Northern California is known as a wine lover’s paradise. Vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see and history runs deep through every bottle. Established in 1933 by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo, the E & J Gallo Winery is located in the heart of California’s wine country. Over the past 84 years, the Gallo descendants have grown the business into the world’s largest winery brand, distributing products in more than 90 countries around the globe. When Duro-Last® authorized contractor Baker Roofing Company out of Stockton, California was selected to install a new roof on the vineyard’s historical grounds, they were honored to work with such a celebrated company.

"The atmosphere and history of this site are what I’ll remember most,” said Baker Roofing Vice President Joe Bristow. "There’s a 1,200-foot wood trellis on the property covered by a grapevine that was planted by Ernest himself. It doesn't get much more authentic than that."

This distinctive Gallo building featured a torch down aluminum clad membrane over smooth modified bitumen and ½-inch insulation board that needed to be updated and extended to incorporate a 2,100 square foot addition. With the inclusion of the pool house roof that was asked to be incorporated, the final project dimensions totaled approximately 12,000 square feet.

"When we were originally called to look at the building and evaluate the project, it was just for the 2,100 square foot expansion," explained Baker Roofing President Troy Baker. "However, once we started assessing the building, it became apparent that the roof as a whole needed to be updated. We submitted a proposal and started working on it shortly after."

The Baker Roofing team knew the Duro-Last single-ply roofing system was the ideal solution for the aged roof and wasted no time getting the project underway. They used several Duro-Last and EXCEPTIONAL® Metals products, including a custom-fabricated 60 mil white Duro-Last Membrane over tapered Duro-Guard® insulation, and edge metal that needed to match the metal-framed windows already installed on the structure. With assistance from the EXCEPTIONAL Metals’ team, the end result was striking.

“EXCEPTIONAL Metals helped us out tremendously on this project,” said Joe. “They worked directly with the glass company to get the correct lot numbers from the trim and match colors exactly for the roof details. I was able to trust that process completely and focus my attention on other areas of the project to keep the timeline moving on schedule.”

An important factor for the Baker team in taking on this project was being able to use a product that they knew would continue to perform year after year through the unique elements that a California vineyard would throw at it. "Duro-Last is proven to withstand some of the most extreme environments," explained Troy.  "Despite the intense sun, heat, and dust in the air, we know it will continue to perform."

In addition to Duro-Last’s remarkable performance and sustainability, the custom-fabricated membrane was another important feature for the Baker team. By submitting detailed measurements of the structure’s roof to Duro-Last and having the membrane manufactured to fit its exact specifications, they were able to finish the project in a fraction of the time it takes when using standard roll goods.

"No other manufacturer offers what Duro-Last does for us," said Joe. "Instead of running a sophisticated machine back and forth across the roof 100 times to connect individual pieces together, we just run it down one seam to join together two large custom panels that were welded together during the manufacturing process, pack it up and move to the next panel. This not only greatly reduces the potential for leaks by taking care of a large majority of the welding in a controlled factory environment, but it means we spend less time on the roof and cut our labor costs drastically. Custom-fabrication really is the way to go."

The building itself wasn't the only unique challenge this project presented to the Baker Roofing team. Because the facility was located on a working vineyard with single-lane road access, careful coordination of trucks and materials had to be orchestrated. "We had a small space in the driveway that was our designated offloading area," explained Troy. "But because we were confined to that small space, we needed to bring in a forklift to unload the trucks and take the material directly to the roof. It worked out well, but it was definitely a unique situation for us."

Baker Roofing Company is a family-operated business established in 1964 that serves residential and commercial customers in Central and Northern California. Their work on the E & J Gallo Winery project earned them the 2016 “Edge-to-Edge & Deck-to-Sky™” award, given annually by Duro-Last at their National Sales Seminar.

Both Troy and Joe agree that the Gallo roof is one they will never forget. "I’m really proud of everyone who put this project together and made it happen from beginning to end," said Troy. "We really have the best team in the world and I love working with them every day," echoed Joe. "It’s been an honor and we couldn't be prouder of the finished product."