The Evolution of Wood Shingles

Wood was used for all construction purposes from the early days of American settlement in the 17th century. Wood shingles - lightweight and simple to install - have largely kept their popularity for the centuries to follow. New wood shingles can be designed in different patterns, shapes, sizes and exposure lengths to fit with English, German, Dutch and other styles. With wooden shingles each building looks unique.


History of Wood Shingles

The wood that was used in the past was usually the wood found in the region the home was built. This dependency on local woods contributed to the variety of wood shingles, as did the hand-techniques of using only the inner, heartwood section of the logs for better quality wood, smoothing the wood shingle pine on a shaving horse to make them fit evenly on the roof. Only later, with steam-powered saw mills, did wood shingles become more uniform. This is the time that Carpenter and Queen Anne architectural styles developed. Even though wood shingles are flammable and other roof shingles are widely available, wooden shingles have remained with us to this day. Today’s undressed wood shingles, their rough surface looking historic, are in fact a modern style.

Wood Shingles and Shakes

Wood shingles that are rough and rustic are called shakes. They come in varying sizes and lengths of 16, 18 and 24 inches. Nailing wood shingles is done in a way that enables air circulation, while shakes are laid so that they form a tight surface. Both methods are devised to assure durability and resist decay. Treatment of wood shingles and shakes can slow down natural weathering processes, though expect a 1/4 inch or more to be lost over the period of a century. Wood shingles and shakes alike can be installed over previous layers of asphalt shingles or wood shingles. Furthermore, wood shingle roof repair is made simpler this way.

Cedar Shake Roofing

Cedar is an outstanding insulating material, and can help lower heating and cooling costs more efficiently than metal or asphalt roofs. Roof cedar is resistant to high winds, and does not add excessive weight to the structure of the home. Cedar shingles and shakes have been used for hundreds of years and already proved their durability in all kinds of climates. Its’ rich, warm color and texture blend strikingly in any normal environment.

Advantages OF Seamless Gutter

These gutters have less seams and probable leakage points than other rain gutters, as they are formed from one continuous roll. Seamless gutter means there are no joints to leak.Seamless gutters are a marketing term used to describe a specific method of rain gutter installation.

Gutter is a narrow trough or duct which collects rainwater from the roof of a building and diverts it away from the structure, typically into a drain.The gutters on any home are absolutely integral to keeping everything safe, dry and in proper working order. The benefits of gutter are:

• Safeguard your Expensive Landscape. If you have unguttered roof, the plants, flowers, mulch and soil situated under the drip line of the roof can suffer from the water runoff. This runoff can result in a watering condition that could permit harmful fungus to develop as well as attracts the ants, roaches and termites.
• Keep Away from Staining of Masonry and Siding. Rainwater releasing off an unguttered roof will hit the ground with ample force to cause a splash back. Within the splash back are dirt, grass and minerals that end up on the exterior of your home. Over a short period of time, a stain appears that can be difficult to remove or hide.
• Avoid Foundation Problem. The expansion and contraction of the soil that surrounds your home is the number one reason for slab failure. After a period of rainy weather, the soil around the perimeter of your home expands as it becomes saturated with moisture. A dry, hot summer following the rain can cause the soil around your foundation to contract and pull away. As this cycle repeats, support to the foundation can be compromised leading to cracked masonry as well as sticking doors and windows. A properly designed and installed gutter system helps keep the soil surrounding your home at a consistent moisture level by directing roof run off safely away from your house.

There are different types of gutter. One of the types is seamless gutter. Seamless gutter means there are no joints to leak.Seamless gutters are a marketing term used to describe a specific method of rain gutter installation. These gutters have less seams and probable leakage points than other rain gutters, as they are formed from one continuous roll. Traditional gutters use aluminum pieces, which are attached on site and have visible seams. Now the benefits of seamless gutter are:

• With no seams except at the corners you can be sure that there will be no leaks.
• Seamless guttering provides a more uniform appearance.
• With continuous gutters, the number of seams is drastically reduced, and the few that remain (downspout outlets and gutter corners) are securely fastened in place and sealed with a high-quality water sealant to minimize the possibility of leaks.
• Minimize the amount of maintenance you need to perform every season. Routine cleaning is still required, but the time spent on your ladder will be greatly reduced by not having to reapply caulk to all the seams along the sectional gutter runs in addition to cleaning them.
• Help to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home’s exterior.
• Seamless systems also replace inefficient and unsightly spike and ferrule hangers to instead use several hidden brackets. The brackets attach to the roof, under the shingles, to provide superior strength and offer a very clean look.
• Formed on the job for exact measurements
• Seamless guttering offers a smooth look from end to end and many installers use stronger brackets to attach the gutters, making the entire system more durable.

Although they're called "seamless," this type of gutter does, in fact, have a few seams -- it's just that there are no horizontal joints. Most of the roofing contractors are likely to recommend seamless gutter.