EcoRoof Rubber Shakes Restore Heritage Look: Re-roofing the St. Philips Anglican Church
One of Vancouver’s most beloved, community churches has been given a new lease on life, thanks in part to recycled tires that are made to look exactly like an aged cedar shake. The socially-minded congregation at St. Philips Church was searching for a local roofing company to fix and restore their 18,200 square foot roof with a product that was not only great value, but that looked great for their busy Vancouver neighbourhood.
The Church was built in 1925 and they wanted to restore the heritage look of the building. Their existing roof was already 25 years old and long overdue for an overhaul. The congregation started raising funds for the project under its “Under Our Roof and Beyond Our Walls” campaign to fund the project. St. Philips documented this project on their website and on the Diocese of New Westminster website.
The project faced some unique challenges, including replacing roofs on three separate buildings which included both flat and sloped portions. It would also require coordinating schedules and inspections from roofers, carpenters, and various consultants. They needed a team with a dedicated commercial division to help coordinate the project seamlessly, and who had an in-house quality inspector on-site daily.
After speaking with several roofing contractors, St. Philips Church chose our team at Penfolds Roofing and Solar because, among many things including their dedicated commercial division, we offered a unique, durable rubber roofing system made from recycled tires that looked just like their heritage cedar shingles. The EcoRoof, made from recycled tires, mimics the look of a real cedar shake roof, without the extra maintenance needs and cost.
The church committee originally were looking at fiberglass asphalt shingles to roof their building, but after hearing of the EcoRoof and after receiving a generous donation from a family in the congregation to help make it a reality, they couldn’t resist! They had always wanted to restore the heritage look, but knew going back to real cedar would be a tough sell to the congregation.
As an environmentally conscious community, the congregation found the rubber EcoRoof an invaluable investment to help extend the life of their roof and minimize maintenance, compared to traditional cedar or fiberglass laminated asphalt roofing. Not only was it a smart choice from financial and durability standpoints, but it also looks great increasing the curb appeal of their building.
One of the priorities and a key consideration for the project was to protect the historical stained-glass windows on the building. Penfolds Roofing took extra care to protect these beautiful windows with special window coverings to protect them from debris
The entire project took about 2 weeks to complete in May and June 2020. Because many of the church’s activities were still closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our roofing team was able to work without disrupting too much of the everyday church life.
The congregation was so happy with their new roof that they threw the Penfolds staff a socially distanced pizza and beer party on the front lawn in June to celebrate! As a family-run and community-focused business, we were honoured to have been chosen to support their community and give their church a new lease on life for generations to come.
The EcoRoof: Made from recycled tires
Made from recycled tires, this eco-friendly, LEED Approved roofing system looks like real cedar shakes, or real slate, but lasts longer and is lower in price. From the street, you can’t even tell it’s rubber! It’s also Canadian made, approved for new construction projects, and comes with a Lifetime Manufacturer’s Warranty.
Why do church congregations and homeowners around Greater Vancouver love the EcoRoof?
Because it
- is lightweight and requires no structural reinforcement,
- has a 110MPH wind uplifting rating,
- is resistant to fungi or algae growth,
- does not crack, peel, or fade,
- provides warmth in winter and coolness in summer, and
- reduces noise with its honeycomb reinforcement.
If your church, home, or commercial building needs a new roof, the Penfolds roofing team can help. Contact their team today to get a quote for your roof (pizza party not required).
