Cedar shingles have an attractive and distinctive appearance that complements many different types of architecture. From cottages to bungalows, you can find cedar shingles in nearly every part of the country. Shingles come in a variety of different looks from evenly spaced squares to irregular shakes, both of which are available in wood stains and a painted to allow you to customize the look of your home. Whether you plan on mixing your shingles with traditional lap siding, or covering your whole home in them, cedar shakes can really enhance its appearance and curb appeal. Unfortunately, those same shakes can also lead to a lot of maintenance issues down the road. That’s why discerning homeowners are looking for other options to give them the same looks but with more durability and less maintenance. Thankfully, fiber cement faux cedar shingles give you many great options that fit this criteria.
Cedar Shingles and Maintenance
Like all wood products that you can install on your home, those beautiful natural cedar shingles come with a high price for durability and maintenance. Wood is susceptible to moisture damage, swelling and rotting if not treated properly and regularly. Paint applied to the shingles is likely to peel and chip, requiring scraping and repainting every few years, particularly in some climates where shingles are more likely to be used, such as on beach properties.
Cedar shingles are also not naturally fire retardant, which means that they may have to be treated with hazardous chemicals if you live in dry climates or near areas prone to forest fires. They also need frequent replacement over the years, requiring you to seek out rotting and damaged shakes and replacement them one by one on an ongoing basis. And because of the way that the shingles or shakes may be installed, this could also require you to remove and replace the shakes covering large areas of your home at once.
Fiber cement shingles and shakes have none of these issues. They’re naturally insect, moisture, and fire resistant, and they are unlikely to peel, chip, or blister over time either. So your home will continue to maintain its good looks year after year without your needing to do a thing. This is particularly beneficial if you live in wet or harsh climates, or if you have the type of lifestyle that makes getting out and repairing your home frequently an issue.
Options for Faux Cedar Shingles
One reason why people may hesitate to make the switch from real cedar shingles to their more durable alternatives lies in their need for an authentic-looking shake that can give them the look they want. Natural wood shingles can be cut and split into a variety of different shapes and sizes. They can be uniform or highly irregular, they can also be machined into half rounds and octagons for more decorative uses.
Fiber cement shingles and shakes come in all of these same varieties, giving you the options you need. With fiber cement, you can find:
- 7-inch shingles with a straight edge
- 5-inch shingles with a straight edge
- 7-inch shingles with a staggered edge for a more rustic appearance
- 7-inch straight shingles for a very uniform look and easy install
- 8-inch individual shakes that allow you to get the rustic and highly irregular look of real shakes
- Half rounds with a 7-inch exposure
- Octagons with a 7-inch exposure
All of these faux cedar shingles come with a realistic looking wood grain that truly mimics the look of real cedar. That’s because fiber cement products are made in molds with real wood to give them a more authentic appearance.
Each faux cedar shingle option with the exception of the individual shakes also comes in a full range of solid colors or ready to paint, while the 7-inch shingle options also come in a variety of natural wood stains as well. These colors match and coordinate with other fiber cement products, so you can mix and match the siding on your home to get the perfect appearance.
Easy to Install
In addition to being beautiful and low maintenance fiber cement faux cedar shingle options are also easy to install. With the exception of the individual shakes, each set of shingles comes in an easy-to-install row, so you can layer them up your home in no time, getting the look you want in a fraction of the time.
Make the Switch
Many people are choosing to make the switch from natural cedar to fiber cement to get the best of both worlds for their home; a natural, rustic appearance with durability and low maintenance. Make the switch to fiber cement today to achieve the ultimate in curb appeal.
