Wood is used less and less, but it is still among the most attractive roofing materials, appreciated by many homeowners. Wooden roofing materials come in two basic forms: shakes and shingles. For the inexperienced eye, the two might look quite similar, but in fact there are many important differences between the two.
According to a seasoned Fort Collins roofer, these are the main differences:
- The distinctive features of wood shingles – single wood shingles in a batch are cut from the same piece of wood, therefore they feature a smooth, uniform appearance across the entire roof. They are manufactured with machines, which only ensures more uniformity;
- The distinctive features of wood shakes – shakes are also manufactured with machines, but the technology is more complex, adding a special texture that makes the shakes look as if they were split by hand on one side and smooth on the other. Shakes are different from shingles in terms of thickness – they are much thicker, much bulkier than shingles, which confers wood shake roofs a distinctive appearance.
Wood shakes and shingles are also similar in many ways, one of the most important similarities being the availability of three types of grains: edge grain, that offers the highest level of durability and strength; flat grain, that is cheaper, but also more fragile and slash grain, the cheapest variety that also comes with less attractive appearance.