All materials
Synthetic Slate & Shake
Polymer composite shake and slate — manufactured to look like the real thing without the weight, fire risk, or maintenance. We're seeing this more in Birmingham as homeowners want a slate or shake look on homes that can't structurally take the real material.
Lifespan50+ yrs
Cost tier$$$$
WeightLight-medium
Best forSlate / shake look without the weight or maintenance, modern historic-style new builds
✓ What's good
The pros.
- Look of slate or shake at ~1/2-1/3 the weight
- Class A fire rating, Class 4 impact (most lines)
- 50+ year warranty typical
- No maintenance — won't crack like real slate, won't rot like wood
- Wider color palette than natural materials
! Honest trade-offs
The cons.
- Higher cost than architectural shingle
- Still niche — fewer installers, longer lead times
- Some HOAs in historic districts won't accept synthetics
Manufacturers for synthetic.
The names we trust on the trailer. Have a preference? Tell us and we'll spec it.
DaVinci Roofscapes
Brava synthetic
F Wave shingle slate
How synthetic
goes on a Birmingham home.
Step-by-step. Most jobs run 1-3 days on the roof depending on size, pitch, and weather.
01
Standard tear-off and deck inspection
02
Ice and water shield + synthetic underlayment
03
Product-specific install per manufacturer rep (we get certified per line)
04
Specialty flashing — composite-compatible details
05
Ridge, hip, and rake details per the system
06
Manufacturer warranty paperwork submitted on your behalf