TLDR
Brava makes synthetic composite roofing in three profiles: Cedar Shake, Slate, and Spanish Barrel. All three are Class 4 impact resistant and can achieve a Class A fire rating with the right assembly. Installation is more technical than a standard shingle job, and the quality of the install determines whether the warranty holds. This guide walks through what a proper Brava installation looks like from start to finish, and what to ask your contractor along the way.
What is Brava, and what makes it different from asphalt?
Brava roof tile is a synthetic composite product made from recycled polymer. It's designed to look like real cedar shake, slate, or Spanish barrel tile without the weight, maintenance, or fragility that comes with those natural materials.
For Colorado homeowners, the appeal is the combination of Class 4 impact resistance and durability against freeze-thaw cycles, snow load, and UV exposure at elevation. Along the Front Range, hail is a recurring reality. In mountain communities like Summit County, the Vail Valley, and Grand County, you're also dealing with heavy snow, intense UV, and temperature swings that can span 50 degrees or more in a single day. Natural cedar and slate perform well when new, but both degrade faster under those conditions and require ongoing maintenance. Brava is engineered to hold its performance rating for the life of the roof.
The tradeoff is cost and installation complexity. Brava is a premium product, and it requires a contractor who has been trained on it. If you're still deciding whether synthetic composite is the right direction for your home at all, our What Roof Type Is Best for My Home guide is a good place to start.
What are the three Brava product lines?
Brava offers three main roof systems, each designed to replicate a different material:
- Cedar Shake replicates real cedar shake using multiple mold widths (5", 7", and 12" shakes) for a natural, varied look. At 304 lbs per square, it's lighter than genuine cedar and considerably lighter than slate or tile, but heavier than asphalt.
- Slate has a 1" thick profile and replicates quarried slate. At 311 lbs per square, it's the heaviest of the three. It can be installed in straight courses or staggered for a more rugged appearance. No additional structural support is required for most standard residential roof decks.
- Spanish Barrel replicates traditional clay barrel tile. At 281 lbs per square, it's actually the lightest of the three. Traditional clay barrel tile is extremely heavy and often requires structural reinforcement. Brava Barrel eliminates that need entirely.
All three are Class 4 impact resistant under UL 2218 testing, which matters for hail-prone areas along the Front Range and, in many cases, for homeowner's insurance discounts.
What does a proper deck need to look like before installation starts?
Brava requires a solid, flat deck. The minimum is 15/32" CDX plywood or 7/16" OSB. Spaced sheathing is technically permitted on Cedar Shake and Slate in certain applications, but Brava recommends against it in areas with high wind or wind-driven rain and snow. Colorado mountain communities, where wind-driven snow is common, generally warrant the solid deck.
The deck condition matters more with a synthetic product than with asphalt. Brava tiles are rigid, so any deck irregularity shows. High or low spots, warped sheathing, and loose fasteners can all affect the finished appearance and how courses track across the roof.
Your contractor should be walking the deck before ordering materials. If there are soft spots, delaminating plywood, or areas of rot, those get addressed before anything else goes on. Material temperature needs to be above 32°F during installation, so in Colorado, that's a real scheduling consideration for early spring and late fall projects, particularly above 8,000 feet where temperatures can drop overnight even in May.
What type of underlayment is required?
Brava requires a minimum of 30 lb. felt (ASTM D226 Type II), but that's the floor, not the recommendation. Brava's own guidance is to use a synthetic underlayment that matches the durability and warranty of the tile itself. Cheap felt under a 50-year roof system is a mismatch.
In Colorado, where January average temperatures regularly dip below 25°F, code requires self-adhering membrane (Ice and Water Shield) from the eave edge to at least 24" inside the exterior wall line. That applies statewide, not just at elevation. For all valleys, a minimum 36" wide self-adhering membrane is required. Brava also recommends Ice and Water Shield along the rakes. In mountain communities from Breckenridge to Aspen to Steamboat, where ice damming is a real exposure, this isn't optional in practice.
The fire rating matters here too. Brava Cedar Shake and Slate are tested as Class A, but only when installed over a tested fire-resistant underlayment as part of a certified assembly. If a different underlayment is swapped in, the fire rating may not hold. The Spanish Barrel system requires a specific FR underlayment combination to achieve Class A. In WUI zones across Colorado's mountain communities, the Class A assembly rating is what counts, not just the tile's material rating alone.
What is keyway spacing and why does it matter so much?
The keyway is the vertical gap between tiles running up the roof. Brava requires a minimum 3/16" keyway, and recommends 3/8". That spacing isn't cosmetic. It's there to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction.
Polymer composite expands in heat and contracts in cold. In Colorado, especially at elevation, that movement is significant. Temperature swings of 40 to 50 degrees in a single day are common across the Front Range and mountain communities. Without adequate spacing, tiles push against each other in summer heat and can buckle. Once that happens, you're looking at a visible deformation in the roof surface and potentially compromised water shedding.
Brava is explicit that failure to maintain minimum keyway spacing can affect both product appearance and warranty coverage. The gap needs to be consistent throughout the installation, not just at the start of the job. Chalk lines get snapped for every course so rows stay straight and spacing stays deliberate.
This is one of the details that separates a trained Brava installer from someone learning the product on your roof. An experienced crew knows to build the gap in. A rushed or undertrained crew closes it up without thinking about it.
How do fasteners work on a Brava installation?
Two fasteners per piece, every time. That's non-negotiable across all three Brava systems.
Standard specification calls for ring shank roofing nails (1-3/4" minimum) or #8, #9, or #10 screws at 2" or longer. Smooth shank nails are not acceptable. They don't provide the uplift resistance the product requires and can affect warranty coverage.
Each Brava piece has preformed fastener locator marks molded into it. Fasteners go at those marks. This keeps them covered by the next course and prevents exposed fasteners in the keyways between tiles. Exposed fasteners on a completed Brava roof are a red flag. They can become water entry points and they indicate the installation wasn't followed correctly.
For ridge and hip cap pieces, longer fasteners are required, typically 3" screws, because those pieces go over multiple layers of material and flashing.
In high wind areas, Brava's top wind warranty tier requires #8 x 2" screws throughout. Exposed ridgelines in Summit County, the Vail Valley, and other mountain communities regularly qualify. Ask your contractor which fastener spec they're using and which warranty tier that corresponds to.
What is the sidelap requirement?
Sidelap refers to how much adjacent tiles overlap horizontally to prevent water from finding a path to the deck. Brava requires a minimum 1-1/2" sidelap across all three product lines.
For Cedar Shake, this is managed by mixing the three shake widths (5", 7", and 12") in random order across each course. The randomness is intentional: it creates natural variation in appearance while ensuring adjacent shakes from course to course don't land directly over the same keyway below, which would allow water to track straight down.
On Slate, the same principle applies. A single-width product would create a regular pattern of vulnerabilities. The mixing of widths eliminates that.
What happens at valleys, rakes, and ridges?
These are the detail areas where most installation problems show up later, and they're worth understanding before you talk to a contractor.
Valleys can be done open or closed. Both are acceptable with Brava, but open valleys require solid-back accessory pieces at the cut edges so the structural ribbing on the back of standard field tiles isn't exposed. The valley metal itself should be 24-26 gauge corrosion-resistant flashing. Fasteners stay at least 5" from the valley centerline.
Rakes (the sloped edges along gable ends) also use solid-back accessory pieces for the cleanest finished look. Cut field tiles have structural ribbing on the back that shows at cut edges. Solid pieces eliminate that.
Ridges and hips use hip and ridge cap pieces, which come in three slope-specific profiles: low, standard, and steep. Using the wrong cap for the pitch produces a gap at the top or an overly compressed fit, both of which affect appearance and water shedding. A knowledgeable contractor orders the right hip and ridge cap before the job starts, not after they see the pitch on site.
Color blending matters at loading, not installation. Brava recommends pulling from multiple pallets when loading the roof to ensure color variation is distributed naturally across the surface. Once tiles are installed, you can't fix a color band without removing sections.
Does installation differ for Cedar Shake, Slate, and Barrel compared to each other?
The fundamentals are the same: deck prep, underlayment, chalk lines, two fasteners per piece, keyway spacing, no exposed fasteners. The specific measurements and accessories differ.
Cedar Shake has the widest product mix (three shake widths) and requires the most attention to randomization during installation to achieve the natural appearance. Exposure maxes at 10".
Slate comes in standard width or multi-width configurations. The 1" thick profile creates deeper shadow lines than asphalt or most other synthetic products. Exposure also maxes at 10". Slate can be installed in staggered courses for a different look.
Barrel Tile is the most distinctly different installation. The tiles are curved, with a barrel profile that creates a channel for water to run. Eave starters, hip and rake pieces, top ridge, and ridge closure are all separate components with their own sequencing. Nailers are required at hips and ridges. It's more involved than shake or slate, and the contractor needs to understand the accessory sequencing before starting. Barrel exposure maxes at 13".
What does a Brava installation cost in Colorado?
Brava falls within the synthetic composite category, which is among the higher-cost roofing options available. Based on a typical 30-square roof (roughly 3,000 square feet of living space), here's what installed pricing generally looks like in Colorado:
- Denver metro and surrounding areas: $62,100 to $75,900
- Mountain and rural areas: $80,730 to $103,155
Mountain projects run higher for reasons that have nothing to do with the material itself. Crew travel, limited installer availability, shorter weather windows, and steeper pitches all factor in. Our What Drives Roofing Costs guide explains each of those cost drivers in detail. [LINK: What Drives Roofing Costs]
If you want a preliminary range for your specific home before talking to anyone, our Instant Estimator gives you a starting point based on your roof size, material type, and location. For the full pricing breakdown across all material types, the Roof Price Guide covers it in depth.
The more useful comparison isn't Brava versus asphalt on a per-project basis. It's Brava's lifetime cost of ownership versus replacing an asphalt roof every 15 to 20 years at current pricing. For homeowners in high-hail areas who have already replaced an asphalt roof once or twice, that math often shifts.
Does my contractor need to be trained specifically on Brava?
Yes. The installation requirements on a Brava product are specific enough that a crew experienced with asphalt but not synthetic composite will make mistakes. Keyway spacing, fastener placement, color blending, accessory sequencing, and underlayment selection all affect both performance and warranty validity. A trained crew knows the spec. An untrained one is learning on your roof.
When you're evaluating a contractor, ask directly whether their crew has installed this product before and how many projects they've completed. Our guide 8 Questions to Ask Any Colorado Contractor Before You Sign covers this and the other questions worth asking before you commit.
What does the warranty cover and what voids it?
Brava offers a Limited Lifetime Warranty, but coverage depends on installation compliance with the published guide. Several things can limit or void it:
- Using underlayment that isn't part of a tested fire-rated assembly
- Installing on a slope below 3:12 without full Ice and Water Shield coverage (anything below 3:12 falls outside the warranty entirely)
- Using smooth shank nails instead of ring shank or screws
- Exposing fasteners in keyways or at cut edges
- Installing material below 32°F
- Using non-approved adhesives or sealants
When it's installed correctly and the contractor is trained, Brava is a durable product with a legitimate service life claim. If you want a full breakdown of how manufacturer warranties work, what extended warranties cover, and what questions to ask, our Roof Warranties Explained guide covers it all. [LINK: Roof Warranties Explained Hub Page]
What should I be asking before signing anything?
- Is your crew Brava-trained, and can you confirm that in writing?
- What underlayment are you using, and does it meet Brava's recommendation for this climate?
- What fastener specification are you using, and which wind warranty tier does that correspond to?
- How are you handling the valleys, and will you use solid-back accessory pieces at cut edges?
- What's your deck inspection process before installation starts?
- Do you handle permit and inspection for this project?
A contractor who knows this product can answer all of these without hesitation. For a complete vetting checklist, see our 8 Questions to Ask Any Colorado Contractor Before You Sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Brava require additional structural support?
No, for most standard residential decks. Brava Cedar Shake runs about 304 lbs per square, Slate about 311, and Barrel about 281. Traditional quarried slate can run 700 to 1,000 lbs per square, and real clay barrel tile can exceed that. Brava's composite construction brings the weight down to a range most existing roof structures can handle without engineering modifications. Your contractor should confirm this for your specific home, especially in older mountain-area construction where timber framing may have been undersized.
Can Brava be installed over an existing roof?
A tear-off to the deck is the right approach. Brava's installation guide requires a clean, flat, properly prepared deck surface. Installing over existing shingles creates an uneven substrate that affects both the appearance of a rigid product and the long-term fastener performance. The extra cost of tear-off is worthwhile here.
How long does a Brava installation take?
Longer than a standard asphalt job. A comparable-sized home that might take one day for asphalt can take two to three days or more for a synthetic composite product. The installation is more detail-oriented, the sequencing at accessories is slower, and color blending adds time. Mountain projects with access constraints can take longer. This is expected, not a sign of a slow crew.
Is Brava appropriate for Colorado's climate?
It's well suited for it. Class 4 impact resistance addresses the hail exposure that affects most of the Front Range, from the Denver metro through Fort Collins and into the foothills. The polymer composite doesn't absorb water, so freeze-thaw cycling that degrades organic materials isn't a factor. At elevation, UV exposure is more intense, and Brava uses colorfast pigments designed to hold through weathering. The thermal expansion properties are accounted for in the installation spec, which is why the keyway spacing requirement matters as much as it does in Colorado.
Does Brava qualify for insurance discounts?
In many cases, yes. Class 4 impact resistant roofing qualifies for premium discounts with several major carriers that write policies in Colorado. The discount percentage and carrier eligibility varies. Ask your insurance agent before the project starts, not after. Some carriers require specific documentation, and your contractor should be able to provide the product rating certification
