Residential Roofing Guide For Wood Shakes And Shingles

Wood roofing is an excellent choice to change the look of your home. These materials will last for generations with the proper care. Wood is a durable and attractive material to use for roofing. Therefore, you may want to know more about a shake roof for your home. The following wood shake and shingle roofing information will help you choose the right materials to replace old asphalt shingles:

Options for Hand-split Shakes

An option that you may be considering for your roof is hand-split wood shakes. There are different options for the type of wood shakes that can be installed on your roof. The available options for a new hand-split shake roof include:

  • Red cedar
  • White oak
  • Brazilian cherry

The options for the different wood shakes can give you a durable new roof. They are attractive and natural materials that give your home a more traditional look. These materials are also going to need specific care to ensure they last.

Maintaining hand-split shakes

The rough profile of hand-split shakes makes them vulnerable to damage. This is due to debris that can buildup in the cracks. Therefore, there is special maintenance that needs to be done to ensure they last. The maintenance and repairs that hand-split shakes will need include:

  • Clean wood shakes
  • Inspect for natural defects
  • Replace cracked or damaged shakes

Regular cleaning and maintenance will also keep the wood looking new. This will prevent staining and problems with wear.  

Mass-Produced Milled Wood Shakes  

You also have the option for mass-produced wood shingles. These products are a little different than hand-split materials. Wood shingles also give your several options for features and designs. Some of the options for the milled wood shingles include:

  • Treated shingles
  • Custom decorative shingles
  • Factory stains and colors for milled shingles

Wood shingles can be a great solution to give your home the look of shakes. These materials can be finished with attractive stains and sealants.

Caring for a wood shingle roof

The maintenance that a wood shingle roof will need will be different from hand-split shakes. This is because the manufacturing process is a little different. Therefore, you will want to look for defects and issues with the shingles. The care that you need to do to wood shingles need includes:

  • Inspect shingles for checking
  • Clean debris from the roof
  • Seal and stain the shingles
  • Replace damaged shingles

Inspecting the surface of the roof for defective shingles is one of the most important tasks to maintain your roof. This is because the milling process causes some of the wood shingles to be produced with defects. Most of these defects are culled out during installation.

The shake roofing you choose for your home can last for generations with the proper care and maintenance. Contact a residential roofing contractor and talk to them about these options to install a new roof on your home.

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