DaVinci Slate

Natural Slate

Other Synthetic Slates

Beauty

Authentic Look

Yes

Yes

No – Single width shingles and/or limited color lines look ‘fake’ by comparison.

½" Thickness

Yes

Yes - ½" slates are used for the most expensive installations.

Yes

5 Widths

Yes

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 - Requires sorting and blending at the job site.

Labor

Lightweight

Yes

No

Yes

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 - Requires jobsite sorting & blending of colors.

Factory-collated Widths

Yes - Each bundle is composed of 5 slate shingle widths factory-collated for each installation.

No - Requires jobsite blending of widths

No -Requires job site 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%.

High – Other Synthetics do not have multiple widths creating more cutting and waste at edges and walls.

Performance

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 mpg

Impact Resistance: Class 4

Yes

UL 2218

Yes - for ½" 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-fast

Yes

Yes

Depends on Manufacturer