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Cedar Roof Shakes Needs Replaced, What To Use? Eastern White Cedar? Western Red Cedar?

Hi folks, this is my 1st post to this forum... I hope I can behave myself. Let me know if I ramble on too long...

Two years ago my wife and I bought our retirement home, a 1970's 1850sq   2-3 BR 2 bath home on 300+ feet of lakefront. It's currently rented out as we would like to expand the size of the bedrooms and raise the ceiling and add a bay window to the lakeside to be able to read in a window seat of some sort.

So 3 weeks ago we had some big winds, and a 75' 24" diameter pine tree snapped off 8' above the grade, and one of the trunks landed on the roof, and the other trunk on the cedar hedge.

It was very cold, 10f, and after to exorbitant quotes, a naybor who's a logger came over and cut the tree down and rolled the trunk off the roof. We cleaned up the mess, gave the logs away, and now we've decided to claim the damage on our landlord ins.

The roof is red cedar shakes I believe, and is pretty soft. I had an employee shove some cedar shims to patch the holes and damage, but this is only temporary.

My question is should I use western red cedar? The local lumber yard stocks western red shakes for $185 sq, and I have some pix of it and a video. It's 3/8" to 3/4". Or as this web site promotes eastern white cedar? The eastern stuff is $650 a square (100 sq ft).

http://www.dowseasternwhiteshingles.com/about.asp

Here is their price quote...

Roof Grade sawn smooth 5/8" x 18" with a 6" exposure , cost per/sq $350.00 per/sq

 

Roof Grade sawn smooth 3/4" x 18" with a 6" exposure, cost per/sq $450.00 per/sq

 

Roof Grade hand-split 3/4" x 18" with a 6" exposure, cost per/sq $550.00 per/sq

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Permalink Reply by Dave R on February 26, 2013 at 10:55am

There are products you might want to consider in your climate.... METAL

There is NO WAY I would ever put that product on my roof. PLUS your Sqft price's are off the map!

Dave

Permalink Reply by CORVAIRWILD on February 26, 2013 at 11:27am

Sorry, there's no metal going on this house! It's a 100% wood house, well there are ceramic tiles... And IMO metal roofs don''t look good on 1 story houses. this roof has been on for prolly 20 years, maybe 30, don't know, bought from estate... But I don't know why the local white cedar is so much higher than the western red

Permalink Reply by shanny on February 26, 2013 at 8:43pm

Size is the factor in larger white cedar shingles and shakes.  Its harder to get large white cedar logs (they grow slow), and also very few quality mills left (Dow is one of the last in Maine). Dow produces a really good product. So you kind of get what you pay for on some things.

White cedar was a traditional product on the coast whereas red cedar was inland and forest, according to some of the old time architects.

I have seen some of the cypress hand splits for well over 1K a square online.

Red cedar is the traditional wood roof and this is what most people probably use.

Red cedar is harder than white cedar. 

I have also seen yellow cedar / western cypress, which is supposed to be even harder.

Permalink Reply by shanny on February 26, 2013 at 9:20pm
Permalink Reply by shanny on February 26, 2013 at 8:56pm

You could also check out white oak shakes...they last a long time...but are pricey too;

http://www.woodroof.com/cat306_1.htm

Permalink Reply by CORVAIRWILD on February 26, 2013 at 10:09pm

I'll email the various manufacturers this week, I'm very busy w work, so I try stay off the phone, conversations can get lengthy...

We've also hire a public adjuster to fend for us. For those not familiar, a Public Adjuster is like the inc co's adjuster, except they work for us, and get around 10% of the settlement. I think it's a good idea as the ins co is experienced at this, so why shouldn't we?

We had a claim 5 years ago, and the offer went from under $10,000 to around $40,000. the settlement took 1.5 years, but we didn't need the money like I guess some people do, and I told the adjuster to check our credit score to understand that making us a fast cash offer wasn't going to tempt us. I'm going Off Topic, but just don't have faith. On the other hand I've spoken w a couple of folks who have gotten well compensated for legit losses...

Permalink Reply by shanny on February 27, 2013 at 9:30am

If I am not mistaken Martha Stewart used Dow heavies on her home in Bar Harbor (if I recall).

I used red cedar perfection sidewall shingles on parts of my place.  On my other place white cedar. The white cedar is softer.

I love wood shingled roofs, but I also love good metal roofs as well.  Some of the standing seam roofs are very historic and last a long time, and might be better on a low pitched roof in northern climates (Ice damming etc.)...but it is personal preference.

You have a beautiful spot.

As you know, some of the older seasonal summer places were not very well insulated and were closed up during the winter so they did not have to contend with winter problems that might have occurred.  If you are going to raise the ceiling in the structure, and do roof work anyway if might be time to investigate doing a built up insulated roof?  Although quite an expense, if it is going to be your full time retirement residence, it will increase the home efficiency (putting a heavy insulated cap on the top of the home).

I am sure some of the pros can offer their opinions on wood roofs etc. once they check in on this post.

http://www.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief19.htm

Permalink Reply by shanny on February 27, 2013 at 9:40am

I really like the painted rustic / rusted metal roofing which is really big out west...but is not available on the East Coast (unless you infer large shipping cost).  I could not afford the price though...very expensive.  Corten AZP very nice...very heavy gauge. 

Again it is a personal preference thing.

http://www.paintedrustedroofing.com/

Permalink Reply by CORVAIRWILD on February 28, 2013 at 12:54am

I didn't mean to diss all metal roofs, I just was thinking the typical inexpensive ridged panels. Standing seam is spectacular, and I put one on a porch I redid a few years ago. I had the (galvanised) pans made locally, and did the job with my (now deceased) contractor. The roof is barely visible behind my trucks. I'll try find a better pix

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Permalink Reply by shanny on February 28, 2013 at 8:32am

Very nice.

Permalink Reply by CORVAIRWILD on February 28, 2013 at 1:02am

Thx for the nice comments, her's more pix of the house. It's on a nice 2.5 acre lot, but the loaction is a so-so spot, with a well traveled road at the edge of the property. No paradise I guess...

View towards lake, and turned camera looking back at house. the tree fell on the opposite side, on the bedrooms. This is the garage & kitchen. And taken from street side, garage is drive thru, like a car wash

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Permalink Reply by shanny on February 28, 2013 at 8:43am

Very pretty spot and nice house.

Is it all clapboard sided?

You can get 24" RC hand splits a lot cheaper (as Tim said).  From what I heard RC is down in price so a good time to do it. 

I think the issue with the WC is getting AA clear quality material of that size (5/8" plus) takes some time, and there just are not many shingle mills left.

Years ago there were many.

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