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Cedar Shingles and
Roofing
Cedar Shingle Advantages and
Disadvantages
By: Mark J. Donovan
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Cedar shingles provide a rich and natural
look, and are highly durable, making them ideal for any roof
or home. Cedar roofing shingles or shakes are cut from either
northwestern red cedar or eastern white cedar lumber. With
cedar shingles they are sawn on two sides, whereas with cedar
shakes they are hand-split and resawn on one side or taper
sawn. Cedar shakes are most commonly used for roofing, whereas
cedar shingles are used for both roofing and house siding.
Cedar shingles and shakes come in a variety of grades and
lengths and have warranties between 20 and 25 years, however
they can last much longer if regularly maintained. |
Cedar shingles have been used for centuries due to their
resistance to the natural elements including weather and ultraviolet light
exposure. Cedar roofing shingles also have excellent thermal insulating
properties and are renewable green building products, thus they improve the
energy efficiency of your home while at the same time making it greener.
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Cedar shingles also have natural preservatives which make them resistant to
decay and insect infestation. In addition, due to the natural tight grained
particles in cedar, cedar roofing shingles are very stable and thus resistant to
warping, cupping, and shrinking. In moister climates, e.g. along seacoasts,
redwood cedar turns black. Consequently, many homeowners of beach homes,
particularly along the New England coast, use white cedar shingles to prevent
their roofs and homes from having a dark or black appearance. The
natural oils in cedar shingles is what makes them so resistant to weather,
ultraviolet light, and insects. |
However, over time the sun can dry out the shingles making them
vulnerable to decay and damage. Consequently, to maximize the lifespan
of cedar shingles a protective finish should be applied to them
periodically. Typical cedar roof shingle finishes include stains,
oils, and paints. For best roofing installation results, it’s
preferable to buy cedar shingles with a finish already applied to
them. This way the entire shingle, all six sides of it, are coated in
the finish, thus sealing it entirely from the natural elements.
| Cedar roofing shingles can also be restored to extend their life.
With restoration, the shingles need to be thoroughly cleaned prior to
applying a penetrating finishing oil or stain. With white cedar
shingles bleaching oil works best to extend their lifespan. Every five
to seven years an application of bleaching oil should be applied to
them to extend their life and increase their durability. |
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Today there are synthetic cedar shingles on the market that do not
require maintenance and have longer warranties. They are also
available in many different colors and are more economical than
natural cedar shingles. But this said, they still don’t beat the look
and elegance that natural cedar shingles offer. So if you want to add
an unmatched style to your home take a look into using real cedar
shingles.
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