Wood Shingles

Wood shingles were very common in the earlier days of North American home exterior. It cannot be discounted that most abundant construction material during those times was wood. There were trees everywhere. And almost all parts of the tree were turned into something useful in the house.

Making wood shingles then was a little painstaking. There were little tools to use and few hands to help. Yet wood shingles were easy to fix since they were not heavy. While most of the European houses were roofed with cement tiles, houses in the new world were cooled with wood roofing.

When settlers form Scandinavia, Germany, Denmark and Great Britain began to populate the North American continent, the wood shingles have started to get some fresh look. These roofing materials were made durable using special coatings. Sizes and lengths varied greatly and new designs were formed.

Wood shingles were definitely a good home exterior on the old houses of America. They looked beautifully since they were finely textured. There were arranged and installed elegantly. The dimensions of the earliest wood singles were quite offbeat. A piece of the single could extend up to 36 inches, could be as wide as 8 inches and could go as thin as three quarters of an inch.

The axe and the hammer were the only tools that were used to cut trees into flat boards. It was a meticulous task to shape wooden planks into nicely cut shingles since manual cutting resulted to uneven and asymmetrical shapes.

Production of mass wood shingles was radically changed with the introduction of steam-driven wood saw. Since then supplies of wood shingles were no longer limited and labor intensiveness was reduced. The new mechanical technology created a more even, more symmetrically shaped, and smoother wood shingles.

Competition was seen in the dawn of the 20th century when homeowners were looking for alternative roofing materials. Metal roof was introduced and was relatively lighter in weight. In some places were trees were limited and woodcutting was restricted, clay and cement tiles were used. In the course of the 20th century, use of wood shingles concentrated on country homes.

Wood shingles were still used and even the traditional and manual cutting of wood shingles were still made. Even at the turn of the 21st century homes have started to look back at the classic and cultural appeal of wood shingles.

The red cedar is a common source of durable and neat looking wood shingles. Pine trees are also good source of wood roofing materials however cedar trees turn out to be a good choice since it is not prone to bug damage.

The wood shake shingles are now a popular roofing option for modern homes due to its rural appeal and rough texture. Size variations of modern wood shingles are offered in sixteen, eighteen or twenty four inches in width.

Wood shingles are elegant to look at. But weathering and constant wear and tear brought about by weather changes can spoil wood roof. There are a few guidelines when one needs to replace damaged wood shingles.

Purchase only the best and high-grade wood shingles from the nearest lumber store. It is best to ask help from someone to aid the replacing task. For safety purposes, provide one self with harness to prevent slipping and falling caused by the damaged shingles. Carefully unnail the damaged shingles. Clean and clear the underlying space of the damaged shingles before overlap-piling the replacement ones. The shingles must fit exactly where the old ones were. The color difference will soon fade to match the texture and shade of the older shingles. Then finish off the job by appropriately nailing the wood shingles in place.

In places where humidity level is higher and precipitations are frequent, it is best to always check the shingles of their condition before the wet season starts. Even a small break or crack will cause leaking eventually. Always use a ladder and ask assistance when checking your roof.