Wood roofing is a better choice for your home than you may think. It is a durable and efficient material, and there are a lot of options to choose from. These materials can be shakes or shingles, but what is the difference? The shingles are milled, and shakes are usually split materials with rough surfaces. So, what type of wood roofing materials are going to be right for the needs of your home?
Understanding Natural Wood Shakes
When you are using wood roofing, these tree species have natural characteristics that make them more durable. The wood shakes that are traditionally installed on homes are hand-split materials. These wood roofing materials have commonly been made from the most available resources. Today, there are better choices for the type of natural shakes that are used on homes. The best natural wood shakes to use for your home include:
- Cedar materials, particularly red cedar
- Oak materials, particularly white oak
- Tropical hardwoods, particularly harder species like ipe
Treated Shakes And Shingles For Homes
Today, the options for treated shake materials are great for homes. These treated materials are available in shake and shingle-style wood roofing. They are either common pressure treated materials for wet climates or fire-resistant materials. The wood roofing treated with fire-resistant treatment can provide better protection against the risk of fire damage.
Special Composite Wood Shingle Solutions
There may be a reason why you are worried about installing natural wood roofing on your home. Composite shake alternatives can be a great solution to give your home the durable roof you need. These materials are made of composites that are a mixture of recycled waste and wood particles. The composite shakes have a natural wood profile and color that make them look a lot like natural materials. Composites can be a great choice for the look of wood without the hassles. These materials are also more durable than asphalt shingles and a good energy improvement for your home.
Alternatives Where Wood Is Prohibited
In many areas, you may not be able to have natural wood roofing installed on your home. If your roof can't be wood, consider some of the alternative options like:
- Metal shingles with shake profiles
- Synthetic tile materials with shake profiles
- 3D architectural shingles that resemble shake roofing
Wood roofing materials are an excellent material to use for the roof of your home. Call a residential roofing service and talk to them about shakes or shingles for the needs of your home. For more information about appropriate materials for residential roofing, contact a local roofer.
