You might not think it matters, but the appearance of a garage roof makes an impact on your neighborhood. Unlike my two-story house’s roof, which goes unnoticed because it’s so high, the low garage roof is in my face as I enter my backyard and in neighbors’ sight as they drive by or walk their dogs.

So when it came time to choose roofing for my garage, I wanted something attractive and distinctive. The DaVinci Shake roof I installed makes the garage stand out from all others on the block, and it matches the classy tone of my back yard full of flowers, gardens, sculptures and a stunning water feature.

Aesthetics aren’t the only reason I chose this product. In addition to looking good, the roofing:
   •  has a 50-year warranty
   •  is embedded with UV stabilizers and resists curling, cracking, fading, mold, algae, fungus and insects (under normal conditions)
   •  resists water absorption, which eliminates freeze/thaw problems and allows for installation in all weather conditions
   •  is easy to install with no special tools or training.

Installation
Safety is paramount in any roofing installation. Set up scaffolds, use harnesses and roof jacks and wear eye, ear and sun protection.

In general, the shakes are 5/8 in. thick, but they’re not as heavy as they appear because they aren’t solid. They do have a ribbed support system on the back, so you’ll need to hide the ribs on the underside with standard metal flashing if you cut the shakes for valleys or at overhangs such as eaves and gable ends (photo 1).

Installation moves along nicely because each bundle of 25 shakes includes a collated assortment of widths (9, 8, 7, 6 and 4 in.) and colors needed for each color blend. DaVinci recommends that shakes be applied as they come out of the bundles if possible. Just pull out the shingles and nail them down — you don’t need to pick and choose to achieve the right aesthetic. The only hand sorting comes at the end of rows, where you have to fit the right mix of widths into a certain space without cutting shingles.

To get a complete overview of the process, you can check out the company’s installation video. Here are the basic steps:

Step 1: Clear the deck
The shakes must be installed on a smooth, flat surface, which was not a problem as this was new construction using 3/4-in. oriented-strand board. If you tear off an old roof, be sure to remove all of it; imperfections in the decking may affect the finished roof.

Step 2: Install drip edge
Metal flashing is required on gable ends and eaves. An overhanging drip edge (Style D or F) is recommended on gable ends to help mask the rib structure on the underside (photo 2). An overhanging drip edge (Style A or B) may also be used on eaves.

Step 3: Apply ice-and-water shield
DaVinci requires this membrane in areas where the average daily temperature in January is 25 degrees Fahrenheit or lower or where ice buildup is possible. Install the membrane from the bottom edge to 2 ft. above the exterior wall line on all eaves, in valleys, on gable ends and around roof projections. Ice-and-water shield is required in all valleys, regardless of average daily temperatures or the possibility of ice buildup.

Step 4: Cover the deck with underlayment and interlayment
In areas where ice-and-water shield is not installed, the roof deck must be covered with 30-pound nonperforated asphalt-saturated felt (photo 3). An interlayment must also be used. Installation methods vary according to the roof, so follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Step 5: Install starter shingles
Position starter shingles so that they extend 1 in. past the drip edge. If you’re using Style D or F drip edge, the starter shingle can overhang less if it’s appropriate for the gutter system. Install starter shingles with the DaVinci logo on top. Space them 3/8 in. apart because they expand when warm. Nail each starter shingle with two nails on a line about 6 in. from the butt and 3/4 in. from the outside edge (photo 4).

Step 6: Install subsequent courses
And now the fun part: Use two corrosion-resistant nails in each shake near the nailing location shown on the shakes. Begin installing shakes in the lower left corner (or lower right corner for a left-handed roofer). The shakes should be flush with the starter shingles on the outer (rakes) and lower (eaves) edges. Install with a 3/8-in. gap between shakes. If spacing is less than 3/8 in., more shingles will be required.

You have a choice between straight or staggered installation. I liked the staggered look (photo 5). Use the alignment indicator at the top of each shake to help manage the exposure. An exposure of between 9 and 10 in. is acceptable for straight courses; use 9 in. for staggered courses.

To stagger the shakes, lay them in 9-in. courses with every other shingle 1 in. lower. Lay the first course of shakes flush on top of the starter shingles. Then snap a horizontal line 9 in. above the tips of the shakes you just installed, or 31 in. from the eave line (or the butt of the shake you just laid).

Install the first shake in the second course by putting the tip on the chalk line. The next or adjacent shake should be 1 in. below the line. The third shake should be on the line; the fourth should be below the line. Continue the same pattern all the way across the roof.

Moving up the roof, snap another horizontal line 9 in. above the previous chalk line or 40 in. above the eave line. Start laying shakes as you did in the previous course, with the first shake’s tip on the line and the next shake’s tip 1 in. below the line (photo 6). Continue up the roof in this manner.

Every course does not need to be chalked. As you begin to understand the concept, you can use alignment lines on the shingle to accomplish the stagger. I found the markings on the sides of the shingle to be very helpful with staggering (Photo 7). Example: To get the 1 in. drop for staggering, lay one shingle and then line up the top arrow of shingle 2 with the bottom arrow of shingle 1.

DaVinci recommends that you snap chalk lines on underlayment with the tips of the shakes following the lines. Do not snap lines on the shake or use red chalk because it could permanently discolor the shake.

The gap between two shingles in one course should always be 1-1/2 in. or more from the gap between two shingles in the course below (Photo 8). You don’t want gaps in one course to line up with gaps in the course above or below.

When approaching the end of a course, avoiding cutting shakes (it detracts from the look). You can avoid cutting at gable ends by choosing from the five different shake sizes and by adjusting the spacing between shakes. In the rare case that cutting is required, use a utility knife or circular saw (carbide-tooth blades are recommended), and cut so that the factory edge faces out on the gable end.

Step 7: Install hips, ridges and valleys
Your order will also include one-piece hip and ridge shakes. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to install these shakes and to install the shakes in valleys.

Roofing any structure is a big job, but this project went quickly because DaVinci has worked out the bugs. The product’s 50-year warranty means I won’t have to reroof, and in the meantime, I’ll be enjoying the stylish appearance and protection that the roof provides.