Wood Roofs
Wood shakes are typically more expensive than modern day Shingles.
Metal RoofsWood Roofs
In times past, wood shakes and shingles used to be the only available roofing option for every building project. They are one of the most traditional architecturals looks your home can have. Today, however, wood shingles and shakes aren’t so common, but when available, they are still revered for their classy textured effects.
What factors differentiate Wood Shingles from Wood Shakes?
People tend to refer to wood shingles as shake roofs, but in actuality, these two terms differ from each other. Some of the important differentiating factors include:
Production The use of wood shakes can be traced back to the earliest days of architecture when steam-powered sawmills didn’t exist. Just like back then, wood shakes are still handmade in most instances. Modern-day Shingles, on the other hand, are manufactured with sawmills.
Splitting Wood shakes are split with the grain on one or both sides, while Shingles are not split on both sides, even though they may have slight signs of cross grain.
Appearance and Thickness
As you would rightfully guess, wood shakes usually are thicker than shingles, especially at the end. Wood shakes look more rustic than shingles. They are usually tapered, while shingles are smoother and more uniform, due to the effect of the sawmill with which they're carved out.
Price
Wood shakes are typically more expensive than modern day Shingles. This is basically due to the more traditional and varying appearance of wood shakes, and because it is more tedious to produce than wood shingles.
Are Wood Roofs as Durable as New Roofing Sheets?
The reason why wood roofs are still used today is because they can withstand the test of time. They, however, do have some limitations- mostly their susceptibility to fire and that they can serve as hosts for pests. To tackle this shortcoming, nowadays, new wood shakes and shingles are fire and pest resistant, as well as specially processed to prevent molds, mosses and mildews from taking a foothold. Furthermore, since wood roofs are made with red cedar, they are naturally water resistant and intolerant to most pests.
The traditional look of wood roofs is an indication that they are the high quality. Wood Roofs are also pretty weather resistant, and do not become “weathered” easily. When well-maintained, wood roofs are highly resistant to hail damage and can serve for several decades before they start showing aging signs.
