Looking Into Wood Shingle Roofing Installation for a cedar roof in Allegheny County Pennsylvania?
Our team can explain how a wood roof is made and how it ages
Contact us at 412-858-8858 to talk about a wood roof
The Look and the Logic of Wood, Piece by Piece
Each piece is thick at one end and thin at the other, and the overlap is what sheds the rain; wood suits some house styles better than any other covering.
Plenty of Pittsburgh houses from the early and middle twentieth century were roofed in wood, and Tudor, Craftsman and cottage styles still suit it well; a house with a long history often looks right in a material of its own era.
Questions about Wood Shingle Roofing Installation are easier to answer once the roof is photographed from several sides; pictures of the whole roof help.
Sawn, Split and Hand-Finished Wood, Side by Side
Shingles are sawn on both faces, which makes them flat, even and neat, and they go on in tidy, regular courses; some shakes are sawn on one side and split on the other.
Edge-grain wood sheds water and stays flat, while flat-grain wood is more likely to cup, warp and split; ask to see a sample of the pieces before they are ordered.
Some wood shingles are pressure-treated and others are untreated, and the two kinds age at different rates in a damp climate; fire resistance can depend on the underlayment as well as the wood.
Before you decide on Wood Shingle Roofing Installation, ask for the species, the cut and the thickness in writing; ask what the crew does when a bundle looks poor.
Underlayment, Battens and Ventilation: Why It Matters
A roof that cannot dry from below stays damp, and damp wood grows moss, curls and rots long before its time; solid decking needs a separate air channel if it is used.
Underlayment matters under wood too, because wind-driven rain and meltwater can slip between the joints of the shingles and reach the deck; the edge of the roof needs a drip edge or a starter course.
Anyone planning Wood Shingle Roofing Installation should ask what will be done beneath the shingles and how air will move there; bring up any past leaks that you know about.
What a Pittsburgh Winter Does to a Wood Roof: Understanding the Wear
Wood absorbs moisture and releases it again, and in a damp climate the repeated cycle of wetting, freezing and drying slowly wears each piece; spring is the time to look at the damage winter left behind.
Wood roofs show their age in the grain, with some curling and gray weathering expected, while cracks and gaps are the signs that matter; widespread wear usually means a new roof.
Anyone weighing Wood Shingle Roofing Installation should ask how the roof will cope with snow, ice and shade; compare what each proposal says about winter.
Every Edge and Valley Matters: Small Parts, Big Effect
Too many nails, or nails in the wrong place, make a shingle split when it swells and shrinks; streaks below a nail are a sign of a poor choice.
Valleys, ridges, hips, chimneys and skylights all call for metal flashing laid in a way that works with wood and not against it; chimneys and walls call for stepped flashing.
Before you decide on Wood Shingle Roofing Installation, ask how the ridges, hips and chimneys will be finished; details are where roofs are won or lost.
Deciding How Much to Do: a Sensible Approach
A few split, loose or missing shingles can be replaced one at a time, and the new pieces blend in as they weather; zinc or copper strips along the ridge slow moss growth.
A wood roof with widespread decay, repeated leaks or a worn deck has reached the point where a full tear-off is the sensible answer; some owners switch materials once the old roof is off.
Questions about Wood Shingle Roofing Installation should include what the roof will need five years after the work is done; a clear scope prevents surprises later.
From Bare Deck to Finished Ridge, Piece by Piece
A job starts by protecting the yard and the house, stripping the old roof and checking the deck for damage before any wood is laid; weather decides when each step can happen.
The wood is laid in rows beginning at the eaves, every row lapping the one under it and every piece nailed by hand; ask what you will be shown at the end.
- How will the valleys and the eaves be protected, and can you show me?
- What happens at each chimney and wall, and what do owners usually choose?
Simple Upkeep, Season by Season, Without Climbing Up
Trim overhanging limbs so that sun and air can reach the roof, and the wood will dry faster after rain; have someone check the roof after a big storm.
Regular checks and gentle cleaning do more for a wood roof than almost any repair; small repairs done early are easier than big ones done late.
Upkeep is part of any plan for Wood Shingle Roofing Installation, since a well-laid wood roof still needs clear surfaces and an owner who looks now and then; a note on cleaning and trimming is a good thing to receive.
Structure Comes First: Load and Support
Before wood is laid, the rafters and the deck should be checked, since they carry the roof, the wet snow and the wind load together; damp spots in the attic point to leaks that have been going on a while.
A proposal for Wood Shingle Roofing Installation ought to say who checks the rafters and the deck before the first piece of wood goes on; photographs of the attic help a crew plan.
Start the Conversation, Whenever You Are Ready
Choosing and laying wood shingles is a big project, and the quality of the details sets the result; a short conversation will show where to begin.
Call 412-858-8858 to talk about Wood Shingle Roofing Installation in Allegheny County Pennsylvania; we will keep the talk plain and practical.
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