Historic Texas Home Gets Faux Slate Roof

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – As climatic conditions have changed over the past several years, Texas has become a very dry state. So, when the Telecky family decided to replace the roof on their historic 1914 home in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, they sought out fire-resistant alternative roofing products.

“The home originally had wooden shake shingles, which were covered up over the years with several layers of asphalt shingles,” says homeowner Kathy Telecky. “We wanted to use a historically-accurate product on the roof, but the extreme dry heat we experience, combined with lack of rainfall, makes wood shake roofing impractical and dangerous.”

After doing her research, Telecky discovered that slate is also very appropriate to the historical accuracy of her Prairie School/Arts and Crafts style period home. However, real slate is very heavy and her home wasn’t built to carry that much weight.

“We did what most homeowners do when searching for product options — we turned to the Internet,” says Telecky. “After searching for faux slate shingles, we found that many companies produced these products, but our research showed that most of them warp over time.

“We discovered that only the slate tiles produced by DaVinci Roofscapes are uniquely designed to resist warping, fading, curling and cracking. And, these polymer tiles are fire and impact resistant, so we never have to worry about how our intense Texas heat or hail storms will affect them.”

Up on the Roof?When roofer Blake Gillette began the reroofing project for the Teleckys, he discovered many challenges. First, there was the removal of the multiple layers of heavy roofing products which had been installed over the years. Then, once the existing roof system was removed, his team discovered that the original internal gutter troughs had been covered over with thin plywood years before.

“We had to reframe the gutter areas around the entire perimeter of both the house and the garage to allow for installation of the plank decking before installing the polymer slate tiles,” says Gillette, owner of Christian Brothers Roofing. “We also completely retrofitted all of the metal flashings with new copper and added more copper elements.” ?Once the multi-width Slate Gray DaVinci tiles were installed, the homeowners asked Gillette and his team to “patinize” the new copper to immediately give it an aged, green tone.

“This roofing project really shows how the right man-made products can complement a historic home design,” says Gillette. “The Slate Gray color chosen for the roof complements the strong Arts and Crafts lines of the home while subtly allowing the architectural details of the house remain the focal point.”

For the Teleckys, the finished project takes them back in time. “This new roof, with the patina green on the copper, complements the original historic look of the home and helps us more appropriately ‘fit’ in our historic neighborhood,” says Telecky. “The roofing tiles never look like plastic. Right from the start they looked very natural with their understated slate gray color.

“While we decided not to use a blend of different colors, we’re delighted to see that there is still a subtle and natural looking variation of color from one roof tile to another. This so accurately resembles real slate that we’re completely delighted with its beauty. Now we’re the envy of the neighborhood and our roof is ready for any weather we face in Texas!”? Backed by a 50-year limited warranty, the DaVinci roofing tiles installed on the Telecky home resist insects, fungus, algae and mold. DaVinci leads the industry in tile thickness, tile width variety and the greatest selection of subtle earth-toned colors.

DaVinci Roofscapes has manufactured award-winning synthetic slate and shake roofing since 1999. The polymer roofing tiles are virtually maintenance free and far more cost effective than the natural product. Company products are 100 percent recyclable. DaVinci proudly makes its products in America and is a member of the National Association of Home Builders, the Cool Roof Rating Council and the U.S. Green Building Council. For additional information call 1-800-328-4624 or visit our website.