Shingle Style House

Nothing feels quite more classic coastal than a home wrapped in cedar shingles. Shingle houses are just that, a home that uses wood shingles for the roofing as well as the siding. The tailored appearance of shingles in straight rows combined with their rustic wood grain give just the perfect blend of composed elegance and casual coastal. Shingle houses first came about from a few different architects designing homes along the New England coastline during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The style was influenced by Victorian and Queen Anne Architectural styles, yet stands apart as its own distinct design category.

What is the best kind of Cedar to use on a Shingle House?

Western Red Cedar or Alaskan Yellow Cedar are the best choices for a shingle house due to their durability, as well as their availability. -

• Western Red Cedar offers a more reddish appearance prior to fading to a brown-gray and can last anywhere from 30-50+ years depending on care and maintenance. It can be stained, but only in medium to dark hues as the raw wood itself is a reddish-light brown hue.

• Alaskan Yellow Cedar is a yellow, lighter-toned wood, ideal for staining in a variety of colors. If left to weather naturally, Alaskan Yellow Cedar ages to a silvery-gray, and will last 30-50 years, again depending on care and maintenance.

What size of shingles should I use on my Shingle House? 

The size of shingle most commonly found on shingle houses are our 18” Shingles. This standard size, and can be installed on both the roof and siding for an even, uniform appearance. Other sizes such as the 16” can be used for a shorter exposure, or siding shingles up to 48” can be used to give a strikingly unique appearance.

Shingle Patterns on a Shingle House

Many shingle houses include different install patterns and shapes of shingles. Some different styles can include mixing in different sizes of shingles, such as a 24” shingle mixed with a 16” shingle, giving varying exposure and shadow lines as shown below. Our signature drunken weave installation pattern can also be used to give a Our Craft Cutt shingles, such as the diamond, fish-scale and half-round profiles can also be mixed in to include varying textures, giving more character and depth to the exterior of your home. 

Stained Shingle House

While some opt to allow the natural aging of a cedar, many choose to stain either the siding or both roofing and siding to keep a more consistent color on the home. Stains can vary from a semi- or full stain, depending on the desired intensity of the color. A semi-stain gives a more washed appearance and allows the wood grain to show through slightly. A full stain minimizes the wood grain showing through, and giving a rich, full color. 

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