There is a difference between wooden shakes and wooden shingles. Shingles are machine-cut and have a tidy, uniform look. Shakes are split by hand. Because of this, they make your roof look attractively rustic. Natural shakes and shingles are made of wood that bears up well under the weather. These woods include cedar, redwood, cypress and some species of pine or oak. These natural materials do come with differing textures, and if their color palette isn’t very wide, it still encompasses different shades. The colors can range from black to deep mahogany brown to beige/pink. This diversifies the look of a roof made of natural wood shakes.
Newer types of shakes can be synthetic or made of composite materials. This not only lets them last longer before they need to be replaced, but the latest technology allows them to have the textures, colors and other benefits found in natural wood.
Realistic Finishes
In the past, synthetic wood shakes gave themselves away by a glossy sheen that had an unnatural look. Today’s finishes mimic the matte finish of natural wood. Older synthetic shakes also had identical grain patterns and came in the same width. Now the grain patterns and sizes can be different enough from each other to give your roof a more realistic look.
Colors That Won’t Fade or Weather
Though it’s possible to dye synthetic shakes any color of the rainbow, there are homeowners who want the color of their roofs to be close to that of natural wood. Some people opt for the beautiful silver color of aged cedar shakes. Others want the reddish-brown color of a freshly sawn redwood shake. The great benefit of these colors on a synthetic shake is that they won’t change over time. Since newer shakes are resistant to ultraviolet radiation, they also won’t develop that chalky residue that occurs when the paint breaks down due to UV exposure.
Visual Texture
Shakes made of real wood came with thick bottoms, or butts, because they were hand-split. This left them in the shape of a wedge. It made the shakes very durable, allowed them to shed rain and snow and kept the house warmer in the winter. They also improved the visual texture of the roof by casting heavy shadows that gave the roof its distinctive look. New synthetic shakes now come with the thick bottoms of real wood shakes. This brings all the benefits without the inevitable deterioration that attends natural wood.
Wood shakes have always given roofs a unique look. Now, with different textures and tones, they are truly extraordinary. If you live in Amarillo, TX or a surrounding area and need roof replacement services, make your first call to Texas Plains Contractors.
