Frisco and Prosper have a lot of newer French-country, modern farmhouse and transitional homes where owners want a slate roof without the weight and cost of real stone. Two composite slate names come up on almost every bid: Brava and DaVinci. We’ve already written about each one on its own (DaVinci Province vs. Multi-Width in Frisco and Brava barrel, slate and shake in Colleyville). This post puts their slate side by side.
I’m Blake Snow. I’ve been roofing for 30 years, and we have experience installing and repairing both brands. Most comparisons online just repeat marketing claims. I’m sticking to the documents each maker publishes, and I’ll point out where those documents say something the brochures don’t.
The documents behind this comparison
- DaVinci: the DaVinci technical sheet effective 9/29/2025 and DaVinci’s product pages (DaVinci is part of Westlake Royal).
- Brava: ICC-ES evaluation report ESR-4756 (issued November 2025), Brava’s spec tables, and the Brava limited lifetime warranty effective 1/1/24.
Side by side: Brava Slate vs. DaVinci Multi-Width Slate
| Brava Slate | DaVinci Multi-Width Slate | |
|---|---|---|
| Tile widths | 6”, 9” and 12” (also a 12” single width) | 6”, 7”, 9”, 10” and 12” mixed |
| Tile length | 22” | 18” |
| Exposure | Up to 10” | 6”, 7”, 7.5” or 8” |
| Weight per square | 310 lb at 10” (ESR-4756); Brava’s spec table lists about 311 lb | 262.4 lb at 8”, 278.8 at 7.5”, 299.3 at 7”, 348.5 at 6” |
| Minimum slope | 4:12 (ESR-4756) | 3:12 at 6” exposure, straight coursing; 6:12 or steeper for 7” to 8” |
| Fastening | Two ring-shank nails (0.120” x 1-3/4” min.) or two No. 8 x 2” screws per tile (ESR-4756) | 359 nails per square at 8”, 476 at 6” (tech sheet) |
| Impact | UL 2218 Class 4 | UL 2218 Class 4 |
| Fire | Class A only with listed fire-resistant underlayments; Class C over No. 30 felt (ESR-4756 Table 1) | Class A listed |
| Material warranty | 50-year limited lifetime (see fine print below) | Lifetime Limited Material Warranty, 10-year non-prorated |
A “square” is 100 square feet of roof.
What the numbers mean on a Frisco roof
1. Exposure drives the look and the labor. Brava’s 22-inch tile at a 10-inch exposure means fewer, deeper courses. DaVinci’s 18-inch tile at 6 to 8 inches means more courses and a finer, more traditional slate pattern. On a big two-story Frisco home seen from the street, both read as slate. Up close, DaVinci’s tighter coursing looks more like a classic slate roof, and Brava’s deeper tile has a thicker, chunkier edge.
2. Weight is close, so don’t pick on weight alone. At the exposures most people choose, they land in the same 260 to 350 lb per square range. For comparison, concrete tile often runs around 900 lb or more per square. Either one works on most homes framed for shingles, but we still check the decking.
3. Minimum slope can decide it for you. Brava’s ICC-ES report requires 4:12 or steeper. DaVinci’s tech sheet goes down to 3:12 with a 6-inch exposure and straight coursing. Many Frisco homes have a lower-pitch back porch or connector roof. If part of your roof is between 3:12 and 4:12, that section needs DaVinci, a different material (like standing seam or a low-slope membrane), or a design change.
4. DaVinci’s look changes with pitch. DaVinci only allows its longer 7- to 8-inch exposures at 6:12 or steeper. Below that, it’s 6 inches, which adds weight (348.5 lb per square) and material. Ask your roofer what exposure they priced on each slope.
The fire rating detail most quotes miss
Brava’s ICC-ES report is clear: Brava Slate is Class A only when installed over specific fire-resistant underlayments listed in the report. Over one layer of standard No. 30 felt, it’s Class C. Two Brava quotes can be different roofs on paper because of what goes underneath. DaVinci lists a Class A fire rating for its slate; ask your roofer which DaVinci-approved assembly they’re using. Either way, the underlayment should be named on the proposal.
Wind: tested numbers vs. code limits
Brava says its tiles were tested to 188 mph nailed and 211 mph with screws. Its ICC-ES report adds a code limit most people never see: nailed installs are limited to Exposure B areas with a maximum design wind speed of 130 mph on roofs 40 feet tall or less, and beyond that, wind design has to follow the report’s uplift tables. That covers most Frisco neighborhoods, but open lots near fields or water can be a different exposure category. DaVinci publishes its own wind ratings and engineering data; we follow whichever maker’s instructions apply.
Warranty fine print
DaVinci lists a Lifetime Limited Material Warranty that includes a 10-year non-prorated period against manufacturing defects. Read DaVinci’s full warranty document for registration steps and exclusions.
Brava’s limited lifetime warranty (effective 1/1/24, the version we reviewed) says:
- It runs 50 years from the original purchase, and the original owner has to register within 30 days of installation.
- It can be transferred once, during the first 25 years, if the new owner sends the form within 30 days of the sale.
- Hail coverage doesn’t apply to hail larger than 1 1/2 inches as determined by the National Weather Service, and you go through homeowners insurance first for an insurable loss.
- Wind coverage is limited to 90, 110 or 130 mph depending on the installation spec, for the first 15 years.
Neither material warranty is hail insurance. Our workmanship warranty is separate: from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job.
Which one I’d pick for your Frisco home
- All slopes 4:12 or steeper, and you want a bold, thick slate edge: Brava Slate is a strong choice.
- Any sections between 3:12 and 4:12, or you want a finer traditional slate pattern with more width options: DaVinci Multi-Width.
- HOA review: bring both sample boards. Look at them in daylight from the street.
- Hail: both are Class 4. After a storm, get it inspected and photographed before repairs. In Texas you generally have 1 year from the date of loss to file a claim, but check your policy.
What goes on our synthetic slate quotes
- Brand, line, color blend and exposure for each slope
- Underlayment by name, and the fire-rated assembly it creates
- Fastener type (nails or screws) and the wind design
- Starter, hip and ridge, and valley details
- Decking check and low-slope section plan
- Free digital photo report, and our workmanship warranty from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job
Talk to us about synthetic slate in Frisco
We install Brava, DaVinci and other synthetic slate and shake in Frisco, Prosper, Southlake, Colleyville and across DFW. We’re certified with GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Tropical Roofing Products, Mule-Hide and Enviroshake, and many other roof manufacturers. We’re BBB A+ rated, with 5.0 stars on Google at all three offices: Bridgeport, Decatur and Rhome. Request a free inspection or call (817) 733-9228.
