On the Road with DaVinci’s Eric Salvesen

Last month we profiled the traveling technical lifestyle of Zach Stopyro (visit On the Road with DaVinci's Zach Stopyro) so this month our focus shifts to Eric Salvesen, Central Technical Services Manager with DaVinci Roofscapes.

Just like Zach, Eric spends about half of each month on the road holding polymer roofing training and installation sessions. He focuses almost 75% of his time on Bellaforté because of the growing popularity of the imitation slate and composite shake tiles.

Polymer Roof Tiles"Depending on the job, our Bellaforté Shake installs up to 40% faster than real cedar," says Eric. "And, with Bellaforté we've found that contractors are able to figure their jobs with less of a waste factor than they would using real shake or slate."

What can installers expect from a training session with Eric? "First we cover the full spectrum of DaVinci from our company's history to our product specifics," says Eric. "After that we review installation procedures for our products, with special attention to the Bellaforté line. Then we work on actual installations and focus on how important it is to create a comprehensive, sound roofing system."

Looking for a preview of some of Eric's favorite "tips of the trade" for installing DaVinci luxury roofs? Here you go!          

  • Save cut pieces to use on different areas of the roof. Pay special attention to where you can use cut pieces (as opposed to discarding them) and you can save 3% or more on jobsite waste.

  • For every 100 feet of valley, figure an extra square of lightweight roofing materials.

  • Use an upgraded fastener. Ring shank stainless steel works really great. If you're using screws, they must be non-corrosive 5/16" pancake head type screws. Any fastener must penetrate all the way through the deck at least 3/16".

  • Factor in roughly 2% transition tiles when ordering products.

Want to meet the rest of the team? See DaVinci Roofscapes Tech Team — At Your Service!