Wood Shake Roofing - LeakMaster Roofing and Waterproofing Experts

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WOOD SHAKES* From the manufacturer's website / brochure:

hawaii roofers

CERTI-SPLIT® HANDSPLIT AND RESAWN SHAKES

Certi-Split® Handsplit Number 1 Grade
hawaii roofers These shakes have split faces and sawn backs. Cedar logs are first cut into desired lengths. Blanks or boards of proper thickness are split and then run diagonally through a bandsaw to produce two tapered shakes from each blank. Available in Premium Grade or Number 1 Grade.

Certi-Split® Tapersplit Shakes
hawaii roofers Produced by hand, using a sharp bladed steel froe and a mallet. The natural shingle-like taper is achieved by reversing the block, end-for-end, with each split. Premium Grade only.

Certi-Split® Straight-Split Shakes
Produced by machine or in the same manner as tapersplit shakes except that by splitting from the same end of the block, the shakes acquire the same thickness throughout. Premium Grade only.

CERTI-GUARD® PRESSURE IMPREGNATED FIRE RETARDANT TREATED CEDAR SHAKES AND SHINGLES

Permanent fire protection is provided by pressure impregnating fire retardant polymers into the innermost cells of cedar shakes and shingles to meet Class A, B and C testing standards.

Please note: Certi-LabelT products are available with either pressure impregnated preservative treatment(Certi-Last®) or pressure impregnated fire-retardant treatment (Certi-Guard®) but not both.

CERTI-LAST® PRESSURE IMPREGNATED PRESERVATIVE TREATED RED CEDAR SHAKES AND SHINGLES

Long term protection from fungal decay is provided with factory pressure impregnated treatment of preservatives that will extend the life of cedar shake and shingle roofs. Material warranties on the preservative treatment are available from the treatment manufacturers.

* The product information and images above were all resourced from the manufacturer's published information.
For updates and changes visit: www.cedarbureau.org

LeakMaster's Opinion

Wood Shake has lost market share over the years for a number of reasons: it's costly, flammable, and needs to be maintained over time. However, it is can be an excellent choice if you do it right.

Here's our checklist:
1. Choose the best grade of shake you can afford and make sure it is pre-treated with a wood preservative before it's installed. It's definitely worth the slight extra cost. I have observed factory treated shakes for 29 years and they seem to last about a third longer than untreated shakes.
2. Always use stainless steel fasteners. All the others rust out quickly because the wood retains moisture like a sponge.
3. Most of the artificial shake replacements, except for metal shakes, have failed miserably through out the years even when backed by big corporations. Don't be the first kid on the block to buy a new shake substitute. My rule of thumb: wait until the Manufacturer can take you to a roof with at least 7 years of Hawaiian weather behind it. Then LeakMaster can examine it closely and start to make some educated guesses on how long it may last.
4. Replace any wood shakes that blow off quickly, even if your roof isn't leaking. That keeps the sun from burning up the waterproof felt below, and saves you big money down the road.