Condo Community Installs Wood Shake Roofing Lookalike that Can Stand Up to Salt Air

Mai Kai Condo Community’s polymer shake roofing tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes

Perfectly situated with water views of Newport Bay, the Mai Kai condo community in Newport Beach, Calif., has all the benefits of waterfront living, including the constant salt air and sea spray from the Pacific Ocean. So, when the real wood shake shingles on the 34 units deteriorated over time, the homeowners’ association decided to replace them with polymer shake roofing tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes.

“Our research and the recommendation of a design consultant led us to the product for its appearance, durability and maintenance,” says John Adler, a member of the Mai-Kai condo board of directors. “We needed a material that could be walked on by various trades people who would need access to the roof in the future. The strength of the product really impressed us and helped influence our decision.”

“These are lightweight, weather-resistant shakes that truly mimic the look of real cedar,” says Hogan Hammarstrom, president and founder of Absolut Roofing Inc., Fountain Valley, Calif. “We’ve installed DaVinci roofing products in the past with great success. The product is very durable and installs very easily without breakage. Most importantly the finished appearance is terrific and the condo owners gain the look of real cedar shakes without the maintenance hassles.”

Originally built in the early 1960s, the Mai Kai condos are in the prestigious Corona Del Mar area of Newport Beach and each unit sells for between $2 and $3 million. The homeowners association board selected the DaVinci Multi-Width Shake roofing tiles in a Mountain blend of colors, including light, medium and dark mountain tones.

“Based on our experience so far with the product, I’d recommend the polymer slate or shake roofing tiles from DaVinci to another community if they had the same needs we did,” Adler says. “Our experience has been positive with the product selection and installation, and we expect long-term satisfaction from this roofing product.”

Hammarstrom believes that the condo owners themselves like the polymer roofing tiles for the same reasons he does. “This roof has a 50-year limited warranty that means life for these residents has just gotten much easier,” he says. “Plus, the roofing tiles perfectly capture the look of shake without the maintenance hassles. How can it get any better?”