Shingles cover your roof to provide a decorative, sturdy shelter from the weather conditions around your house. They are installed in an overlapping manner to provide complete protection for the materials beneath the shingles, such as plywood or a vapor barrier. Besides protecting your house, shingles also enhance the curb appeal of your home and give you more confidence in your living space.
Builders have installed wooden shingles on homes around the world for hundreds of years. One reason their use is so widespread is that they are effective in protecting the roof. Depending on the kind of shingle that you select, they are often quite attractive, and you can replace individual pieces when needed.
If you are thinking about replacing your roof, consider wooden shingles to give your home a new look. Wood shingles offer a classic look while providing value by increasing your home value and lasting 40 or more years. Use this guide to explore the importance of quality wood shingles.
Why Is a Good Roof Important?
A good roof is vital because it guards your belongings and family members on the inside of your home. You need a sturdy covering over your house to protect your property from the elements. If your roof is in good condition, it can also enhance your house's resale value and offer energy-efficient living space to save you money on your energy bills.
If your roof is worn out or has missing shingles, consider upgrading to take advantage of these benefits of a good roof:
Lowers your energy bill: A roof with a good structure, combined with proper ventilation and attic insulation, will protect your home against air drafts. Your HVAC system will save energy producing a comfortable environment for your home, and you can enjoy a break from the brutal weather outside.
Increases the value of your home: Your roof is one of the first impressions potential home buyers and visitors have of your house. If you maintain it, the color and cleanliness of it will make the rest of your home look much more beautiful. Whether you're selling your house or you want to give your home a new look, a quality roof will increase your property value.
Protects you from the elements: Ultimately, the primary purpose of your home is to protect you and your family from weather conditions and debris. If your roof is in bad shape, water could leak into your home and damage your walls, floors and furniture. Any water damage in your house could cause mold and mildew growth and negatively affect your health. Provide your family with a warm, dry home that'll keep them safe from rain and wind.
If your roof has begun to show signs of wear and tear, it may be time to replace it. You likely need a new roof if it's more than a couple of decades old and you're missing some shingles. To have a good roof, consider investing in quality wood shingles to increase your home's resale value, lower your energy bill and find shelter from harsh weather conditions.
Importance of Quality Wood Shingles
Contact the professionals at Custom Shingles today if you want to use wooden shakes or shingles for your new roof. Our team can work with you to give you an accurate estimate of just how many shingles you will need and what the potential cost will be. If you're still not sure about using wooden shakes and shingles on your home, talking with the experts at Custom Shingles can give you many reasons why using wooden shakes and shingles is a great idea.
1. Attractive Appearance for Historic Homes
They look great, particularly in older and more historic homes. When people pass by your house, they'll be amazed by the color, shape and beauty of your wooden roof. Every shingle looks different to provide your home with a unique look due to the natural grain and design of each wood shingle.
Wooden shingles can enhance the appeal of any design aesthetic, but they look best on cottages, coastal, or traditional houses. They're ideal if you have a Nantucket-style cottage or a New England shingles house, but can be admired anywhere.
2. Durable and Long-Lasting
Homeowners have used wood for hundreds of years because of its sustainability and durability. Besides keeping your home safe, your shingles will also maintain their appearance, even in harsh weather conditions. In particular, cedar shingles last longer because they lie flat and hold fastenings tightly.
Wood shakes and shingles are much more durable than the standard roofing materials. While they may have more upfront costs, the durability and longevity of a well-maintained wooden roof will more than make back initial investments.
3. Energy-Efficient
An added benefit to wooden shakes and shingles that many people don't consider is that they are very energy efficient compared to other roofing materials. Most wooden shakes and shingles feature cedar wood, which is an excellent material to help control your heating and air conditioning costs.
Wood is a natural insulator, so your wood shingles will keep your home cold in the summer and warm in the winter. You'll always have a comfortable home environment with a cozy roof that keeps air leaked away from the inside of your living space.
4. Certified to Industry Standards
Various organizations have developed standards for wooden shingles and shakes, including the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau, the International Residential Code and the National Fire Protection Association. These standards deal with issues like the grade of the wooden shake or shingle, wind, impact and fire standards and if the shakes or shingles are treated with preservatives to protect against rot and decay.
Custom Shingles has a full line of Certi-Label® Green Products that indicate our dedication to high-quality materials. Each product goes through third party inspections to vouch for its quality and grading requirements according to your local building code. You can trust that the wooden shingles you have on your roof are certified to last and keep your home safe.
5. Eco-Friendly
Since wood is a natural material, it's healthy for the environment. During the manufacturing process, wooden shingles produce fewer carbon emissions than asphalt or fiber cement. You don't have to compromise on beauty to have eco-friendly products. The natural wood over your house will connect your property to nature with all the aesthetic benefits of the outdoors.
This material is eco-friendly because of its ability to be recycled into reclaimed wood products. If you ever need to replace your wood shingles, you could use the damaged or worn-out ones for other purposes in your home. You could donate them to a local recycling center that accepts wood to pass on to a family in need.
6. Easy to Install and Repair
Cedar shingles are easy to install due to their light weight. Their straight graining patterns and a uniform texture makes them easy to customize. They can be cut, sawn or even stained any color or finish you choose.
Once you have the wood shingles on your house, they'll last for several decades without extensive maintenance. Even if you break a piece of your roof, it's easy to add a new shingle, so you don't have to replace the whole roof.
Types of Quality Wood Shingles
For centuries, homeowners have used high-quality cedar shingles for roofing, and now there are even more options available for wood species. If you want to change your roof's appearance to complement your home style better, you can change the color and finish of your shingles through specific treatments, such as weathered wood and pre-dipped shingles.
Western Red Cedar: Western Red Cedar is versatile and abundant, and the grain splits easily to create beautiful roofing shingles for your property. Homeowners enjoy its aroma, distinct appearance and natural resistance to decay due to the oils it contains.
Alaskan Yellow Cedar: This wood material is an excellent choice for shingles because of its durability and strength. The natural oils within Alaskan Yellow Cedar fight against decay and mold, so your shingles will last for years without the need for extensive maintenance.
Eastern White Cedar: Roof shingles made from Eastern White Cedar are durable and attractive, resistant to general decay and insects. Due to their naturally lighter color, Eastern White shingles are ideal for painting or staining any color you prefer to complement your home's current aesthetic.
Wallaba: Luxury resorts in the Caribbean enjoy using Wallaba wood shingles on their buildings because of its resistance to moisture. This wood material is also resistant to decay and fire damage. Its gorgeous red hue, light weight and long-lasting performance make this material an excellent choice for your home.
Teak: The high silica content of Teak shingles helps them to repel water and withstand harsh weather. You could choose from several colors for your teak shingles, from gold to rich brown and silver-gray.
Unique Designs for Quality Wood Shingles
Wood shingles come in various cuts and shapes to enhance the value of your home and complement the current design aesthetic. Explore some of the decorative shingle options you have for your house to find the right one for your property:
Cottage style: This roofing system uses rolling curves to give your home a unique appearance. The shingles of Cottage style houses are pre-bent to create rolling eaves and gables that connect your home to nature. Use these shingles on a vacation home in the middle of the woods to create a cozy fairy tale cottage.
Curved eaves: The manufacturers of curved eaves bend wooden shingles with steam to form a concave or convex curve. Use these pieces to create unique architectural features, including bellow towers and onion roofs. They would improve the curb appeal of your English cottage or Tudor Revival home.
Curved gables: The intricate design of curved gables involves curling the wood against the grain. These shingles can complement the aesthetic of a luxury resort or an English Tudor-style home by creating an elaborate rolling roof or rounded columns.
Fishscale shingles: Fishscale shingles are similar to half-round cut shingles, but they round to a corner at the ends instead of curving into the long part of the shingle. You could use fishscale shingles as accents or decorations to further beautify the appearance of your historic home.
How Long Do Wooden Shingles Last?
Depending on the kind of roof that you have or the kind of shingle that you use on that roof, your roof's lifespan can vary greatly. Wood shakes and shingles, perhaps the most beautiful and elegant way to cover your roof, are also the most durable roofing material you could choose. Wood shakes or shingles can last 30 years, and in some cases, up to 50 years.
Regardless of the kind of shingle that you use, where you live and your region's climate and weather conditions will play a role in your roof's lifespan. The materials you use, the thickness of the cut and the installation can also contribute to how long your wooden shingle will last. To get an idea of your roof's lifespan, here is the projected longevity of each type of wood:
Cedar shingles typically last around 30 to 50 years.
Wallaba shingles usually last approximately 35 to 60 years.
Teak shingles typically have a lifespan of 50 to 80 years.
How to Maintain Wooden Roof Shingles
Wooden roof shingles can last even longer than expected when you maintain them properly. Regularly clean the wooden shingles to heighten your home's resale value and make your roof look brand new, even after several decades. To maintain your cedar shingles:
Inspect and treat for damage: Examine your cedar shingles about twice a year or after you get a severe storm. Cedar shingles are resistant to insect damage, but you do have to maintain them if you live in a wet climate, where it rains and snows. As a result, they require special treatment to prevent drying, warping, cracking and insect damage. You should also spray the shingles with spray-on fire retardants every couple of years to guard against fire damage.
Remove debris: Your cedar shingles need room to breathe instead of being overcrowded by trees. Keep overhanging branches and other debris away from your roof to guard against the spread of mold and insects.
Rinse the shingles: You could also clean your roof with water and chlorine when you notice discoloration of debris on your wooden roof shingles. Use a mixture of water and chlorine with a soft-bristle brush, and wash away any debris with a hose.
Avoid using a power washer: You shouldn't use a power washer to clean your cedar siding because it could strip away the wood fibers from the shingles and shorten your roof's lifespan. If you need a specialized cleaning method for your roof shingles, you should hire a professional.
Clean your gutters: Besides removing the debris on your roof, you also need to clean the waste in your gutters. Gutters help control the flow of water away from your house, but if they contain debris, they could cause water damage to your roof.
Wood Shingle Roof Cost
Prices for shingles can vary greatly depending on several factors:
Roof size: The most straightforward way to know how much you'd pay for your roof is by the size of your roof. Contractors will charge you based on the square footage of your home. This measurement will help you determine how many shingles you want to buy. If you're buying a lot, a supplier may be willing to sell them to you in bulk.
Project complexity: You could choose several roof options — flat roof, A-frame, gable, hipped, butterfly and mansard, to name a few. The roof pitch and shape determine how difficult it would be to install your roof. If your roof has a steep slope, the contractor may have a difficult time working and might charge more money because they would need more staging to complete the installation safely.
Condition of existing roof: If you're replacing an old roof, the contractor will charge you for demolishing and removing an existing roof. Whether you're putting a new roof over an old roof or you're ripping up the old roof will also determine how much you'll pay. Several states allow you to put several new layers on top of your old roof or replace the old one completely. If you take out the old roof, it will cost you more money than just putting on a new layer.
Species of wood: The amount of money you pay to install your wood shingles depends on the type of wood you use for your roof. Since some species of wood shingles are from another part of the world, they may cost more money. Find out if your supplier is offering any deal on shingles.
Where you live: Your home's location can also affect the price you pay due to the availability of materials and what contractors charge to install your roof.
Additional repairs: Besides the roof replacement, you may need other repairs, such as installing new decking and flashing to create a foundation and water barrier for this part of the house. Roofing contractors could also clean your gutters, repair the frame and inspect your roof and soffits during the installation process.
Ease of access: Most of the time, contractors can use a ladder to access your roof, but if they can't, they'll charge more. To accommodate the challenge of using another method to get onto your roof, they'll need to take more time and resources to install your roof.
Regardless of the estimate of your roof installation, the wood shingle roof value you would earn on your home is worth more than what you would pay. This timeless beauty and energy efficiency of this unique feature of your home will improve your resale value and make your home a place you're proud to call your own.
Contact Custom Shingles to Order Wood Shingles for Your Home
Our team at Custom Shingles will help you install wooden shakes or shingles. Or, if you are a contractor, we'll provide you with an accurate number of shingles that you'll need for the house where you're working. When you want high-quality, sustainable wooden shakes and shingles for your historic storybook home, contact us to make your house dreams a reality.
We would be happy to answer any questions you may have about our products, installing wooden shingles and our process for manufacturing them. You may call us toll-free from anywhere in the world at 1-877-323-3553, or 1-386-487-1055 if you're local. If you visit our contact page online, send us your contact information and tell us about your project so we can best assist you.