Cedar Shake Roofs vs Synthetic Shake Roofs | Pros and Cons of Cedar Shake Shingles and Introducing a Better Alternative

For many years real cedar wood shake shingles were a top tier roofing choice that homeowners in the United States preferred. The beautiful rustic wood shake look is appealing, and real cedar wood shake shingles were widely available to home builders, distributors, and roofing contractors. Over time new roofing products have surfaced, but wood shake shingles will always remain a backbone in the American roofing industry. Let us examine the pros and cons of installing cedar shakes and cedar roof shingles, as well as some of the differences between cedar wood roofs and synthetic wood roofs.

Pros of Cedar Shake Roofs

Appearance

Not only will cedar shake shingles add natural beauty to your home, but over time they will naturally age to beautiful grayish or brown tones depending on the type of wood you choose. Cedar shakes are also long lasting and last on average 10 years longer than your typical asphalt shingle roof (this depends on your home location and roof installation). Cedar shake roof shingles look beautiful on almost any home, regardless of the architectural home style or color scheme. Cedar shake roofs are still one of the few roofing materials that compliments it’s natural surroundings and provides exceptional curb appeal. Nothing beats the authentic wood appearance of a home with cedar shake roof shingles.

When deciding between what type of cedar shakes you will want for your roof, keep in mind that you can decide between two styles of cedar wood shakes and they are; shakes or shingles. Shakes are generally thicker than shingles and provide a thick wood textured appearance with deep grain patterns. Shingles are not as thick and provide a more uniform wood appearance with a smooth flat look. Typically, sawn shingles are more popular for siding projects whereas shakes are more popular for roofing projects.

Durability

Because of the high density and thickness of cedar shakes, they are very resistant to strong winds and durable in hurricanes, heavy rains, hail storms, and snowstorms. Some of the more popular wood shake options are Western Red Cedar, Northern White Cedar, Redwood, and Cypress. If you are looking to purchase a new roof you should consider cedar shake roof shingles. Cedar shake roof shingles are durable, reliable, and provide a stunning wood look for years to come, just remember that regular maintenance is highly recommended to keep your cedar roof looking good and performing well.

Energy Efficiency

Cedar wood roofs are energy efficient and provide natural insulation up to two times that of asphalt shingles. This allows you to save money on your energy bills by conserving your home’s heating and cooling costs. Cedar shake roofs are also recyclable and eco friendly. Wood is a poor conductor of heat, thus cedar shake shingles are one of the best insulating materials available.

Cons of Cedar Shake Roofs

Cost and Availability

In the late 1900’s cedar shake shingles were affordable. There was an abundance of lumber and old growth trees in the Northern United States and Canada. However, over the last 20+ years, North America has seen a strong increase in population and economic growth.

Nowadays there is less old growth cedar shake and more new growth cedar shake than ever before. Old growth wood refers to wood from trees that belonged to forests that grew up over hundreds of years. New growth wood refers to wood from trees that are much younger. Old growth wood has better durability, longevity, and stability.

A majority of today's lumber is new growth wood harvested from trees that have been cultivated to grow rapidly, so the wood is not as dense or mature. Regarding cost, top of the line fire treated heavy hand split cedar shakes may run you well north of $1,000 per square total installation cost depending on your location and roofing contractor.

Can Be Difficult to Install - Installation Experience Matters

If you choose a roofing contractor that has experience installing cedar wood shakes, this may not be a concern for you. However, many roofing contractors nowadays primarily focus on asphalt shingles and either metal, concrete, clay, or a synthetic roofing material. If you choose to install a new cedar shake roof, it is highly recommended that you choose a contractor that has experience installing wood roofs. Real wood is heavier than some of the other roofing alternatives and requires precision cutting and laying by an expert to ensure proper water runoff and prevent future roof leaking from occurring. An installation tip that should not be overlooked when installing cedar shake shingles is proper keyway spacing. Aligning the keyways properly on a cedar shake shingle roof installation is very important because it allows for proper runoff and water drainage.

Routine Maintenance and Aging

Because wood is a natural and organic material, it is prone to mold, mildew, algae, fungal growth, insects, rotting, and curling. When exposed to cold weather, wood can crack from the inside out due to water damage and undergoing the freeze-thaw process. Real wood roofs require routine maintenance and must be inspected regularly to ensure proper protection, cleanliness, and runoff. As your wood shake shingle roof ages, you will want to keep it clean and free from mold growth and rot through routine maintenance and inspections. You can apply chemical treatments and protective coatings to wood shake shingles to help delay the aging process and combat rot, mold, and algae growth, however this will require frequent applications and can be an unexpected out of pocket expense. If you decide to re-roof with wood shake shingles keep this in mind because routine maintenance is very important.

Fire Concern and Insurance Issues

Wood is naturally flammable and a wood roof adds significant fire concern to your home, especially if you live in a mountain community or an area that has a history of wild fires. Wood shake shingle roofs are becoming banned and even illegal in many areas of the United States because of the danger they impose to your home and the surrounding homes around you. The older and more dry a wood roof gets, the easier it is to catch fire. In fire prone states like California for example, it is very difficult and almost impossible to get an insurance company to cover your wood roof.

Synthetic Wood Roofs

If you are looking at alternatives to wood shake shingles you should consider synthetic roofing. A synthetic roofing product like CeDUR offers homeowners many benefits. Let us examine just a few of the many benefits of synthetic roofing.