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Iowa Roofing Contractors Focus on Witty Christmas Optical Illusions

October 3, 2013/in Info Article/by Audrey Heaberlin

Seattle resident and architect Patrick Kruger got the wrong tree for Christmas last year—it was six feet too tall for his house. Instead of buying a shorter tree, he thought of a witty plan. He cut off the top six feet and bolted it on the roof to create the illusion that it had broken through the roof.

An article that appeared on the Today.com Holiday Guide gives us more information:

Patrick Kruger was determined to fit his Christmas tree into his house—even if he had to break the roof to squeeze it in.

“I found a tree I really liked, however, as you can see from the pictures, it was hardly the right size for our home,” the Seattle architect told TODAY.com.

So he came up with a creative solution: he cut off the top 6 feet and turned it into a prop he then attached to the roof, creating an optical illusion that the Christmas tree had literally burst through the building.

Kruger, whose house has since become something of a local attraction, admitted he always intended to create a playful holiday decoration, hoping to entertain the neighborhood.

wreck the halls 1

This isn’t the first Christmas optical illusion of its kind; Greig Howe in the U.K. created a similar optical illusion at his home in 2008. Christmas may still be several weeks away, but if you plan to buy a tree as early as now, make sure that it fits inside your home so that it literally does not go through the roof. Creating a hole in the ceiling will simply invite Iowa’s harsh and snowy winters into your home. Of course, you could opt to do what Howe and Kruger did, and create a lighthearted Christmas illusion that your family and neighbors will enjoy.

According to certified Iowa roofing contractors from companies like Waddle Exteriors, these feats usually call for a stable platform in the form of structurally sound roofing. Also, it is best to achieve the feat without removing any shingles.

Except for bolting the nails or screws into place, hardly any holes are needed to create this optical illusion. You can also apply caulking to the nail heads for added leak protection. Before attempting this feat, however, it is best to call experienced Iowa roofing contractors to inspect the condition of your roofing system to ensure that the optical illusion can be created safely, without compromising your roof’s structural integrity.

(Info from Wreck the halls? Christmas tree grows through the roof; Today.com Holiday Guide)

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