Local St.Louis Roofing

Wood Shake Roofs

A wooden shingle or shake roof once was one of the few types available many years ago. Today it is a premium product that costs the home owner more to purchase and install than the more common asphalt shingle or rolled roofing product. Contractors choose wood roofs for their beauty and natural appearance that blends well with the surrounding environment and enhances the structure’s landscaping. Additionally, wood shingles and shakes can provide excellent performance in areas that have high winds or hail damage. Although they do have certain limitations ( rotting, splitting, and warping), proper maintenance and care can minimize these limitations. A standard asphalt three-tab roof generally requires little maintenance during the time it’s on the roof except for moss control. Asphalt-based roof coverings gradually degrade from the effects of sunlight and from the erosion of winds, rain, and snow. Assuming that moss is controlled, asphalt roofs tend to have a fixed term of usefulness that rarely can be extended. Most wood shingle and shake roofs are made from western redcedar, because of its exceptional properties, including defect-free straight grain, dimensional stability, low weight (low density), impenetrability to fluids, and—probably most important—decay resistance, derived from natural substances found within the wood. In this discussion, when we mention shingles and shakes, western redcedar is the species we mean. If your interested in pricing, feel free to contact us for a free estimate!