Synthetic Shake Tops 1895 Historic Home
Visiting Clermont Historic Village Museum takes you back in time to the late 1800s. You’ll find buildings constructed out of their original heart pine wood. But, you’ll also find a state-of-the-art synthetic shake roof on one structure.
Saving History in Florida
The Townsend House was originally built around 1895 in Clermont, Florida. In 2002 their home was moved from its original location on SR 50 to the historical museum site.
“We opened this village in 1998,” says Jim Briggs, president of . “We focus on preserving, maintaining and sharing the history of the pioneering families of South Lake County.
“The Townsend home was the first home moved to our village. We restored it to a presentable condition. However, over the years the roof has become a major problem.”
Synthetic Shake on 125-Year-Old Home
The existing cedar shake roof on the Townsend House started missing shingles and leaking during the past decade. For three years Clermont Historic Village worked with the city to replace the roof.
“The City of Clermont is responsible for the outside maintenance of buildings in our village,” says Briggs. “They researched roofing options and shared their thoughts with us. We all agreed that the synthetic shakes from DaVinci Roofscapes are the best solution. They maintain the original look of the roof, plus we know they’ll have a long lifespan.”
Select Shake composite tiles in an Aged Cedar blend were installed on the Townsend Home by the team at Derelle, Inc. “The product is lightweight and easy to work with,” says Scott Clark with Derelle, Inc. “The final roof looks amazing.”
Clark isn’t the only one impressed with the synthetic shake roof.
“All of our visitors love the look of the roof,” says Briggs. “Many people think they’re the original style wood shakes. We know better. We have the comfort of knowing they’ll endure through hurricane conditions year-after-year. And, we also know this roof is resilient enough to stand for many years after we’re gone.”