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Distinctions Composite Slate

While being thick and creating a luxurious curb appeal, Distinctions only weighs 240 lbs per 100 square feet of roof    (2.4 lbs per square foot). This means it looks as good as real authentic quarried slate, yet only weighs as little as 30 year fiberglass asphalt shingles.

This lightweight roofing is ideal for re-roofing on any building, as weight is not an issue. It weighs 25% of the weight of concrete roof tile. It is only 50% of the weight of high end asphalt shingles.  It is a fraction of the weight of real slate, which would weigh 5 to 10 times more, which means real slate usually cannot be used for re-roofing.

While Distinctions is great for re-roofing, it can also be installed on new construction. It meets stringent US codes. It has been tested and is ICC-ES approved in report ESR-1055. Presently in Canada it is going through specific testing to achieve a CCMC Evaluation Report. This CCMC number allows its use on Canadian new construction projects, as in Canada there currently is no specific synthetic or composite category in the building code. Prior to this CCMC number being received in the next few months, builders are advised to get an architect, or roofing engineer's letter of approval, or get the local building inspector to give his blessing in advance. One has to remember that in Canada there is no specific code for many roofing materials that have been used for generations. This includes real slate and real clay tiles.

The use of recycled materials makes Distinctions a sustainable roofing product and an environmentally friendly choice.

Distinctions uses 52% recycled materials in its production, more than any other manufacturer that we are currently aware of in the roofing industry. And in the future this roofing material, when it eventually requires replacement, will be 100% re-cycleable.

In a re-roofing situation in the local market in South-West BC a typical shake roof converted to Distinctions Slate will run around $12.00 to $15.00 per square foot for all the labour and materials to complete the project. The product itself costs around $5.50 per square foot (Canadian funds) for the slates themselves. You will find this a noticeable upgrade from "good cedar" but a far better investment than any wood shakes you could choose.

Comparing to wood shakes, Distinctions will probably cost around $10,000 more than  premium cedar shakes on a typical 3000 square foot roof. The extra investment is worth it though. Distinctions is warranted to last 50 years. But we need not wait that long for the pay off.

If you choose cedar you are selecting a product without a fire rating ( maybe Class F for "fail") and your insurance company will either not insure your home or you will pay dearly each year for the extra liability. Distinctions should look great for years and decades to come, while cedar will age quickly. Cedar shakes can crack, cup, check, warp, discolour, and begin to look very old after only 12 years on the roof. And by then, they are kindling waiting for a spark in many regions of the country. They also moss up quickly and will require lots of maintenance.

So Distinctions has durability, better longevity, good looks, and a Class A Fire Rating. Plus by excluding harmful preservatives in its formula and utilizing 52% recycled content, Distinctions is environmentally friendly. And most importantly you will not require or begin planning and budgeting another re-roof again in 14 years, which would probably be the case if you select real cedar shakes this time. Invest a bit more now and you will avoid one to three additional roofing projects in the lifespan of this high quality material.

Do you really want to hire roofers and lay out so much money, so often ? !!!

If it costs $26,000 to re-roof with Cedar, and $36,000 to re-roof with Distinctions, plus you will have to lay out another $25,000 + for the next cedar re-roof again in 12 to 20 years, then Distinctions is a better investment. Plus insurance could cost a thousand of more per year for a wood roof (if it is even insurable, as they certainly are not in California or Kelowna and other wildfire zones). Even if you plan to sell the house in 10 or 15 years, the next buyer will factor in his "re-roofing" expectation into his "offer" for your property.

The pay-off for this investment is clear compared to going back to real wood shakes. The increase in curb appeal alone could net you back the investment as soon as you sell the house, in some cases many times over. And the payback time for the increased investment can be as little as the next couple years, but certainly within 12 years.

We are now in a real estate market where it is a buyer's market. There is a lot of product for the home buyer to choose from, so making your house stand out from the crowd is a good thing again. Curb appeal matters once again, so an investment in Distinctions will either net you more money for your home sale, or make it sell faster, or both.

Selecting asphalt shingles of any thickness and converting homes to include "shake-look" shingles has been a common way to replace wood cedar shakes. But the curb appeal is always reduced compared to real wood shakes, or composite slates and shakes such as Distinctions.

The other reasons for not going back to real wood shakes are quality control issues. Did you know that Cedar Shakes marked as Number 1 grade Blue Tags are not always "number one" grade material ?!

Did you know that "Tapersawn Shakes No.1 Premium Grade" tend to be made from the cheapest cedar logs and cedar blocks available to the mills {they will save the best wood for hand-split shakes or other products}, and have historically shown the shortest longevity prior to re-roofing being implemented ?!

Did you know that real wood shakes have variability in quality, but consistency as an ignitable fire-hazardous product ?!

Do you really want to chop down more of our beautiful forests... forests that we rely on for our eco-system, our tourism, and our clean air, for a temporary roofing material that needs replacing every 12 to 22 years ?!

As a roofing supplier we like it when some homeowners choose to put on "short term" roofing materials. It gives us lots of work to supply the following decade, which is good for our business future. Roofing materials that last a long time should be a scary prospect for us. But as a human being, are these really the right choices we should all make for mankind's future ?

Distinctions Composite Slate is designed to be the ultimate roofing material for long term performance, attractive appearance and complete peace of mind. They look like natural slate but are free of the heavy weight and installation challenges and costs of real slate. The advanced composite material will give you guaranteed long-term performance, adding unmatched value to your home.

These composite slates deliver high end appearance. The look that this roofing material creates is the look one finds with real slate on manor houses and luxurious properties worth millions. Its natural appearance is matched with long term performance, Class A Fire rating, lightweight advantages, and it is also very easy to install.

The current slates require only 60 pieces per 100 square feet, each installed with only 4 fasteners. It takes only 3 bundles to cover 100 square feet of roof, It is lightweight and easy to handle, as well as can be cut, fastened, and drilled with standard roofing tools for fast installation. For best results install with Trimline Flow through battens, as the slate tiles will hang from each batten while installing them, especially on steeper pitches.

The product currently comes in 5 natural colour tones...Charcoal, Pewter Gray, Gridiron, Escape Gray, and Thunderous. These colours have a natural marbling in them to create a realistic slate appearance.

Distinctions is currently 2 slate tiles per panel and blending of different colours is currently not recommended. A new version will be introduced in 2009 that will allow colour blending as well as exposure staggering.

Distinctions Trimline Products