Why Cedar Shakes Are Superior

Cedar shakes make a statement. Cedar shakes look great, feel good, last for ages and are environmentally beneficial. Cedar shakes have been used as a building and roofing material in the United States for more than 175 years. Cedar shakes add high aesthetic beauty. They are a dependable, reliable and often misunderstood commodity.

To help consumers fully understand the wide array of cedar building materials and their benefits, an independent third party rating system called the Cedar Shake - Shingle Bureau was created. This body arrives at mills for unannounced inspection visits, checks that products meet applicable grading and safety standards and lends overall credibility and stability to the cedar marketplace. There are more than 100 cedar products currently used in residential and commercial building applications.

The grading standards for cedar shakes are stringent. Mills that participate in the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau put quality and safety first. This commitment to excellence is just one of the factors that makes cedar shakes one of the most durable and prestigious of all building materials.

Cedar shakes are wooden shingles that are derived from splitting the wood log. Cedar shakes are less uniform in thickness than shingles. Sometimes cedar shakes are grooved and they usually have a taper. Cedar shakes are split then sawn to create the taper and in order to create a flat side which is the side later attached to the frame. Cedar shakes can be used on roofs as well as on sidewalls.

Premium grade cedar shakes are made of clear heartwood and are 100% edge grain. Number 1 grade cedar is also made of clear heartwood but has a maximum edge grain of 20%. The two most popular thicknesses of cedar shakes are the heavy and medium thicknesses. The term 'perfection' is used to describe the length of the shake not the quality of the heartwood. Perfection shakes are always long and come in four different grades.

* Blue Label - 100% heartwood, 100% edge and with no defects. Blue Label shakes are flawless.

* Red Label - 66% heartwood. Red label shakes have a limited number of knots, some sapwood and a few defects.

* Black Label - clear heartwood about 50% of the shake. Black label shakes have a limited number of defects and knots.

* Undercoursing - Not suitable for exterior of homes but often used as the rake or starter strip for a cedar roof.

Cedar shakes not only add value to the property but they are a sustainable green application that reflects responsible environmental awareness. Green, sustainable building practices have so many benefits for the environment, for the community and for the residents that the demand for cedar shakes has never been higher. Cedar shakes reduce energy use and minimize pollution. Cedar is a renewable source and is biodegradable.

Whether cedar shakes are used for roofing or for siding, today's advanced technology offers ultra violet protectors and protectors that greatly improve the water resiliency of the cedar shakes. Most of the evolving cedar protective products are also green products. Those construction workers who used cedar 175 years ago would be awed by the positive changes to the cedar shake product lines.

Cedar shakes not only make the home look natural and beautiful but they provide environmental benefits while packing added value to the home. Add the convenient fact that if a shake becomes damaged, only that shake need be replaced and it is easy to see that once homeowners live in a cedar shake home, they stay with cedar homes.