When it comes to roofing materials, you’ve got plenty of options. DaVinci composite roofing tiles blend state-of-the-art materials with an artist’s touch. You won’t find a better looking or better performing roof at any price.
Comparison
A roof doesn’t get any better than DaVinci.
OVERVIEW
Strength
Average
Weakness
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Asphalt | Natural Slate | Natural Shake | |
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| Fire Resistant | |
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| Freeze/Thaw Resistant | |
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| Maintenance-Free | |
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| Color-Fade Resistant | |
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| Lightweight | |
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Building Code & Testing Approvals: ICC-ES ESR-2119; Miami-Dade County, FL; CA Title 24; Texas Dept. of Insurance; CCMS; WUI; LEED contribution; Class A Fire; and Class 4 Impact
DaVinci Slate
In a side‐by‐side comparison with natural and other synthetic slate, you’ll quickly see that DaVinci Roofscapes is the best long‐term choice for your home.
BEAUTY
| Comparison Value | DaVinci Slate Products | Natural Slate | Other Synthetic Slates |
| Authentic Look | Yes | Yes | No – Single-width shingles and/or limited colorlines look fake by comparison |
| 1/2″ Thickness | Yes | Yes – 1/2″ slates are used for the most expensive installations | Not typical |
| 5 Widths | Single-Width Slate: No Multi-Width Slate: Yes Bellaforté: No |
Yes (sometimes more) | No – 1 is typical; 3 at most |
| Pre-mixed Color Blends |
Yes – Each blend is composed with assured proportions in each bundle | No – Requires sorting and blending at the jobsite | No – Most other synthetics require sorting and blending at the job site |
LABOR
| Comparison Value | DaVinci Slate Products | Natural Slate | Other Synthetic Slates |
| Lightweight | Yes | No | Yes – for polymeric materials No – for fibrous cement materials |
| Pre-sorted, factory-collated Color Blends |
Yes – Each bundle is composed of authentic slate colors arranged in an authentic slate blend | No – Requires jobsite sorting & blending of colors | No – Most other synthetics require jobsite sorting & blending of colors |
| Pre-sorted, factory-collated Widths |
Yes – Each multi-width bundle is composed of 5 slate shingle widths factory-collated for each installation | No – Requires jobsite blending of widths | No – Most other synthetics require sorting and blending at the job site |
| Estimated Waste in Installation |
Low – Only in Valleys | High – Slate with hairline cracks or those broken during installation must be discarded as much as 15% | High – Most other synthetics do not have multiple widths creating more cutting and waste at edges and walls |
PERFORMANCE
| Comparison Value | DaVinci Slate Products | Natural Slate | Other Synthetic Slates |
| Fire Retardance: Class A |
Yes – With standard underlayments ASTM E 108 |
Yes – With standard underlayments | Yes – But only with specialty underlayments |
| Wind Resistance: 110 mph |
Yes – ASTM D 3161 | Yes | 70 – 110 mph |
| Impact Resistance: Class 4 |
Yes UL – 2218 | Yes – for 1/2″ thick slates No – for 3/16″ slates |
Yes |
| Freeze/Thaw Resistant | Yes | Mostly – May spall in Alpine regions | Yes – for polymeric materials No – for fibrous cement materials |
| Maintenance Free | Yes | No – Requires inspection and repair throughout its life cycle | Yes |
| Color Fade Resistant | Yes | Yes | Depends on Manufacturer |
DaVinci Shake
Looking for beauty, durability and longevity from a shake roof? Compare DaVinci Shake with natural and other synthetic shake products and you’ll find that our composite shake is the best choice for your home.
BEAUTY
| Comparison Value | DaVinci Shake Products | Natural Shake | Other Synthetic Shake |
| Authentic Look | Yes | Yes | No – Single-width shingles and/or limited colorlines look fake by comparison |
| 1/2″ Thickness Standards | Single-Width: 5/8″ Multi-Width: 5/8″ Fancy Shake: 7/16″ |
Yes – Most natural shakes are 1/2″ thick at least | 5/18″ |
| Multiple Widths | Single-Width: 1 Width Multi-Width: 5 Widths Fancy Shake: 3 Widths |
Yes (by nature) | No – To date, other synthetics have only one color per “blend” |
| Pre-mixed Color Blends |
Yes – Each blend is composed with subtle nuances of the central color tone to enhance authenticity | No – Requires sorting and blending at the jobsite | No – Requires sorting and blending at the job site |
LABOR
| Comparison Value | DaVinci Shake Products | Natural Shake | Other Synthetic Shake |
| Pre-sorted, factory-collated Color Blends |
Yes – Each bundle is composed of authentic shake colors | Yes (by nature) | No – Only one color per “blend” |
| Pre-sorted, factory-collated Widths |
Yes – Each multi-width hand-split shake bundle is composed of multiple widths | Yes – Although percentage of each width is unpredictable | No – Requires job site sorting & blending of widths |
| Estimated Waste in Installation | Low – Only in Valleys | High – Shakes that are too narrow or shakes that break during installation must be discarded | High – Other Synthetics do not have multiple widths creating more cutting and waste at edges and walls |
PERFORMANCE
| Comparison Value | DaVinci Shake Products | Natural Shake | Other Synthetic Shake |
| Fire Retardance: Class A |
Yes – With specialty underlayments ASTM E 108 / UL 790 |
No | Yes – With specialty underlayments |
| Wind Resistance: 110 mph |
Yes – ASTM D 3161 | Yes | 70 – 110 mph |
| Impact Resistance: Class 4 |
Yes UL – 2218 | Yes – Class 4 possible Performance may deteriorate rapidly over time due to shake drying out and becoming brittle |
Yes |
| Freeze/Thaw Resistant | Yes | No | Yes |
| Maintenance Free | Yes | No – Requires the replacement of individual shingles throughout its life cycle | Yes |
| Color Fade Resistant | Yes | No – Fades rapidly to gray within one year | Depends on Manufacturer |
Bellaforté Slate
Natural slate or Bellaforté Slate … you compare. We believe you’ll find that our polymer Bellaforté Slate products have the clear advantage for long‐lasting beauty on your roof.
BEAUTY
| Comparison Value | Bellaforté Slate | Natural Slate |
| Authentic Look | Yes | Yes |
| 1/2″ Thickness | Yes | Yes – 1/2″ slates are used for the most expensive installations |
| Pre-mixed Color Blends |
Yes – Each blend utilizes our VariBlend technology to create a continuous variation from tile to tile which results in a beautiful natural blend | No – Requires sorting and blending at the jobsite |
LABOR
| Comparison Value | Bellaforté Slate | Natural Slate |
| Lightweight | Yes | No |
| Pre-sorted, factory-collated Color Blends |
Yes – Natural variation is created using DaVinci’s VariBlend technology. | No – Requires jobsite sorting & blending of colors |
| Estimated Waste in Installation |
Low – Only in Valleys | High – Slate with hairline cracks or those broken during installation must be discarded as much as 15% |
PERFORMANCE
| Comparison Value | Bellaforté Slate | Natural Slate |
| Fire Retardance: Class A |
Yes – With standard underlayments ASTM E 108 |
Yes – With standard underlayments |
| Wind Resistance: 110 mph |
Yes – ASTM D 3161 | Yes |
| Impact Resistance: Class 4 |
Yes UL – 2218 | Yes – for 1/2″ thick slates No – for 3/16″ slates |
| Freeze/Thaw Resistant | Yes | Mostly – May spall in Alpine regions |
| Maintenance Free | Yes | No – Requires inspection and repair throughout its life cycle |
| Color Fade Resistant | Yes | Yes |
Bellaforté Shake
You be the judge. Compare our fire‐, wind‐ and insect‐resistant Bellaforté Shake polymer roofing tiles to natural cedar shake products. We’re confident you’ll quickly embrace the advantages of our synthetic shake products.
BEAUTY
| Comparison Value | Bellaforté Shake | Natural Shake |
| Authentic Look | Yes | Yes |
| Thickness | 1″ average thickness | 1/2″ at comparable price |
| Color Options | Yes – DaVinci offers multiple color blend options to capture your favorite stage in the lifecycle of cedar shakes. Natural variation is created using DaVinci’s VariBlend technology. *Custom blends are also available | No |
PERFORMANCE
| Comparison Value | Bellaforté Shake | Natural Shake |
| Fire Retardance: Class A |
Yes – With specialty underlayments ASTM E 108 / UL 790 |
No |
| Wind Resistance: 110 mph |
Yes – ASTM D 3161 | Yes |
| Impact Resistance: Class 4 |
Yes UL – 2218 | Yes – Class 4 possible Performance may deteriorate rapidly over time due to shake drying out and becoming brittle |
| Freeze/Thaw Resistant | Yes | No |
| Maintenance Free | Yes | No – Requires the replacement of individual shingles throughout its life cycle |
| Color Fade Resistant | Yes | No – Fades rapidly to gray within one year |