Shingles, Nails, and Beyond

If you want your home to have a historic or luxurious look, consider getting wood shingles when you replace your roof. Wood shingles are premium roofing materials, so they cost more than asphalt shingles, but they also have a more upscale appearance. 

Wood shingles are cut to a uniform size, so they have a tidy look, which is different from wood shakes which are split on one side and have a rough appearance. You can get shingles in different species of wood, with cedar being a common choice. Here are more things to know about wood shingle roofing.

Wood Roofing Is Energy Efficient

Wood isn't a good conductor of heat. That means it's good insulation for your roof. It slows heat loss from your home during cold weather and keeps hot air outside in the summer.

If your current roof isn't a very good thermal barrier, you may notice a change in your power bills once you have a wood roof installed. The savings help offset some of the expense of having wood shingles installed.

Wood Can Be Treated For Fire Protection

You can find wood roofing materials with different fire ratings. Some have the highest fire rating possible when they're treated at the factory. This gives you peace of mind your roof will protect your home as well as any other type of roofing material.

Wood Shingles Last A Long Time

As long as you take good care of your roof, it could last for decades. The wood will slowly turn a gray color as it ages, but that's to be expected. Wood is a durable material that can tolerate a variety of climate conditions. However, the installation practices may vary between dry and wet climates. Wood is strong, so it isn't lifted easily by wind or damaged easily by the sun and rain.

However, to get the longest life from your roof, you'll want to keep tree debris cleared off of it and make repairs as soon as they're needed. You can clean the roof with water from a hose and treatments for algae, but you shouldn't use a pressure washer to clean wood shingles or you might void the warranty.

Cedar Wood Shingles Resist Rot And Insects

You can buy cheaper species of wood, but cedar is often worth the extra cost because of its natural ability to resist insects and rot. Other species of wood need to be treated to help them last longer, but cedar's ability to resist damage is natural. That makes it a good choice for your home when you want roofing that lasts as long as possible and you want to keep repair and maintenance needs as low as possible.

Contact a roofer to learn more about wood shingles.