Planning Wood Shingle Roofing Installation in North Huntingdon Pennsylvania?
The team at The Roofing Company can explain how a wood roof is made and how it ages
Dial 412-858-8858 to talk about a wood roof
What a Wood Shingle Roof Is: Appearance and Character
Wood roofing is built from thin, tapered pieces of rot-resistant wood that overlap in rows, so rain passes from each piece to the one below it, down to the eaves; the grain of the wood gives the roof a look that other materials imitate.
Wood suits the steep gables, curved eaves and small dormers that are common on older houses; 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; mention the style of the house when you call.
Sawn, Split and Hand-Finished Wood, Side by Side
A sawn shingle has two smooth faces and a taper, so it lays flat and gives the roof a crisp, uniform pattern; thicker pieces are heavier and cost more effort to handle.
Grade, grain and length vary within each type, and the strongest pieces are cut with the grain running straight along the length; knots and sapwood are weaker places.
Fire resistance depends on the product and the way it is installed, and it is worth asking what a given roof offers; ask for the treatment details in writing.
A thorough proposal for Wood Shingle Roofing Installation describes the product and how it is laid, course by course; samples are easy to request.
The Layers Beneath the Wood: Why It Matters
Open sheathing and battens let air move under the shingles, which helps each piece dry after rain and snow; a vented ridge keeps the air moving.
Snow and ice put the most stress on eaves and valleys, and these spots are given extra layers on a good roof; ask what goes under the wood at the eaves.
Before you settle on Wood Shingle Roofing Installation, find out what will happen if the old deck is damaged; photographs of the open deck are a useful record.
Cold, Wet and Slowly Aging: What Happens Up There
Snow melts on a warm roof and refreezes at the eaves, and the ice can lift shingles and push meltwater under the wood; sunny slopes dry quickly and age differently from shaded ones.
Individual shingles can split along the grain, and a split piece in the wrong spot lets a trickle of water through; a crew should explain which signs are cosmetic and which are serious.
Questions about Wood Shingle Roofing Installation should include what the crew does to keep the roof dry through the wet months; a straight answer will mention airflow and underlayment.
What Holds Wood Shingles in Place, One Detail at a Time
Each piece is held by two nails, driven so the heads sit flush and do not crush the wood, and the nails themselves should not rust; nail heads that stand proud will wear through the layer above.
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.
Anyone comparing proposals for Wood Shingle Roofing Installation should look for the details of the work, not just the wood; details are where roofs are won or lost.
Deciding How Much to Do: a Sensible Approach
Spot repairs on a wood roof are practical when most of it is sound, since single pieces can be swapped out without redoing the rest; zinc or copper strips along the ridge slow moss growth.
When most pieces are curled, cracked, thin or soft, replacement is usually more sensible than patching; the crew should say what it expects the deck to look like.
Any proposal for Wood Shingle Roofing Installation should say what happens if damage is discovered under the old surface; ask for each option written separately.
How a Wood Roof Is Laid: What to Expect
Preparation includes setting up safe access, laying out the courses and marking the lines for the first rows; the deck is checked for gaps and rot.
After the deck is ready, the courses go on from the eaves upward, each one overlapping the row below with the joints staggered; ask what you will be shown at the end.
- What shape is the deck in today, and how will I know it is right?
- What happens at each chimney and wall, and what happens if something goes wrong?
Small Habits That Extend a Wood Roof, Without Climbing Up
Clearing the roof of leaves and trimming back overhanging limbs lets sun and air dry the wood after rain; keep gutters clear so water does not back up at the edge.
Keep a simple log of what you find, with dates and photographs, so a roofer can see how things changed; small repairs done early are easier than big ones done late.
Any plan for Wood Shingle Roofing Installation should say how moss and damp will be handled; a roof that is looked after tends to cause fewer problems.
Structure Comes First: What to Check
Wet snow adds a great deal of load on top of the roof itself, and framing that has sagged or cracked is a warning sign; damp spots in the attic point to leaks that have been going on a while.
Wood is lighter than tile or slate, though a wet snowfall adds weight that the framing has to carry without sagging; low pitches may need a different underlayment.
Let Us Look at Your House, and Plan It Properly
Wood on a roof ages and changes with the seasons, which makes the decision to choose it one that deserves some care; bring your questions and any photographs of the roof.
Contact us at 412-858-8858 to go over Wood Shingle Roofing Installation for your roof; bring your questions and we will go through them.
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