History in the (Re)making: Composite Slate Underscores This Historical District’s Features

By DaVinci Roofscapes 

Accuracy is king when it comes to installing a roof in the original style of a historic neighborhood. 

When it came time to install a new roof on the condo building adjacent to the historical Lafayette Park in St. Louis, Brett Tesson knew he needed to find a roof material that would accent the style of the neighborhood and would be a long-lasting repair. Balancing the façade of the historical district and modernizing the materials on a project is always a challenge for historic renovations. Luckily, Brent knew exactly what tile could provide beauty and durability: DaVinci Composite Slate tiles. 

“When we were asked to recommend a product that would complement the historical setting of the Northwest Lafayette Square II structure, we immediately suggested composite slate from DaVinci Roofscapes,” says Tesson Roofing and Exteriors, LLC owner Brett Tesson. “We’ve installed roofs in this area for the past decade, so we knew how important it was to install a product that would flow in with the setting.” 

Finding a roofing solution 

For the mansard roofing application surrounding the entire structure, Tesson and his team installed DaVinci Single-Width Slate tiles in the European blend of three shades of gray and a dark purple. 

“I think our clients see the value in the long-term life expectancy of this product, plus the pure beauty you get with a DaVinci composite slate roof,” says Tesson. 

Perfect historical restoration 

To start the project, the team at Tesson Roofing removed aged and decaying asphalt shingles from the three-story mansard roof. They then installed the DaVinci composite slate product. In addition, they replaced all the crown moulding on the outside of the building with new PVC crown moulding. Finally, they wrapped all the windows in aluminum. The flat roof on top of the structure was finished with TPO. 

The historical building houses a variety of residents and sits near 30-acre Lafayette Park. Set aside from the St. Louis Common in 1836 (and dedicated in 1851 as one of the first public parks), it is considered by many historians to be the oldest urban park west of the Mississippi River. 

From prestigious college structures to courthouses to churches and lighthouses, DaVinci composite slate and shake roofing tiles are used throughout the country on a wide variety of historical projects. 

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Original article source: DaVinci Roofscapes