The prolific question that most homeowners and builders pose when they prefer to use a wood roof is: What is the distinction between wood shakes and wood shingles? Although the two terminologies are used interchangeably, they describe two different products that have undergone separate manufacturing procedures, exhibit distinct appearances, have varying longevity, and differ in price.

Becoming aware of these differences will allow you to make a choice that is more in tune with your taste and budget, as well as with the needs of your local climate, as the roofing materials in Canada are subject to heavy snowfall, freeze-thaw processes, and a wildfire threat in certain areas as well.

We are going to deconstruct the nature of each material in this article, so you can know which choice applies the best to your home or cottage.

What Are Wood Shingles?

Wood shingles are accurately milled roofing units which are in the form of a uniform taper. These are usually cut with the help of a saw and are fitted with a smooth finish and with uniform thickness.

Major Attributes of Wood Shingles:

• Machine cut: Shingles in this version were cut in mills and are sawn on both sides, which makes them look refined and clean.

• Even thickness: The average thickness is approximately 3/8-inch thick at the butt (thicker end), and then gradually tapers at the top.

• Fit: Their regularity enables them to be installed more closely, giving a smarter appearance.

• Clean, modern look: It is commonly seen in the suburbs or newer construction to create a clean look.

Popular woods used in shingles are cedar, redwood, and pine, although the Western Red Cedar is quite popular in Canadian roofing applications because of its inherent resistance to rot and insects.

What are wood shakes?

Wood shakes are either hand split or machine split and they have more textured, rugged appearance. They are usually thick as compared to shingles and also they may have differentiated shapes and sizes and this makes them rustic.

Key Characteristics of Wood Shakes:

• Rough-sawn or split face: A shake will have one or both faces that are rough-sawn or split face.

• Thicker than shingles: Normally 0.5inch to 0.75inch or more at the butt.

• More rustic appearance: The look is craftsy, handmade looking, and they are applied to cottages, lodges or heritage houses.

• Improved ventilation: The non-smooth surface also leaves small spaces between the air, which can aid with ventilation under the roofing material.

Shakes have two general classes:

• Hand split and resawn: The texture will be split in front and sawn at the back to make installation easier.

• Tapersawn: Shingle cut, on two sides, but coarser, much thicker.

Appearance: Rustic vs. Refined

The most obvious and the first difference between wood shakes and shingles concerns their style.

• Shingles give a smooth, crisp and modern appearance. They are smooth and even flat making clean lines of roofs.

• Shakes have a more natural rustic look with heavy contrast lines of shadows. This qualifies them as being suitable in a cabin, country-style house, or any structure which will be enhanced by other forms of character and texture.

This will be aesthetic mainly, whether you want a polished and modern look or an organic and handcrafted one.

Durability and Performance

Both shingles and wood shakes roofs will last as long as they are well taken care of. Nevertheless, shakes are normally a little bit ahead due to their thickness.

• Wood Shingles have an average of 20 to 30 years.

• Wood Shakes endure 30 or 40 years of life, particularly when pressure-treatment takes place or the climatic environment is not humid.

Durability may be shortened in Canadian regions having much humidity or snow, unless wood is treated and roofs are well serviced. There is also a longevity and safety bonus of selecting certified products (CSA or fire-rated shakes).

Fire Resistance

Combustibility is one of the drawbacks of both wood shingles and shakes. When untreated, they may be a source of fire, especially in fire-prone locations such as some regions of British Columbia or Alberta.

Luckily, fire-retardant procedures exist. The current trend in building codes necessitates wood roofs to either be Class B or Class A fire-rated, particularly in rural developments or in areas where there are forest interface regulations.

In order to be fire safe:

• Do it with pressure-treated fire-resistant wood products.

• Put up a Class A-rated underlayment system under the roofing material.

• Sweep up (or blow away) dry stuff (leaves, pine needles) on a regular basis because that stuff can easily catch fire.

Cost Comparison

In most cases, wood shakes are out of reach of shingles because they are thick, and their manufacturing system and installation involve a lot of labour.

• Wood Shingles: 6 - 9 CAD per square foot installed

• Wood Shakes: 8 to 12 dollars Canadian per square foot constructed

These are median rates, and they may change with respect to:

• Region (labour costs in Ontario versus BC, to cite one example)

• Wood species

• It does not matter whether that material is fire-treated or rot-treated

Installation Considerations

Since shakes are thick and less uniform, they tend to be more time-consuming as well as skill-consuming to install compared to shingles. Roofing contractors have to deal with spacing variability and inconsistent edges that could influence the flashing and ventilation.

Shingles are uniform and hence install faster and more effectively- this makes them cheaper in case of a new construction or covering an area that is larger.

Whichever one you select, install it right. One should always employ an experienced roofer, particularly during the installation of a wood roofing system in Canada, as changes in temperature during winter months may lead to warping due to the freeze-thaw cycle or moisture problems when there is a lack of regulation.

Environmental Impact

To eco-friendly homeowners, both the materials are sustainable, when harvested responsibly. Wood roofing can be biodegraded, and a lot of suppliers actually agree to FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) regulations which allow safe logging of wood.

That said:

• When comparing wood shingles, they consume fewer resources materially and energetically.

• It can be concluded that shakes have a greater impact on the environment since more wood is wasted during the splitting procedure.

In their comparison with synthetic roofing or asphalt roofing, they are both more eco-friendly, particularly when the wood is locally sourced.

Final Thoughts

The final decision of using wood shakes or wood shingles is all about your budget, preference for the outer look, and how you want maintenance to be. Wood shingles are a good option when you want a crisp, symmetric roof at reduced up-front cost. Wood shakes offer an old-fashioned cottage look that some people just can get enough of unless they can afford a little extra.

Regardless, it is advisable to ensure that the materials used are both fireproofed and weatherproofed and then it should be installed by a trained workforce and someone who is aware of wood roofing in the Canadian climate.