Top 3 Things You Need to Know About Cedar Shakes

Cedar shakes might be an unfamiliar name to you when it comes to your home's exterior roofing and siding materials. Chances are you know about the cozy smell of cedar furniture but are not too familiar with its use as a siding option. Here's what you need to know to decide if it is right for you.

1. Cedar Shakes Benefits

Cedar is a softwood that boasts a low density. This means that it has a cell structure that is open, making it lighter and easier to handle for siding crews. Its open cell structure also makes it ideal as an insulating material as well because of the reduction in heat that is allowed to move through the wood. This means that heat stays inside the house during the winter and cool air remains during the warmer months. Due to its structure, cedar shakes are also a natural acoustic and provide a sound buffer between the outside noises and what you can hear inside your house.

2. Stylistically Speaking

Of course, the above benefits are important ones to know about when considering cedar shakes as a roofing material. For most people, though, the most important element when making their choice is going to be the style. Cedar shakes -- sometimes called cedar shingles or cedar siding by some people or contractors -- is available in an array of different colors and textures. Because it has such a warm look to it, cedar shakes provide the ideal method of obtaining a natural look for the exterior of your home, allowing it to blend in more easily with its surroundings. Cedar shakes offers a tongue and groove pattern that is complemented by a bevel with a wavy edge. When it is stained, it still has the grain of cedar but offers an expanded array of design options for the exterior of your home.

3. Maintaining Cedar Shakes

Because cedar shakes has properties that are naturally anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, it is safe to have leave it untreated without fearing that it could crack, warp, rot or become infested by insects. Over time, cedar shakes will start to have a weathered look that makes it look even warmer and more cozy through the years.

Need help deciding if cedar shakes are the right choice for your home and design preferences? Let the professionals at Key Prime Roofing help you figure out the right option.