Cedar Roof Preservation: What to Review and Tips
Wood shakes or shingles of any kind make for a non-traditional and aesthetically appealing roof. Cedar is among the most popular, recognized for its beautiful reddish hue, and celebrated for its durability and resistance to the elements. The material has been a popular choice in architecture throughout American history and can also serve as a more durable replacement for the original wood associated with many historical properties.
While cedar is long-lasting, preservation and maintenance can be complicated and even more involved when a historic building is at stake. If you're considering replacing or restoring a cedar roof, follow these tips as you begin the process.
Determine the Age of Your Roof
A cedar roof lasts 30 to 50 years, so determining your roof's age is a critical first step. A cedar roof that hasn't been well-maintained may need replacement after 30 years. If it has had proper care, it can last 50 years or more. If at 50, your roof is still in good condition, you may consider continuing routine maintenance and selective shingle replacement.
Knowing the age of the roof is also essential for maintenance. A cedar roof should receive an initial preservative treatment within its first year of installation. If yours hasn't been treated, you can still have a first-time preservative applied after many years. Once the first treatment is applied, a cedar roof will need periodic re-coating every few years.
If you're unsure how old your roof is, here are a few steps you can take:
Perform a visual inspection: Usually, wood shakes and shingles will begin to fade within one year. Western red cedar begins its life anywhere between a light yellow-gold and a deep reddish-brown. With time, it matures to a regal brownish-gray or silver. As it continues to age, the fade can darken and take on a graphite coloration. The amount of wear can also be an indicator of the roof's age. Without proper care, 10 years of weather exposure will result in splitting for one-third to two-thirds of the shakes or shingles. So, if you see a good deal of split shingles, you can estimate the roof is at least ten years or older.
Refer to building documentation: If you bought your house with a cedar shingle roof, you could learn the age from documents you inherited along with the property. You may find service records or building contracts that show when the roof was installed or last maintained. If you're the proud owner of a historic building, your chances of having meticulous documentation of preservation efforts increase.
Ask a preservation specialist: An experienced roof preservation company, like Huber & Associates, will have years of experience inspecting cedar roofs. Our experts can help you find an accurate assessment of your roof's age and condition after speaking with you and examining your roof on foot.
Historic Cedar Roof Preservation
When it comes to properties with historical significance, preservation is crucial. A well-preserved cedar roof will keep the entire building in good condition, preventing leaks and damage from affecting the rest of the structure. Restoration can also maintain the visual appearance of a cedar roof and recreate the shape and installation pattern of the original shingles.
The age and level of wear a roof has can be a deciding factor in whether a roof should be replaced or maintained. If not too widespread, loose or damaged shingles can be replaced individually. If your roof warrants a total replacement, speak with a historical roof preservation specialist to determine the next steps. An expert can inspect the roof and begin to piece together its unique design elements from its current state, old photos and documentation.
Cedar roofs are a beautiful piece of architectural history. The wood has always been prized for its resistance to insects, rot and decay. When restoring a historical building, it's crucial to work with high-quality cedar that can provide strength to the roof and protection to the entire building. At Huber & Associates, we use superior-quality cedar shingles directly from Custom Shingles. Whether you use western red, eastern white or Alaskan yellow cedar, you know you'll receive a durable, long-lasting cedar roof.
Huber & Associates is happy to discuss the best designs and patterns to give your roof an aged look. If your roof has historical significance, it's crucial to ensure a period-correct restoration. The National Preservation Society (NPS) lists several features as top priorities for accurate wood roof preservation:
Texture: While it's not necessary to match the original species, western red cedar is widely available and durable. It can match the texture of many species of wood shakes and shingles. If the original roof is cedar, we recommend sticking to this high-quality wood with natural preservative oils. It can also be an excellent, longer-lasting upgrade for a less sturdy wood roof.
Shape: Matching the shape, size, thickness, width and length of the original shakes and shingles goes a long way in building a faithful recreation of an old wood roof.
Installation pattern: Emulating the amount of overlap, the length of exposure and the hips, ridges and valleys of the roof is crucial.
Decorative features: Looking at documented features, such as the color and exposed nails, will help complete the roof's appearance for the best preservation and restoration possible.
Moving Forward With Your Cedar Roof and Preserving Its Integrity
Once you've replaced or repaired your original cedar roof, ongoing maintenance is essential to keep the roof in shape. While cedar is strong and enduring, it needs regular cleaning and care to keep it in top condition. Most preservationists recommend treating a cedar roof within its first year of installation. An initial coating can help bring out the natural stain within the wood and protect it from moisture. Apply retreatments every few years to maintain the wood's integrity.
The NPS recommends several treatments and coatings:
Revitalizing treatment and sealer: The most crucial treatment to apply regularly is a penetrating stain and a water repellent sealer. These treatments can be either oil or water-based and can boost the wood's color and protect it against moisture damage.
Fire retardant: Some building codes require that wood shingles and shakes have appropriate fireproofing. While fire retardant can be applied every several years to achieve this, the NPS-preferred method is to have a pressure-impregnated wood roofing system. If you work with Custom Shingles' cedar shakes, you can benefit from these superior fireproofing methods and fire ratings.
Fungicide: Natural red cedar has a natural fungicide in the wood cells, and usually doesn't need a fungicide treatment. Certain conditions might warrant a fungicide treatment, including warm, moist environments or regions where certain strains are common.
Besides periodic re-coatings, you should keep your roof clean. While you should avoid power-washing to prevent splitting, have moss and lichen removed to avoid rot and moisture buildup. If you live surrounded by trees, be sure to have overhanging branches trimmed back to limit the threat of fallen limbs.
As your roof ages, you can make it last as long as possible by replacing individual shingles as they become damaged. It can be helpful to buy some extra shingles when you first install or repair your cedar roof, so you will have plenty on hand later on.
Always choose a certified contractor for the maintenance and preservation of cedar roofing. Experts will employ the best techniques and methods to give you a long-lasting roof and keep your property clean and safe in the process. For your safety, avoid climbing onto the roof yourself. Frequent footfalls can also damage wood shingles, and a professional knows how to prevent this damage.
Contact Huber & Associates for Historic Roof Preservation
Huber & Associates is a professional roofing company with over 40 years of experience providing custom solutions and unique roofing designs. We've worked on historical buildings all over the country and can ensure top-quality cedar roofing preservation and maintenance. If you're interested in installing a cedar roof or replacing another roofing material, we can also design and install new cedar roofs.
Contact Huber & Associates to discuss your historic preservation or cedar roof replacement today.