Brava synthetic tile roofing

What Brava synthetic tile is

Brava is a composite roof tile, the kind most people call synthetic slate or synthetic shake. Brava makes it from compressed recycled plastics, natural mineral colorants, UV stabilizers and other fillers, and says each tile is up to 85% recycled plastic. The color runs all the way through the tile, and Brava molds its slate profile from real slate and blends the colors, so no two tiles match exactly. The point is the look of slate, cedar shake or clay tile, and next to natural slate it weighs a fraction as much.

We install Brava on homes in Terre Haute, Brazil, West Terre Haute, Clay City, Sullivan, Clinton, Linton, Greencastle and the towns in between. Our roofers are union-trained, and roofing foreman Timmy Burgess runs the roof on site. We don’t do roofing in Illinois, but if you’d like, we’re happy to connect you with a union roofer in Illinois that we trust. For the rest of our roofing work, start at roofing.

The band below covers every residential roof we’ve bid. A Brava roof is quoted on its own.

• Residential roof$10k–$105kRange of replacements we've bid
• Roof inspectionFreeInspection and estimate at no cost

Prices checked October 2026. Every proposal is one all-inclusive price: permits and sales tax built in.

See all our prices and what’s included

Three looks: slate, cedar shake and Spanish barrel tile

• Slate. Brava’s Old World Slate comes in a 12-inch standard width or a 6, 9 and 12-inch multi-width mix, 22 inches long and an inch thick. Colors include Arendale, Atlantic, Graphite, Onyx and Washington.
• Cedar shake. A hand-split cedar look, 22 inches long in 5, 7 and 12-inch widths. Colors include Aged Cedar, Canyon Gray, Natural Cedar and Weathered.
• Spanish barrel tile. A clay-tile look, about 16.5 by 13 inches with a 13-inch exposure, in colors such as Antique Clay, Terra Cotta Brown and Tuscan Clay.

Matching starters, hip and ridge caps, and solid tiles for the rakes and open valleys finish the edges. Some colors carry an upcharge, and color lists change, so we confirm current colors with Brava’s rep before pricing.

Why homeowners pick it over natural slate or cedar

Weight. Brava publishes about 281 to 321 pounds per square (100 square feet), depending on the look, and calls it a little heavier than a high-quality asphalt shingle. By Brava’s own figures, natural slate weighs 800 to 1,500 pounds per square and often needs the roof framing reinforced. Brava says its tile needs no added structural support.

Impact. Brava carries a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, the top of the same scale used to rate shingles and metal panels for hail.

Fire and wind. Brava is rated Class A for fire over the required fire-rated underlayment (Class C over standard underlayment). In Brava’s wind testing, the tile held at up to 188 mph with ring-shank nails and 211 mph with its high-wind screw installation. Warranty wind coverage is lower, as explained below.

Upkeep. The tile doesn’t absorb water, and Brava says it passed freeze-thaw and temperature-cycling tests and resists UV fading. Brava describes the roof as nearly maintenance free.

The honest trade-offs

Brava isn’t the right roof for every budget. Here’s what we tell homeowners up front.

• Cost. Brava’s own guidance puts a finished Brava roof at about twice the cost of an architectural asphalt shingle roof. If budget decides it, a well-installed shingle or metal roof is still a good roof.
• Warranty terms. Brava’s Limited Lifetime warranty runs 50 years from purchase and covers manufacturing defects, but only when the tile is installed to Brava’s specifications. For the first 10 years, Brava replaces the tile and pays toward labor, up to a cap, or refunds the purchase price; after that, it’s a prorated refund on material only.
• Transfer. The warranty transfers once, during the first 25 years, and the new owner has to file Brava’s transfer form shortly after the sale.
• Wind and hail coverage. The warranty covers wind at 90, 110 or 130 mph, depending on the installation spec, and only for the first 15 years. Hail is covered up to 1.5-inch stones, as determined by the National Weather Service. For insurable losses, Brava expects you to go through your insurance first.
• Exclusions. Stains from algae, moss, lichen or tree sap aren’t covered, and neither are ice dams, snow slides, poor ventilation, or damage from later add-ons such as solar panels or snow guards. Color-fade claims must be made within 10 years.
• Foot traffic. You can walk on it, but Brava advises against it because the tile can be slick, and foot-traffic damage isn’t covered.

How we install a Brava roof

A Brava roof runs through the same roofing process as any roof we replace, from satellite measurements to the final walkthrough. The full sequence is on our roof replacement page. Here’s what’s different on a Brava install:

1. Full tear-off — Brava doesn’t allow its tile over an existing roof if you want the warranty, so we strip the roof to the decking and replace any bad sheets you approve.
2. Underlayment — Synthetic underlayment across the deck, self-adhered ice and water membrane in the valleys, and the fire-rated underlayment Brava requires for a Class A rating.
3. Fasteners — Corrosion-resistant ring-shank nails or screws, never smooth-shank, driven at least 3/4 inch into or through the decking.
4. Spacing — The tiles move with temperature, so we leave at least the 3/16-inch gap Brava requires between field tiles. Too little gap voids the warranty.
5. Edges and ridge — Starters, solid tiles at the rakes and open valleys, and hip and ridge caps matched to your roof’s slope.
6. Cleanup and walkthrough — Daily cleanup, magnetic nail sweeps and a final walkthrough with you.
7. Warranty registration — The owner registers Brava’s warranty soon after completion, and the installing contractor signs the certificate. We sign it and help you file it.

Brava can go on in cold weather as long as the tile itself stays above 32°F. Your roof also carries our one-year workmanship warranty, starting at substantial completion.

Is your roof a fit?

• Slope. Brava needs at least 4:12, meaning 4 inches of rise per foot. At 3:12, the whole slope needs self-adhered ice and water underlayment. At 2:12 or flatter, that section needs a low-slope system such as TPO, which we also install, so both can go in one proposal.
• Structure. Brava says no added structural support is needed. We still check the decking from the attic during the free inspection.
• Ventilation. The warranty excludes damage from inadequate ventilation, so we check the attic’s intake and exhaust and price any fix into the proposal.
• Future plans. If solar panels or snow guards are in your plans, tell us before we price the roof.

How we price a Brava roof

We don’t price by the square foot. Every proposal is built from the actual cost of your job: materials, labor, equipment, permits and overhead. For Brava, we pull satellite measurements of your roof and walk you through the options using the exact measurements: slate, shake or barrel, standard or upcharge colors, and the fastening for your wind spec. An on-site inspection of the decking, ventilation and flashing comes before one all-inclusive proposal, good for 7 days. The inspection and estimate are free.

Roofs are typically billed 75% at signing and 25% on completion.

If hail or wind damaged your current roof, see storm damage and insurance claims. We document the damage and meet your adjuster on site, and we never waive deductibles.

Brava roof questions

Ready to talk about a Brava roof?

Send us a few details and Doug Stoliby, our sales manager, will contact you within one business day to discuss your goals, answer questions and schedule a site visit.

(812) 605-2560Request an estimate

Doug Stoliby, Sales ManagerDoug will reach out within 1 business day.