Are Cedar shingles affordable

Cedar roofing is widely accepted and used across the whole of North America. Wood roofing is less common in the UK with a small tradition of oak and chestnut. The use of cedar wood roofing is now an increasingly attractive option both on a life cycle, actual and environment cost.

Use a faster installation method

The ShingleFix system has made using cedar shingles truly affordable. The rapid stapling system brings an installed cedar roof to below the cost of plain clay tiles and similar to Spanish slate. This takes cedar shingling from a niche product to mainstream roofing. This has been recognised in some recent projects that include social housing to commercial offices.

Zero carbon

Wood roofing significantly contributes to low and zero carbon building. Western Red Cedar Shingles have the lowest carbon footprint of widely used building materials. When designed as part of a low or zero carbon project, Western Red Cedar Shingles can contribute significantly to sustainable credentials. They are both low carbon in manufacture and contribute to low carbon design and use.

A recent Canadian study, using PAS 2050 methodology, and a minimum 50 year service life has shown cedar shingles can be a nett carbon sink even after transport and manufacturing.

Cedar shingles offer a high degree of thermal insulation (with a value of K=0.1067W/moC) and as shingles are a lightweight solution the design possibilities for enhanced insulation are also improved.

Timber is a renewable material

Cedar roofing is truly renewable unlike almost all other building materials that rely on extraction or use nonrenewable materials. Timber is a natural resource and strict reforestation policies assure that the annual growth exceeds the annual felling. Growing trees also absorb more carbon.