Cedar Shingles An Eco Friendly Roof Solution You Might Not Know About 

Picking a roofing material for your property comes down to more than just pure aesthetics. Newer constructions still need a solution that intertwines multiple factors, such as environmental sustainability, endurance, performance, and architectural design, to ensure that the roof lasts for a many years. Cedar shingles are a solution which meets all the aforementioned criteria, and yet is drastically underutilised in the UK compared to the more traditional options.  

Shingles are an extremely versatile, durable and lightweight roofing material that, for many centuries, has been proven to offer remarkable aesthetics and performance.  

Cedar shingles still offer a number of advantages, even with the shift in societal norms and the changing world. The Western red cedar is harvested from British Columbia, which is home to rigorously government-controlled managed forests. British Columbia has a large forest owned by the government, in which all harvesting activities must comply with the Forest and Range Practices Act.

Each shipment is PEFC or FSC certified and tracked to specific forests where more trees are planted than harvested. Cedar shingles, unlike environmentally costly factory-made roofing materials, are one of the lowest embodied energy roofing materials because they are simply sawed from sustainably grown wood. 

Unbelievably, one of the best things about cedar is that is that it is water and insect resistant and does not decay. The heartwood is free of preservatives and chemical treatment. This is important in the UK, especially where there is consistent and prolonged moisture. 

Installed properly, cedar shingles can last between 30 to 50 years, but there are some installations that can last over 60 years. This matches or better’s the majority of historic materials but is better from the environmental impact of chemical preservatives or the visual impact from synthetic materials. The wood’s innate durability does not rely on surface coatings that are prone to erosive elements that deteriorate over time.

Cedar shingles are easier to keep in shape than any other types. They do not warp, twist, or split like other materials. This makes them useful, because other materials wouldn’t be able to keep moisture sealed for long. This makes them very useful in the long term because of the changing moisture and temperatures every season.

Performance in Practical Situations

Cedar shingles have qualities of both beauty and durability, and also offer actual performance advantages. Durable wood naturally insulates which enables controlled temperatures, and allows for lower energy costs. The wood’s cellular construction provides better thermal insulation than the slates, tiles, or metals of similar thickness.  

The other rational argument is weight. The reduced structural load requirements of the light weight wood is a major benefit. Cost effective structural specifications can be used in new buildings which permit the use of lighter roofing, and in restoration projects in which existing roof frames cannot support the heavier roofing materials.  

In skilled hands, installation is a bit tricky. Shingles can be planned in such a way that they can be fitted to match and trim any of the following architectural works that are not easily reachable with mass produced material: detailing, dormers and valleys. They cannot just be left to the hands of untrained novices.  

The demands of ongoing maintenance are honestly not complicated in our experience. Other materials may require the periodic treatment of sections that have succumbed to damage, but the cedar roof relies simply on the clearing of valleys and gutters of any debris. The natural attributes of the wood take care of the rest. This allows the periodic inspections

Cost Considerations and Long-Term Value

When looked at in terms of initial cost, cedar shingles are more expensive than standard felt and asphalt, which situates them in the middle to upper range of shingles. Regardless of this, calculations on value must include the fundamental premise of life cycle cost and not only acquisition cost.

The lightweight of cedar shingles also saves on the foundation and total structure of the new building which offsets some of the cost premium of the building materials. The signature beauty of a cedar roof also enhances property value and marketability in a particular area. Particularly, where these attributes sell the home quickly and easily.

Cedar shingles are available in a variety of profiles and lengths which all have different specified technical and appearance standards. Standard shingles are usually between 400 to 600mm and the width measures between 75 to 350mm. The shadow lines which give cedar roofs their unique texture are provided by tapered shingles.

Exposure is the major factor that determines the visibility of every shingle and shingle appearance in terms of weatherability. The type of roof and desired appearance determines the standard exposure which with maximums of 125 to 190mm. with a steep roof there is a tip that goes higher and vice versa to the shallower roofs which tip that goes lower. The overlap is the conservative overlap which is necessary for weather protection.

The Environment’s Choice 

In a world now where we are becoming more green conscious, the cedar shingles presents a genuinely viable option in many ways. The process itself is entirely renewable, and being “carbon sequestering”, biodegradable, and requires very little processing. The finish is also natural because it does not require chemical enhancement and does not weather in an appalling manner, and can also be sourced from certified and sustainably forested regions. 

To the developers, individual builders and architects, who wants to reduce impact to the environment without losing performance or beauty; cedar shingles has to be more than a passing thought. It is a reversion to simple and worth the “traditional” materials complimented by the modern knowledge of sustainable forestry and best practice in installation.

Summary: When to use cedar shingles

Though cedar shingles won’t fit every roofing need, in some situations, they are ideal. These include:

• ·      Properties in woodland or rural locations where the aged look integrates with the environment
• ·      Modern buildings wanting natural products with true character
• ·      Eco-sensitive designs utilising eco-materials and with eco-credentials
• ·      Restoration of period buildings, particularly those needing period-appropriate cedar.
• ·      Proposals with complex roof shapes where some versatility in the material is required

The initial investment demands confidence in long-term thinking, but for those willing to look beyond the immediate price tag, cedar shingles offer a combination of sustainability, durability, and beauty that few roofing materials can match.

Benchmark Timber provides premium-grade Western red cedar shingles in addition to our full range of cedar cladding products, with identical focus on excellence, sustainability, and expert guidance. From full roof installation to researching material selection for your project, we're equally well positioned to provide specification, profile, and quantity guidance to suit aesthetic ambition and practical functionality.

We source the the very best timber and machine this to exacting standards.  to see our full range of products vist our home page here        

Contact us on 01494 980 145 were one of our team will be happy to discuss your requirements  or Click Here to send us an enquiry.