Cedar Shakes And Shingles Difference

What s the difference between cedar shake and cedar shingle roofs.

Cedar shakes and shingles difference.

Shakes don t have a smooth finish like shingles which are more defined and refined but they make for a more rustic roof for old fashioned homes or homes that emulate cottages. Shakes offer a more traditional rough hewn style as they ve been around for centuries whereas shingles can be identified by their uniformity and even taper. The length of cedar shingles used can impact the appearance of your house. When used in installation or repairs cedar roofs can come in the form of either a shake or shingle.

They are best suited for roofs of 4 in 12 pitch or greater. They are sawn smooth on both sides and cut tapered. While shakes provide a less uniform more rustic appearance they can also be vulnerable to wind blown rain or snow and must be installed using a layer of felt paper weaved layers of shakes to reduce this vulnerability. Shingles are generally thinner than shakes and are seldom greater than 1 2 inch thick.

There are three types of wood shake each desirable for its own set of qualities. Today with the advances in technology shingles are machine made. Cedar shakes shakes are split on one or both sides and are more irregular than shingles. For centuries and as recent as 50 years back cedar roof shingles were sawn from a block of wood while shakes were split off using a mallet and a froe sharp blade.