Fireproofing Wood Shingles: Certi-GUARD vs. CCA Treated
Certi-GUARD Wood Shingles
At Custom Shingles, we offer Certi-GUARD shingles that ensure your wood roofing is never at risk of fire. Different areas around the country have different building codes and requirements, and we can offer a custom solution that meets those codes and requirements while still delivering the beauty and longevity that custom wood shingles are known for.
What are CCA or Certi-LAST Shingles?
CCA stands for chromated copper arsenate, which has been used to treat timber for more than 80 years. CCA includes copper, arsenic and chromium, and it’s typically used as an oxide or salt. When pressure-impregnated into shingles, it leaves behind a recognizable green residue. While CCA treated shingles do not provide additional protection against fire, they help protect against decay caused be moss, mold and mildew buildup. CCA or Certi-LAST shingles are great for areas with high humidity.
What are Certi-GUARD Shingles?
When measuring the effectiveness of pressure-impregnated fire-retardant roofing systems, you’ll find three accepted classifications: A, B and C. Certi-GUARD is a labeling process that identifies cedar shingles and shakes that meet testing standards related to each of the three classifications. Both Class B and Class C Shingles are pressure-impregnated with a fire-retardant polymer. Class B shakes and shingles receive a red Certi-GUARD label, while Class C shakes and shingles receive a blue Certi-GUARD label. Class A fire-rated wood roofs are only achieved through a component roofing system, so no individual shakes or shingles can achieve a Class A rating. A Class A wood roof is typically composed of class B shingles with a highly fire-retardant underlayment, but technology to create Class A shingles is being introduced to the market.
The Benefits of Certi-GUARD over CCA-Treated Wood Shingles
Why would someone choose Certi-GUARD or CCA-treated wood shingles? They offer a number of benefits, not the least of which is their ability to prevent deterioration and fire. The treatment should not affect the color of individual shakes and shingles over the long term.
The possibility of fire is one of the great concerns about a wood roof, but this concern is often unfounded. Properly treated wood shakes and shingles are no more at risk of fire than any other roofing material, and the vast majority of cities, municipalities and other entities that manage building codes welcome the addition of wood roof homes to their communities.
Who Makes the Rules?
How are the thresholds for Class A, B and C determined? The Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau (CSSB) has been in operation since 1915, and it promotes manufacturers of wood shingles and their commitment to meeting the highest of quality standards. Since the 1980s, the CSSB has worked with third-party, independent quality-control agencies to inspect mills on a regular basis. The CSSB established the grading and classification process for shakes and shingles, and the independent inspections are focused in part on ensuring that mills are adhering to these quality-control standards.
If you have any questions about the fire-retardant qualities of wood shake and shingles or custom wood roofing in general, the CSSB is a resource for the public. It is the authority on wood shingle roofs, and its knowledgeable staff is always available to answer questions and provide general support to companies working in the wood shingle roof industry as well as the customers they serve.
Custom Shingles: Meeting and Exceeding Quality Standards
At Custom Shingles, we are committed to meeting and exceeding the highest standards of quality in both our materials and the work we complete on behalf of our customers. We have been creating shingles and installing custom wood roofs since 1982, when we took on a restoration project at a 60-year-old home. Since then, we’ve been working to evolve and perfect our processes and the tools we use. Our services today represent more than 30 years of experience and knowledge in wood shingle roofing.
This isn’t just one of many services we provide, and it’s certainly not a hobby. We live and breathe wood shingle roofing. We created custom tools and equipment when we first went into business, and those creations are now patented. You won’t find an installer of wood roofing that’s more experienced, more knowledgeable and more committed to quality in all that we do.
Contact us today for a free quote on custom wood shingles for your home.
