Cedar Shingle & Shake Roofing: Excellent Choice that Protects Your Home

Cedar shake roofing is the architectural detail that makes houses stand out from the rest of the neighborhood. This roofing material is made from actual cedar that gets it distinguished look with age. This unique appearance is prized by many homeowners because it blends in well with almost any landscape. However, the aged look of cedar takes years to come by and makes cedar shakes an expensive, but truly exquisite roofing material.

House after cedar shake roofing installation

In addition to the beautiful rustic appearance, cedar shakes have excellent insulating and protective qualities as well. This material tends to keep its qualities longer than, for example, asphalt shingles, and ages well, turning to a beautiful silver patina color over time. This type of roofing adds significant value to a house, and make it more appealing to buyers. All of these qualities make wood roofing the preferred choice of many homeowners.

Creating comfort at home is the primary concern for the most of our clients and cedar shake roofing is an excellent and durable choice for ensuring that your home is safe from the elements. If you’re looking to replace your roof with natural wood, you’re in the right place. Here you will find everything you need to know about this beautiful roofing, including benefits, maintenance tips and other necessary information.

When you trust your roofing needs to VIS Exterior, you get the top-quality services we know you deserve. Ready to become one of our happy customers? Schedule Your Free Estimate

Benefits of cedar shake roofing

The most common reason to choose cedar roofing is having that certain look, that is unmatched by other roofing materials. However, there is much more to cedar than just its looks. Here are the top benefits of cedar shake roofing:

Beauty. A variety of color selection, including amber, red, gold and brown tones, and hand-cut shakes create a natural look for your home that is easy to match with the aesthetics of any home. If cedar is left to age without reapplying protective finishes every few years, it ages ellegantly, shifting to a silver-gray color.
Long lasting and durable. Cedar is naturally resistant to bugs because of the oils it contains, and can withstand tough weather conditions. It does need some extra care before the cold winter months, but when properly maintained, cedar shakes can protect your home for up to 30-50 years.
Energy efficiency. Cedar is a natural insulator, keeping the warm air inside of your home during cold days, and not letting the hot air in during the summer. In fact, cedar shake roofing can provide as much as 2 times more insulation than asphalt shingles, and help you save on your heating and cooling expenses considerably.
Stability. Being a low density material, cedar lies flat and stays straight even during humid conditions. When installed properly, it’s also able to withstand hurricane winds with minimal loss of shakes.
Sustainability. Wood used to produced cedar shake roofing is harvested from forests, planted for this purpose precisely. Being a natural renewable source, cedar is completely biodegradable and is processed in an environmentally friendly way to ensure as little impact to the atmosphere as possible.
Cedar roofs catch the eye with their natural warmth and ambience. While other materials try to copy this unique look, nothing quite matches its beauty. The natural oils that cedar contains keep it durable and resistant to bugs, and when maintained properly, this type of roofing provides excellent protection and insulation for 25-30 years.

Benefits list of cedar shake roofing installation

Wood roofing material specifications

Grades. There are three grades of cedar siding: premium, number 1 and number 2. Premium grade shakes are made from the very best wood, they are 100% clear. Number 1 grade shakes are clear heartwood, and cut from lower quality wood than premium grade. Number 2 grade shakes are cut from lower quality wood, contain more flat grains and usually have some defects, such as knots, blowouts, bark and so on. This grade is mostly used on barns and sheds, since their durability, weather resistance and insulation is much lower than that of higher grades.
Fire resistance: There are 4 fire resistance classes, A, B, C and non fire rated. Class A is the most resistant to fire while non fire rated class is the least resistant.
Length. Cedar shakes are either 18” or 24” long.
Types. Hand-split resawn shakes, tapersawn shakes, and tapersplit shakes are the types available on the market. Tapersplit shakes are split by hand on the both sides of the piece, and this method is mostly used for the highest quality wood. Tapersawn shakes are cut with a saw from lower quality materials, and hand-split resawn is a combination of both of the previously mentioned methods.
Wood roofing material specifications If all of this sounds complicated, there is no need to worry. Cedar roofing experts at VIS Exterior are ready to help you select the right materials for your project. Simply schedule your free inspection with us and we will be on our way to assist you.

Cedar shake roofing installation and replacement services

The process of cedar shake installation is rather complex. Since the materials are hand-cut and each piece is unique, they need to be matched carefully, ensuring that the new roofing not only looks good, but is also installed correctly, leaving no extra room for moisture, warping and other complications. As a matter of fact, most cedar shake failures are related to improper installation and maintenance, so make sure that your roof is in the capable hands of experienced roofing contractors.

House photo before after cedar shake roof replacement

Roofers at VIS Exterior have over 20 years of experience in working with cedar shake installation and replacement. We work with reliable high quality materials from top manufacturers and the products we install come with excellent warranties. We are meticulous, hardworking, and have a proven record of customer satisfaction. We offer free inspections and you can be sure that we will leave no stone unturned in perfecting your new roofing.
In addition to our expertise, we also bring a friendly and positive working environment wherever we go. We think of ourselves as craftsmen rather than just roofing contractors, and truly enjoy the work we do. Our team has extensive knowledge with all types of roofing as well as siding, and you can count on us to provide you with honest advice when you ask for our opinion. Moreover, we always haul the debris away at the end of each day, ensuring that our work disrupts your everyday life as little as possible, and we treat your landscaping and other objects with care.

By choosing natural wood roofing you make a smart and beautiful long-term investment that protects your home for years to come. Experienced roofers at VIS Exterior make sure that your investment is worthwhile. We also offer a flexible financing program to help you afford roofing services that you need.

Cedar shake roofing maintenance

A shingle shake roof that has been installed and maintained properly lasts for up to 30 years under favorable conditions. If you have a wood roof or plan on installing shakes, we recommend that you take these tips into account to extend the life of your roof:

Check your roof regularly. We recommend to have a professional inspect your cedar shakes at least once a year. On top of that, you should check it yourself after storms and high winds have passed your area to see if any shakes are missing or if any visible damage is present.
Use cedar-specific cleaning products and reapply the protective finish every few years. This will add resilience to your roofing and enhance its appearance. Make sure that you use fire resistant finish that is designed to withstand the weather extremes, common to Illinois. It’s best to ask your contractor about the application process, though, as they will guide you through it and give advice on how to take care of your beautiful roofing.
Make sure there is no moss, mold or lichen growth present. It’s very important to keep any organic growth from occurring on your roofing, as it traps moisture inside the cedar materials and can damage your roofing over time, causing leaks.
Clean the gutters regularly and remove leafs, fir needles and any other debris that gets trapped in the valley of the roof. This ensures that there is no blockage and rainwater can be diverted from your roof efficiently.
Ensure proper attic ventilation. This is very important in extending the life of your roofing, heat and moisture can accumulate in the attic and lead to rot and deterioration.
Trust your cedar shakes to roofing experts only. Cedar roofing requires specific knowledge and certain tools to be completed to the highest standards. Make sure that your roofing contractor is experienced with cedar and has the proper equipment to install the materials reliably.

It’s impossible to prevent normal wear and tear, but if you follow these steps, you will vastly extend the life of your roofing and will enjoy its natural beauty for years to come.

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Contact experienced local roofers

VIS Exterior is an honest and hardworking local roofing company, in business since 2001. During our years of service we have completed over 500 successful projects and enjoy every moment of working in the exterior renovation business. Our meticulous work is appreciated by our customers and our experienced roofers complete each project to the highest of standards.

VIS Exterior Completed Roofing & Siding Projects

We serve DuPage County, Cook County, Kane County and Will County and have a wide service range, including not only roofing, but also siding, replacement windows, gutters installation and hail and wind damage inspection services.