If you want to have a home with the look of shake roofing, there are several options for a new roof installation. Before installing shake materials, you want to decide what the best materials will be for the needs of your home. The following roofing installation information will help you choose the best shake options:
Architectural Shingles
If you want to have a more conventional roofing solution for your home, architectural shingles are the best option. These are asphalt shingles that have a 3D profile that is meant to look like shake roofing. They are an affordable and durable solution to replace existing single-tab shingles. If you are installing architectural roofing products, you may want to make some of the same improvements you would with other asphalt roofing products. These can include upgrading the underlayments and reinforcing the roof in vulnerable areas.
Natural Hand-Split Shakes
If you want to have an authentic shake roof, hand-split shakes are the best option. These materials are crafted from large logs by skilled artisans. Most hand-split wood shakes are made from wood species that are resistant to rot and decay. These materials vary depending on the availability of domestic woods. For example, in some areas, white oak is used for hand-split shakes, and in other areas, red cedar is more popular.
Treated Shake Roofing
Today, treatments must be applied to wood shake materials. There are pressure-treated wood products that have chemicals added to them using a high-pressure treatment process. The chemicals used to treat the wood shakes make them more resistant to rot and fire. These can be traditional pressure-treated materials, or they can be treated for areas with dry summer weather. These materials are a good option for natural-looking shakes with a durable protective finish.
Stamped Metal Shake-Style Roofing
Lastly, stamped metal materials can also be used to add a wood shake roof to your home. Metal shakes are the most fire-resistant materials that you can install on your roof. Therefore, they are often used in rural areas where wildfires are a concern and in areas with dryer climates. The stamped metal shake roofs can also be powder-coated with a special finish. These finishes give you a choice of colors and protect the new roofing materials from wear.
The type of shake roofing you have installed on your home needs to be well-planned. Contact a roofing installation service to discuss these options for shakes.
