A few decades ago, if you drove down the average street in the U.S., you would see at least a couple of homes with cedar shake roofs. They were especially common in the Midwest and Northeast, where homeowners do not have to be too concerned about hurricanes and tropical storms. These days, you see a lot fewer cedar shake roofs — even in moderate climates. Does that mean that cedar roofing is no longer a viable roofing option? Not at all. Other roofing materials may be more trendy right now, but cedar shakes still have a few significant upsides.
They are all-natural.
Cedar shakes are wood — and nothing else. Even wood shingles contain some adhesives and fillers that are not entirely natural, but cedar shakes are as natural as it comes. If you're aiming to reduce pollution, you simply cannot do better than with cedar shakes. They'll decompose naturally when you have to return them to the earth one day.
They look rustic and traditional.
The rustic, country look is coming back into style. If you want to create this style or preserve it on your own home, you need a rustic-looking roof. Thatching is an option, but it's really hard to find roofers who install thatched roofs since it is such a specific art. Slate looks natural, but it is quite costly. Cedar shakes tend to be the most affordable and viable rustic roofing option, and it's not too hard to find a roofer who installs them.
They are easy to work on and replace.
Some roofing materials, such as tile and metal, look lovely but require a lot of effort and specialized skills to repair. This is not the case with cedar shakes. If a single shake fails or cracks, your roofer can just remove that shake and nail a new one into place. Some handy homeowners even end up repairing their own cedar shake roofs. In fact, if you are someone who prefers the DIY approach and you want the option of working on your own roof, cedar shakes may be a great choice.
Cedar shake roofs may not be as trendy as concrete tile or solar roofs, but they still have a place on the market. It's hard to imagine a more natural or rustic roofing material, and the ease with which a cedar shake roof can be installed or repaired is also an asset. Talk to a local roofing company like Carolina Professional Roofing to learn more.
