is a women-owned and operated business in the Stamford area. Dedicated to high-quality craftsmanship, the construction and development firm specializes in restoration/renovation and new construction projects with high attention to European craftsmanship. For more details call 203-327-0461.
For more information on choosing roofing colors for commercial and residential projects visitColor My Roof - Part II
After a severe hail storm damaged all 35 roofs in the Catawba Shores community in Port Clinton, Ohio, residents banded together to find a replacement roofing product that could hold up to severe weather. Thanks to their selection of Bellaforté Shake polymer roofing tiles, carefree living has returned to Catawba Shores.
“Our community was constructed in 1985 on the shores of Lake Erie, so we expected to get more ‘life’ out of our natural shake roofs that we did,” says Jim Packard, president of the Catawba Shores Homeowners Association. “The hail damage caught us by surprise. But we quickly learned that real wood shakes just don’t hold up against Mother Nature.”
After researching the community’s options and meeting with a contractor from Industrial Tech Construction and a representative a DaVinci Roofscapes, the Catawba Shores community committed to the man-made Bellaforté Shake roofing tiles.
“We’re all extremely pleased with the authentic appearance of these synthetic shake tiles and how they’ve given a fresh, new look to our condos,” says Packard. “More importantly, we feel we made the right selection with DaVinci since these roofing tiles are impact-, hail-, insect-, algae- and fire-resistant. We estimate that we’re saving more than $10,000 per year on the ongoing maintenance costs from our old roof, and we’ve got the peace-of-mind that these roofs will help protect our units from fire and hail.”
The 12-inch Bellaforté Shake tiles feature multiple profiles that enable roofing contractors to create a staggered appearance that simulates a natural rough hewn wood shake roof. The tiles feature slanted sawn edges and staggered lengths. Snap-fit tabs are molded into each tile for easy installation and self alignment. The roofing tiles come in 49 colors and a selection of five color blends, including Abruzzo, Tuscano, Verona, Harbor Gray and Espresso, which was the color selected and installed on the Catawba Shores condo units.
For more details on Bellaforté products visit Bellaforté Lightweight Roofing Systems: Affordable Elegance.
There's no question that cedar shake makes a beautiful roof. It can, however, have it's shortcomings. Wood deteriorates due to normal freeze and thaw weather cycles, thus leaving the homeowner with brittle and cracked tiles as well as leaves the shakes looking less than brilliant. Many are Class A Fire Rated when treated, but the treatment wears off and has to be redone every few years, not to mention one hail storm can take the whole thing out.
Architects and designers have embraced polymer made materials, like Bellaforté Shake, because with a polymer roof tile your clients won't have the problems listed above. Our products are Class A Fire Rated, Class 4 Impact Rated and the shakes don't split, crack, or lose their brilliance over time. Yesterday a great example of some before and after pictures came in to me (Featured Project to come!) from a contractor in Colorado. This picture beautifully demonstrates how a cedar roof replaced with Bellaforté Shake freshens up the look of the home's exterior and won't need to replaced for 50 years.
Happy Friday, Architects!
Don't forget to enter the Great This Old House Giveaway! Contest closes August 31st.
There are a number of prizes available - including some shingles from DaVinci Roofscapes!
Here is a run down of the the DaVinci prize package:
Entry into the giveaway is free - so why not give your luck a shot and see if you'll win?
We're excited to hear the winner's choices of colors and products and will look forward to sharing the results with you here on our blog.
At DaVinci, we are known for the colors of our designer roof products. We are also known for our customer service when it comes to creating YOUR custom colors. Let me clarify.
If you are familiar with our products, then you know that we have a large variety of color blends that come from our 49 standard colors that we regularly stock for all our of profiles - including our shake and slate tiles.
From our stock colors, many folks enjoy creating their own custom blends using our online color tool. So in other words, if you are checking out our manufactured slate color blends and like the tan color in the Aberdeen blend and then you like one of the colors that is in the Autumn blend in our Shake line, then you could request a custom blend of those two colors.
And let's say that you have a creative streak and want to design your own roof color in HOT PINK roof. Hot pink is not a color we stock; therefore that is a custom color. Of course, if you want 3 shades of hot pink for your roof, then that would be a custom color custom blend.
A custom color is going to cost a bit more than a standard color or blend because we have to special order the color you're looking for - match it, and approve the color before we produce the tiles. Rest assured that our Project Specialists will walk you through the entire process start to finish, and beyond.
Still have questions, click here for our most frequently asked questions. Still have questions? Feel free to contact us via email or call 1-800-328-4624.
We are replacing our cedar roof with Bellaforté Shake. The house is currently red brick with dark brown garage & front doors. The trim and gutters are light gray.
We will probably need to repaint the exterior in the next few years & would like to go with a warmer beige or tan color.
All of the surrounding homes have cedar roofs. We don't want our roof to stand out too much among them. Which color of Bellaforté Shake would you recommend?
T. Smith
Product: Bellaforté Shake
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Dear M/M Smith,
You are on the right track with the Bellaforté Shake. I think it is a good choice for the style of your home.
I am recommending that you use the Verona blend or a similar warm based color for your shakes. Verona has warm tones that will work well with your current colors. Plus while your brick is red it is a softer warm red that will work nicely with a roof that has similar qualities. By choosing a roof that works well with your brick it will work with whatever colors you you might chose in the future.
Looking ahead I would use the warm tones in your brick and new work inspire your main and trim colors . If you want to say neutral I would consider going away from a cool gray and moving towards a warm gray or greige. Then choose a much deeper shade of basically the same color. You don't want to go too dark but just slightly darker than you have now would be nice. By staying tonal the home will have a cohesive look that can add to its grandeur.
I hope that helps you to make a confident decision.
Sincerely,
Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert
I've had several requests to give recommendations for retrofitting snowguards on DaVinci Roofscapes steep slope roofing products. The first recommendation is to install them when the roof is being installed. It is much easier that way. If the DaVinci lightweight tiles have already been installed however, and you find that snowguards are needed, there is a simple solution to the problem. 
According to Lars Walberg president of Rocky Mountain Snowguards, "For a retrofit application you need to apply sealant to the top of the DaVinci shingle where the snowguard will be placed. The snowguard is placed in the recommended pattern such that 2" of strap is showing between the face of the snowguard and the butt end of the shingle above. Then (2) 2.5" self tapping fasteners with gaskets are driven through the snowguard strap approximately 1/2" below the butt end of the shingle above, through the shingle and substrate until tight."
Walberg goes on to say that, "The appropriate snowguard to use in this application is the ST9 by SnowTrapper available in copper or dark bronze coated aluminum".
There are certainly other snowguards by other manufacturers that would also work well with our synthetic slate and simulated shake roofing. We don't recommend or endorse products that we don't manufacture but we do support his installation method.
To get answers to any other questions that you may have, get in touch with us.
A roof protects us from rain, wind, snow, falling branches and many other things. When a roof is damaged, we (and the building) lose this protection and become more vulnerable to external forces. Depending on the extent of the damage, spot repairs might not be an option leaving you one option - install a new roof. But with so many products on the market to choose from, how do you know which product to buy? If you are looking for a product that is durable, beautiful and virtually maintenance free, you might consider checking out DaVinci roofing tiles.
DaVinci offers lightweight roofing systems that effectively imitate the look of natural wood shakes and natural slate without the excess maintenance and limitations attached. Our products work all year round surviving numerous freeze-thaw cycles and are resistant to impact, fire, rotting, curling and fading. With a 50-year warranty you will enjoy peace of mind knowing that your roof won’t need to be replaced in just a few years. Made from a patented polymer formula, our products are state-of-the-art composite roofing that are easy to install and beautiful to view.
DaVinci’s products are also eco-friendly, evident in the fact that they are 100% recyclable and come in cool colors. There are many color options to choose from, so you can easily find the best color to match your home's exterior.
Interested in learning more about DaVinci products, please contact us via email or call 1-800-328-4624.
Interview with Roofing Contractor Bill Powers of Titan Construction to Discuss Lightweight Roofing Systems
