If you’re looking for a truly upscale and rich look to your home, then cedar shake roofs fit the bill. There are few materials that mimic the natural look that cedar shake roofs offer, although that interesting and natural look does also come with a somewhat steep price tag.
Cedar Shake Roof Cost
Expect to pay around $6 – $9 per square foot for cedar shake roofing, which is as much as five times more than what you would pay for asphalt shingles. There are two main culprits to the high cedar shake roof cost – an increasing shortage of cedar to create the shakes and the cost of installation is typically quite a bit higher than other types of roofing materials. On the plus side, with proper maintenance, your cedar shake roofing should last up to 20 years or more. Find out more on what a cedar shake roof cost.
Advantages of Cedar Shake Roofs
There are quite a number of advantages to consider when opting for cedar shake roofing for your home. These include:
Aesthetics
There’s nothing like the look of natural cedar shakes to compliment the overall look of your home. It offers a rich, natural and upscale design.
Weather, Wind And Impact Resistant
With proper installation, cedar shakes are highly resistant to strong winds and impact from other harsh weather conditions, such as hail.
Insulating
As long as cedar shake roofs are installed properly, you can expect them to offer higher insulating properties than asphalt shingles. This will help to increase the energy efficiency of your home.
Long Lasting
You can expect cedar shake roofs to last for about 20 – 25 years (with warranties to match), which is longer than the 15 – 20 years most asphalt shingle roofs will last. Cedar that is pressure treated with chemical preservatives may last even longer.
Natural And Renewable
Cedar is a natural, renewable resource.
Disadvantages of Cedar Shake Roofs
Looks aren’t everything, so you need to consider some of the disadvantages of cedar shake roofs as well, including:
Price
The biggest drawback to choosing this type of roofing material is the cost. You can expect to pay around $6 – $9 per square foot for cedar shake roofing, which is as much as five times more than what you would pay for asphalt shingles. There are two main culprits to the high cost of cedar shake roofs – an increasing shortage of cedar to create the shakes and the cost of installation is typically quite a bit higher than other types of roofing materials.
Susceptible To Fires
Since cedar shake roofs are constructed of a natural wood product, they are more susceptible to fires than other types of roofing material. They can, however, be treated with additives that make them more fire retardant, but if you live in an area prone to wildfires, you may want to opt for a more fire resistant type of roofing material.
Specific Installation Requirements
There are certain considerations to keep in mind which may make installation a slower process than installing other types of roofing. For example, it is better to hand nail each individual cedar shake. This is a slower process than using an air nailer, but those tools can result in splitting the shakes or driving the nails in too deep. Other installation considerations include using galvanized nails only, installing zinc strips on the top of the roof to prevent the growth of moss and not using cedar shake roofing on relatively flat roofs.
Potential Insurance Premium Increases
There are a few reasons why cedar shake roofs may increase your home insurance premiums. For one, they are generally less fire retardant than other roofing types, although you can get treated cedar shingles that meet class A, B, and C requirements for fire resistance. They are also considered a premium product which may increase premiums for insurance purposes. It is best to check with your insurance company prior to deciding on installing a cedar shake roof.
Maintenance Requirements
As with many other wood products, you will need to invest more time and money in maintaining cedar shake roofs. Cedar is prone to damage from both water and constant exposure to the sun. Although it can handle some degree of exposure, and will obviously be subjected to rain, snow and sun on the roof, there are some things you’ll need to do to keep your roof looking and functioning at its best. These include:
Trim Surrounding Trees Often
You want to prevent any build up of debris on the roof that can trap water or prevent water run-off, keeping the cedar shingles consistently wet. This includes leaves, twigs, pine needles and such. Otherwise you may be dealing with the growth of algae, moss or fungus which can cause potential rotting of the wood shingles.
Add Chemical Preservatives
You may want to consider spraying on a chemical preservative product that will help to protect your cedar shake roofing, resulting in extended life. You can also get cedar roofing shingles that are pre-treated with preservatives for this reason. If putting your own preservatives on, make sure the roofing shingles are clean and dry prior to application.
Keep Roof Clean
The best way to do this is to trim back or remove anything that can cause debris to land on the roof (such as the trees mentioned above). If you see fungus or mold building up, you will have to get someone to go up on the roof and clean off and remove these culprits of decay. Never use a powerwasher on cedar shake roofs, as they can damage the wood even on the lowest setting.
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