Composite Shake Roofing Tiles Replace Cedar Shingles

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 Jeanne 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 in Mt. Vernon, Wash., 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 RE-ROOFING PROJECT

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

The house was re-roofed in 2015. “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.”

THE SEQUEL

The Schwabs were inspired to build an outdoor shed by the cover of an old issue of Country Living magazine. “When we saw this potting shed on the magazine cover in 2002, we knew the style matched our home perfectly,” says Dave Schwab. “We purchased the plans from the magazine and constructed it in 2004 to hold our snow blower, bicycles, lawn mower and gardening tools.”

In 2016, the real shake shingles on the shed needed replacing, and the Schwabs knew exactly what they wanted to do.

“It was very exciting to complete this DIY project a decade ago,” Jeanne Schwab says. “We wired it with electricity, and added insulation and pine tongue and groove. For the floor, we put in a black and white checkered vinyl. Now, up on the roof we’ve replaced the shake and added DaVinci simulated shake roofing that matches our home. We even used it on top of the cupola.”

“Now we have two structures on our property with unified looks,” says Dave Schwab. “Having the potting shed completed gives us a great deal of satisfaction … and we’re sure the new DaVinci roof will serve us well for many years to come.”

Roof Materials

Roof System Manufacturer: DaVinci Roofscapes