Old look, new digs

• Photo courtesy of Source Products Group Inc., Broomfield, Colo.
• Photo courtesy of Source Products Group Inc., Broomfield, Colo.
• Photo courtesy of Source Products Group Inc., Broomfield, Colo.
• Photo courtesy of Source Products Group Inc., Broomfield, Colo.
• Photo courtesy of Source Products Group Inc., Broomfield, Colo.

Cherry Hills Village, Colo., is an exclusive town where the well-to-do have built expensive, elaborate houses. In 2000, the town's median household income was $190,805 and median house value was $893,000. Another high-end estate—a French Country house and pool house featuring clay tile roof systems—was added to the town during 2003-04 (the homeowner wishes to remain anonymous).

The main house's roof has 160 squares (1440 m²) of field tile with 40 squares (360 m²) of fully adhered EPDM. The house's roof system features rolled ridge lines and rounded hips, as well as arris-style hip tiles on the dormers, custom-cut turrets and other architectural details. The pool house's roof has 30 squares (120 m²) of field tile. The pool house, which looks like a barn, features extra-distressed, hand-finished tiles, making it look older than the main house; a tower attached to the main house also has older-looking tiles.

Stuart Matthews, owner and president of Northern Roof Tiles, Ontario, says: "The idea was that the [pool house] and tower were original buildings and the house was added years later. The roof tiles on the original areas would have been from the same source but looked more aged and weathered so we made them darker and ‘extra crispy' to add to the effect."

Kevin Grimes, president and operations manager of NRCA member Platte Valley Roof Systems Inc., Brighton, Colo., adds, "[The roofs] look as if they are falling apart though their life spans are just beginning."

Platte Valley Roof Systems was brought into the project by Harrison Custom Builders, Englewood, Colo., and European clay tile distributor Source Products Group Inc., Broomfield, Colo. Source Products Group recently partnered with Northern Roof Tiles to be the first distributor in North America to represent the tile company's full line of European handcrafted clay tiles. Selecting Northern Roof Tiles' products and using a combination of tiles with unique colors, textures and details gave the home a look never seen in the United States.

Matthews explains, "Certainly, we never have brought all these elements together on one roof before."

"A key design element of the home is the large roof with its low eaves, copper gutters and rafter tails," says Don Ruggles, owner and president of architectural firm D.H. Ruggles and Associates, Denver. "The low eaves make the roofing material closely visible, which increased the importance of finding a roofing material full of character. Northern Roof Tiles' clay tiles were the perfect fit. They are hand-finished and small-scaled and have an old, weathered look."

Installation

The installation process started with one layer of Grace Ice & Water Shield® under one layer of a TAMKO® roll roofing product. The 60-mil- (0.060-inch- [1.5-mm-]) thick fully adhered EPDM membrane was installed over a 1/4-inch-per-foot (1.2-degree) extruded polystyrene tapered insulation under Dens-Deck.®

Northern Roof Tiles' Tunstall tiles were installed in light brown and dark brown Etrurian Restoration and rustic red Mercian Echoes. The tiles were cut with a wet saw and diamond drilled, and 2 1/2-inch- (63.5-mm-) long copper nails were used to fasten them. The roofs feature a copper flashing system fabricated in Platte Valley Roof Systems' sheet-metal shop.

"The shadow lines, different color hues and perfect finish details make the roof a work of art," Grimes says. "Similar to slate roofing installation in theory, the finished look with clay is achieved by special attention to detail performed by expertly trained personnel and open communication with the homeowner, architect, supplier and factory. This residence will look 150 years old the day the homeowner moves in with all the comforts of the 21st century inside."

Challenges

Initial dry-in of the building began in March 2003, and the project was completed in April 2004. Because of the lengthy roof system installation process, which Grimes says is typical for projects of this magnitude, Platte Valley Roof Systems was responsible for keeping the house 100 percent watertight from the initial dry-in phase to final completion.

Completing a yearlong project always is difficult. This job was more difficult for Platte Valley Roofing Systems because roofing workers had to pay explicit attention to design details.

"The custom on-site blending of colors and the rolled ridge lines and rounded hips are unique," Grimes says. "It took a lot of planning to get the look just right."

Planning also was crucial to ensure materials arrived at the site on time. The clay tiles were manufactured at the factory of Daniel Platt Co., Tunstall, Stoke on Trent, England.

Grimes explains, "Material logistics are difficult when the product is manufactured 7,000 miles (11200 km) from the job site with an eight-week transit time by ship and truck."

However, safety was the most important consideration.

"Our biggest challenge was to maintain a safe working environment for us, as well as the other trades, especially when working on a 13-in-12 (47-degree) sloped main house roof with 18-in-12 (56-degree) sloped dormers with eave heights in excess of 25 feet (8 m)," Grimes says.

The five-person crew used Miller fall-protection equipment incorporating more than 60 tie-off points around the house.

Making history

Platte Valley Roof Systems regularly installs roof systems on high-end houses. But this project stands out because the house was topped off with a roof system with distinctive colors, textures and details.

Grimes notes, "[It was rewarding when] the builder and homeowner realized the installation features a one-of-a-kind roof system that will have a 50- to 100-year life span and look unlike anything they ever have seen in the states."

Kate Gawlik is associate editor of Professional Roofing magazine.

Project name: Private residence

Project location: Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

Project duration: March 2003-April 2004

Roof system type: Hand-finished clay tiles

Roofing contractor: Platte Valley Roof Systems Inc., Brighton, Colo.

Roofing manufacturer: Northern Roof Tiles, Ontario

Distributor: Source Products Group Inc., Broomfield, Colo.

Architect: D.H. Ruggles and Associates, Denver

Builder: Harrison Custom Builders, Englewood, Colo.