Scott Landa

Top 5 Reasons to Love Your Cedar Roof

Cedar shake roofs offer lots of reasons to love them.  They are, no doubt, aesthetically appealing, but these roofs are more than just attractive.  

Your Minneapolis roofing contractor has a variety of roof options to choose from.  If you are looking for an aesthetically pleasing option that has a lot going for it, consider cedar.  What is so great about cedar, aside from looks?  Start with these five points.

1.       Stability. 

Cedar has great structural and dimensional stability.  That means it is not going to experience a lot of swelling and shrinkage of your shakes.  Part of the reason for this is that cedar is a low density wood.  If your roof does not shrink and swell it will remain flat, straight, and strongly affixed in place.  Topping the list of advantages of a cedar roof, it will last.  Minneapolis roofing contractors can give you estimates on the life span of different materials, you’ll start seeing what a great choice cedar is when your neighbor has to replace their roof twice in the lifespan of your roof!

2.       Stand up to the elements.

Cedar can stand up to the elements.  This allows cedar roofs to be used in wide range of climates and areas of the country.  These roofs can naturally resist moisture, mold, and rot.  Cedar also naturally repels many insects and the damage they could cause. 

Since cedar is so strong it can reduce damage done from falling hail.  It handles the impact well and pits may actually recover from where a shake or shingle is hit. Its strength and stability is also well suited to handle strong winds.

3.       High insulating factor.

Another of the advantages of cedar is its insulating ability.  This makes cedar a green choice.  It will keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.  This reduces the energy you have to use getting your home to its ideal temperature.  Many other roofing options have poor thermal insulation properties and have to compensate through additional layers and products. 

4.       Cedar’s many finishing options.

Cedar’s pattern of growth, fine texture, and make-up lead to it being an excellent material to take on a wide range of finishes.  What does that mean?  Pattern of growth refers to the bands of wood in the material.  They alternate between a low density lighter colored springwood and a denser darker summer wood.  Springwood accepts finish and paint better, and red wood cedars have more growth in the spring than summer. 

Paint also lasts longer and looks better on fine, or smoother, textured woods. 

There are FOUR different options for finishes on your cedar roof.  You have many options to get the look you want from your cedar roof and have it perform well. 

Your categories for finish options are:  Opaque finishes (paint and solid stain), semi-transparent stains, natural finishes, and oils. 

5.       The look of cedar. 

One of the big advantages of cedar is the appearance!  Cedar offers a wide range of looks.  As already mentioned it takes on a number of finishes very well.  Cedar also uniquely ages.  Your honey or cinnamon colored shingles will slowly age to a nice weathered silver gray.

While some home owners do paint or put a solid color stain on their shakes, many owners of cedar roofs love the aesthetic of wood grains. 

Your Minneapolis roofing contractor can get you started on a cedar roof that we know that you will love!  Great to look at, long lasting cedar can’t be beat. 

Article Tags: Cedar Roof

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