Low-maintenance Synthetic Shake Roof Chosen for Colorado Home

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

After his old cedar shakes weren't holding up anymore, this Colorado homeowner decided to have a synthetic shake roof installed on his mountain home.

Frank Taylor recently decided it was time to retire. Not himself, but his old cedar shake roof. 

Taylor, who divides his time between Snowmass Village, Colorado and Minneapolis, Minnesota, wanted fewer maintenance headaches with his roof. That’s why, after almost 35 years of brutal winter conditions, he retired his old shake roof. In its place he now has a new high-performing synthetic shake roof from DaVinci. 

Located just nine miles from Aspen, Taylor’s Snowmass Village home is surrounded by 4,000 skiable acres of land. Every year the snows seem to get worse. As a result, his old cedar shakes take a beating. 

“Old age made my original shingles obsolete,” says Taylor. “The roof was in danger of leaking. They looked bad. It really was past time for us to take some action.” 

Invest in a great contractor 

Taylor and his wife started a few years back by doing research on their roofing options. They looked at various products and consulted with roofers. 

“We interviewed four contractors,” says Taylor. “Each was meritorious. However, Storm King, a DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor, was very responsive. They met the budget and the timelines. Perhaps most importantly, they continue to provide excellent service. 

“Our goal was to find a contractor that would provide ongoing service, such as snow removal and gutter clean outs, along with periodic spot checks. We’re well pleased with Storm King and their services.” 

Selecting a low maintenance roof 

While they were choosing a contractor, the Taylors were also making another important decision: what product to put on their roof. They decided that DaVinci Select Shake, in an Aged Cedar color blend, was their top choice. 

“The aesthetics of the Select Shake made it the winner,” says Taylor. “The composite shake replicates the previous cedar ‘look’ on our home the best. It has a very natural appearance that we appreciate. The color melds well with both the home and the environment. Although it’s a synthetic material, it appears quite natural and has greatly improved the home’s overall appearance. It’s also fire resistant.” 

The Taylors picked up on what many homeowners have already seen… that high-performing synthetic Select Shakes are the most realistic looking composite shake tiles imaginable. They authentically capture the natural look of real cedar.  

Taken from natural wood profiles, a mold recreates 5/8-inch-thick traditional shake profiles with 8- and 10-inch widths. 10-inch pieces have a simulated keyway, giving the look of 4- and 6-inch shakes to create a multi-width appearance. The Select Shake profiles are available in eight natural colors. 

Get the right roof and the best warranty 

The Taylors felt very strongly that the warranty would give them peace-of-mind on the DaVinci product. As with all DaVinci products, the high-performing Select Shake tiles have a Lifetime Limited Material Warranty.  

In addition, the roof surface of the DaVinci product is “walkable.” 

“We were concerned that another product we saw would be dangerous because it was so ‘slick,’” says Taylor. “Even though we have snow guards on the roof, we know that the Storm King team will need to be up on the roof every so often cleaning the snow off the roof. We want the roof to be as safe as possible, and the DaVinci roof fits that need. 

“Overall we are very pleased with both the new DaVinci roof and the Storm King team. We’d highly recommend both to our friends and neighbors. This has been such a positive experience. And in the end we get a safer, better looking roof that adds value to our home.” 

Interested in a new synthetic roof? Here are some helpful additional stories: 

• How to Find a Roofer 
• Realistic-Looking Composite Shake Roofs Ease Homeowner Worries 
• Q&A: A Guide to Snow Guards