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Our house has machined cedar shakes/shingles as siding. It's no harder to maintain than any other wood siding. Ours is painted versus some houses that are natural, so I don't know if anything special is done to maintain it if it's natural. The only problem is you usually end up destroying them when you remove them if you're doing exterior remodeling. Finding ones that match can be a problem, since companies have gone out of business, but it is possible to find something similar.
It really depends on the shingle or shake it's self and the environment that they are exposed to. I was talking to a renovator in Lewes Delaware about it. I noticed that some of the pre revolutionary houses, churches ETC. still had what I could tell were their original shingle siding. That's over 200 years old. WTF???? Well, I found out that this siding was made from cypress that was mined from swamps where it had laid for hundreds of years. We have many old buildings here in ontario that have Eastern cedar sawed shingles that are over a hundred years old. Now, I have seen houses with western cedar shakes that were completely done, worn out and ugly, that were 20 years old or less.
If they are in the shade it's gonna be a problem for sure as they never dry out well and stuff grows on them they rot and attract insects. I think the capital of the world when it comes to wooden roofs and siding both board and shingle is Vancouver BC. Now, it's a wet environment there and the siding keeps a virtual army of painters busy. They sure are beautiful all painted up and looking good but it's a never ending struggle. My sons who have lived there for many years needed an old easterner like me to point out to them that a lot of the best looking ones were in fact asbestos that looks almost identical to the wooden ones. LOL. I had one house in my time with cedar on it and, Yep, my worst nightmare came true when one day a spark from my neighbours fireplace landed on a shingle. In 10 minutes the whole wall was ablaze. That's the thing I hate most about exterior wood. It burns so easily. These days in Vancouver they are using a wood fiber,concrete board that looks great and will last 100 years. Also it does not burn, rot or any of the other things wood does.
If they are in the shade it's gonna be a problem for sure as they never dry out well and stuff grows on them they rot and attract insects.
I would assume that's only in humid wet places. In Southern California, up in the mountains, lots of the old cabins have cedar shingles, and there's no problem. Cedar is actually a great building material - since it repels some insects.
My huge ant (mentioned in another thread) had shingles. It is very painful. You should get your house treated by a doctor. At least give it some advil.
(Shingle houses are usualy quite beautiful right up until someone rpleaces the shingles with aluminum siding or soemthing equally awful looking). Iff you love the look then just maintain it and they shingles will nto give you problems. Keeping wup wihtthe maintainence is the key. If you let things go, it will be a mess and expensive. If you take care of the shingles,, you whould nto have any major problems and you house will be uniuqque and really cool looking.
Okay, so your replies definitely give me some things to ask. Thank you. The house is extememly beautiful, it is the most striking looking house on the street.
My huge ant (mentioned in another thread) had shingles. It is very painful. You should get your house treated by a doctor. At least give it some advil.
(Shingle houses are usualy quite beautiful right up until someone rpleaces the shingles with aluminum siding or soemthing equally awful looking). Iff you love the look then just maintain it and they shingles will nto give you problems. Keeping wup wihtthe maintainence is the key. If you let things go, it will be a mess and expensive. If you take care of the shingles,, you whould nto have any major problems and you house will be uniuqque and really cool looking.
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