Siding With Cedar ShinglesSiding With Cedar Shingles

Install a tight weather barrier, choose top-quality shingles and use smart production techniques with tips from a siding pro.

1 Min Read
"Mules" that slip underneath the installed siding are handy for holding extra shingles.
Peter Sutton/JLC

This article, written by contributor and siding expert Peter Suttoon, was originally shared by JLC.

My company has specialized in cedar sidewall shingling in California's San Francisco Bay area for the past 31 years. In my opinion, there's not a better-looking or more practical siding than tight-to-trim cedar shingles with straight, consistent course lines and nicely woven corners. Here's how we approach a typical job.

The Right Shingle

We usually install western red cedar shingles that carry a Certigrade label from the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau (604/820- 7700, cedarbureau.org). For most sidewall applications, Certigrade No. 2 Red Label and No. 3 Black Label shingles are fine, but for some architectural designs and in areas with extreme climate conditions, we prefer premium No. 1 Blue Label shingles. These bundles contain 100% edge-grain shingles, which hold paint and stain better than flat-sawn shingles and are less prone to cupping.

But even Certigrade shingles can be poorly milled - and therefore frustrating and time-consuming to install—so we often go a step further and recommend R&R KD (rebutted and rejointed kiln-dried) shingles. R&R shingles are remanufactured from No. 1 and No. 2 Certigrade shingles so that their sides are parallel and their butts straight and fuzz-free. Kiln-dried shingles are more stable and less prone to cracking than green shingles, partly because the poor-quality pieces are exposed and culled during the drying process.

Related:How to Install an Effective Siding Rainscreen

To read the full article from JLC, click here.

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