Cedar shingles are the perfect solution for those who want a sustainable, traditional look to their roofing; coupled with environmentally friendly benefits to complement the aesthetic beauty. Take a look through our buyer’s guide below to find out more information about timber shingles.
Table of Contents:
- What are cedar roof shingles?
- Benefits of using cedar roof shingles
- How many cedar shingles do I need for my project?
What are cedar roof shingles?
Cedar roofing shingles are a wooden type of shingle. They can complement a range of properties, offering a classic look that can last for decades.
Benefits of using cedar roof shingles
The benefits of cedar roof shingles aren’t limited to appearance and environmental properties, but how sustainable they are and more!
Sustainability of cedar shingles
The wood used for the cedar shingles is obtained through sustainable and carefully managed forests. This ensures more trees are planted than processed through sawmills. These types of shingles are a by-product of logs. They’re processed at sawmills, which means little energy is needed to manufacture them; in turn, minimizing the environmental impact of cedar shingles. In fact, cedar shingles have one of the lowest carbon footprints of any building product.
Insulation capabilities of cedar shingles
Wooden shingles are even better at insulation than traditional roofing products, especially cedar shingles. In fact, they have up to double the r-value (resistance to heat flow) than that of bitumen roofing, meaning they can help keep the building warmer in cold seasons; cooler in warm seasons. This can help reduce the energy costs required to keep the building at a comfortable temperature.
Aesthetic benefits of cedar shingles
Cedar shingles create a beautiful appearance when it comes to a roofline. On top of their existing beauty, they can slowly change colour over time with age. Western red style cedar shingles can weather and turn to a natural red-brown colour, while eastern white shingles can weather to a silvery-grey. Ideal if you want them with a stained-style colour moving forward.
Life and durability of cedar shingles
Cedar shingles are exceptionally long-lasting and durable. They can last for over 50 years thanks to the naturally occurring oils cedar has within it, making the wood resistant to decay and insect attacks.
Cedar roofing shingles are also good because of their dimensional stability. They’re flat, relatively straight and able to retain their original dimensions – even in humid conditions! Moisture only has a minimal effect.
How many cedar shingles do I need for my project?
Installing cedar shingles takes a careful amount of planning. The following table, using JB shingles as a prime example, offers a key insight into what information you need prior to installation. JB shingles are supplied in bundles, so coverage will depend on what application you choose for your project.
Note: The minimum pitch for laying cedar shingles is 14° – this can be for cladding and roofing.
| Use | Max. gauge | Coverage | JB-Red 25x38 Battens per m2 | Silicon bronze nails | JB ShingleFix SS staples | Laid weight |
| Roofs 22°-89° | 125mm | 2.28m2 | 8 | 0.08 kg per m2 | 0.035 box | 7.0kg |
| Roofs 4°-21° | 95mm | 1.73m2 | 10.5 | 0.1 kg per m2 | 0.046 box | 9.3kg |
If you would like to find out more about cedar shingles, you can give our team a call for support or use the chat box in the bottom right for quick advice.
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