One of the most common questions about wood roofing materials is the difference between shingles and shakes. You can read our full guide on how to tell the difference and what is best for you in our guide: Wood Shingles vs. Wood Shakes

We are located in Lake City, Florida, but have completed projects all over the USA and beyond, including Canada, Dominican Republic, USVI, BVI, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Thailand and Japan.

Our company has developed many lasting relationships with several different trades and is always looking for new and innovative to apply our products. We are committed to making your specific project a success, and continue to work with and sell to:

▪ Architects

▪ Contractors

▪ Homeowners

▪ Roofers

▪ Supply Companies

Due to all of the design variables on every home, the price differs greatly for every roof. Contact sales@customshingles.com for a free estimate.

For curved Cedar shingles, the minimum order requirement is just one (1) box. On decorative cut (Fancy-Cutt) shingles, the minimum order requirement is 1,000 SF.. Depending upon current inventory, our minimum order requirement on Wallaba, Ipe and Teak shingles is generally 2,000 SF. Please contact us for details.

Yes. Depending upon the scale and location of your project, it may and sometimes may not be cost effective for us to provide installation. Keep in mind however, since we specialize in custom work, we are familiar with all types of custom applications. Because of this, we know the ins and outs of many custom roofs, allowing us to be very efficient in our bidding and installation. We can often combine travel with nearby projects, and are competitive in our work.

If you have an existing home or structure you would like quoted, we can in most cases quote you with just an address. Using the latest satellite imagery, we can measure and complete the takeoffs, as well as review the site conditions from street view. With this information, we can give you a preliminary estimate. If your home or structure is not visible from satellite, a rough outline of the roof and some measurements will suffice, or perhaps some pictures for an existing home. For a new construction home, a roof plan and elevations are best.

Due to the effects of nature, all wood weathers to a beautiful silvery-gray.

While it depends on the roofing materials, wood shingles typically last much longer than asphalt shingles. Cedar shingles can last 30-50 years, Wallaba shingles can last 35-60 years and Teak shingles can last 50-80 years. Shingle longevity also depends on the care and maintenance they receive. You can learn more about these materials, their benefits and how to care for them here.

Cedar is a durable material that can withstand various types of harsh weather and last for at least 30 years. With proper care and maintenance, they can last for 50 years or more. Learn more about the longevity of Cedar shingles and some of their other benefits here.

Removing moss early on is one of the best ways to keep your Cedar shake roof attractive and functioning. You can remove moss by keeping the trees around your roof trimmed back, installing a copper or zinc strip or cleaning with a proper solution like chlorine. Learn more tips about cleaning and caring for a Cedar shake roof here.

The type of grain you choose for your roofing material will affect your budget, the durability of your roof and its appearance. For a long-lasting roof, you’ll want to consider using only edge-grain shingles. Learn the difference in our guide: Flat vs. Edge Grain

Much like a traditional cedar roof, yes, they are absolutely are insurable!

Yes, we have installed several cottage-style roofs in Southern California. If you have a specific project in mind, feel free to give us a call at (877) 323-3553 or email sales@customshingles.com.

While some areas more prone to wildfires have strict roofing codes, our cedar roofing systems are able to achieve a Class A fire rating. Read more about our Certi-GUARD and CCA-Treated Wood Shingles here. At the same time, we also offer a synthetic version of our shingles that is Class A fire-rated.

Yes, we do! You can view our work of a home that was done in our composite shingles here.

We recommend using AirCore™ for cedar roof or siding ventilation. Learn more about AirCore™ here.

Believe it or not, we have done hung gutters as well as built-in gutters with these types of roofs. View more examples in our Cottage Gallery!

We do not sell or install any solar roofing systems.. However, solar panels can be installed on top of the roof, just like any other shingled roof.

Even though some of our styles, such as the Country Cottage Roof systems appear to be thickly stacked, the weight is still comparable to that of a regular wood shingle roof, which is considered a lightweight roofing material. Much of the build-up of these roofs systems is achieved using specialized framing and curved shingles.

A vented ridge can be used to vent the top, with many configurations depending on the project. Rolled ventilation fabric is often used in these applications.

Yes. Many of the cottage roofs we have done over the years, are put on existing homes. We can utilize your existing framing, along with new framing components, to create your cottage roof.

In order to make an informed decision, it’s a good idea to take into consideration the following information:

CEDAR: #1 Grade, Western Red Fivex Cedar Shingles are our most typical shingle, especially for the cottage roof system. Cedar is a natural, beautiful and generally the most affordable option. Cedar is available as either shingles or shakes. Cedar shakes have a split face exposed giving a natural, rustic appearance and sawn on the back. Most commonly, Cedar shakes are 18" and 24" lengths. Butt thickness for shakes ranges from 3/8" to 1" and above. Cedar Shingles are sawn on both sides for a tailored appearance, and available in these lengths: 16" (Fivex), 18" (Perfections) or 24" (Royals). Butt thickness for shingles generally ranges from .40” to .50”.

WALLABA: Royalwood™ Wallaba shingles generally cost a bit more than Cedar, and being a hardwood, will typically outlast Cedar, and naturally have mold and mildew resistant (similar to CCA) and fire resistant properties in one shingle. It is naturally a deep red-brown color, and weathers to a beautiful, silvery-gray. Royalwood™ Shingles and Shakes are made from Wallaba, a tropical hardwood. The raw shingles are milled in a state of the art factory in Guyana, and depending upon the project, shipped to our headquarters in Florida for finishing. They are 100% clear, 100% heartwood, and are naturally resistant to insects and decay. The shingles are long lasting and can also meet a Class A, B or C fire rated roof system, when installed according to the roof system requirements. Royalwood™ Wallaba comes as either sawn shingles or sawn (thicker) shakes.

TEAK: Teak is the most expensive, but unmatched in its beauty, longevity, and is considered the gold standard for rot resistance. With its high silica content within the grain, it can often petrify over time. Teak is the choice of many architects, and has been used for many prestigious resorts and luxury homes all over the world. The unique wood grain in Teak is appealing and diverse, ranging from straight grains to dark and lights streaks found within each shingle. We offer several profiles, and can custom cut our shingles to your shingle template. We provide both reclaimed Teak shingles, as well as new Teak shingles

We can bend just about any size or species of shakes or shingles. If you have an existing project that requires curved shingles, we can curve the shingles from a template, or the written radius of the curve. Most commonly on a cottage roof, the eave and gable edges are a 20" radius. For some projects, each shingle course requires a different curve, which we can provide as well. Shingles can be bent concave or convex, end-to-end or side-to-side, and in some cases diagonally.

A cottage roof has many pricing variables, and could be more affordable than you may think, depending on the overall design. The roof system pricing depends mostly upon scale, complexity (how many roof planes, dormers, etc) and wave coursing (exposure). Pricing generally costs 6 times that of an asphalt roof, and in some cases, cheaper than slate or high-end clay tile. With the investment of the cottage roof system, you can significantly improve the value of your home, and set it apart from the rest. Contact us today for a free estimate.

Although our company is based in north-central Florida, we do ship worldwide, for many luxury homes and prestigious resorts.

We are frequently in the Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, and Caribbean, and beyond for many custom projects. Depending upon the scale and location of your project, it may and sometimes may not be cost effective for us to provide installation. Keep in mind however, since we specialize in custom work, we are familiar with all types of custom applications. Because of this, we know the ins and outs of many custom roofs, allowing us to be very efficient in our bidding and installation. We can often combine travel with nearby projects, and are competitive in our work.

If high wind uplift is not a concern, Stainless Steel staples; usually 1 ½” to 1 ¾” in length, with a 7/16” crown. Stainless Steel ring-shank coil nails should be used in hurricane prone areas. Also see Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau for additional details.

Our typical lead time is 4 to 6 weeks, and an additional week for delivery, for medium sized orders using common shingle sizes. For smaller, larger or custom orders, please contact us for a more specific delivery estimate.

CCA treated Cedar Shingles come with 30-year transferable, or 50-year non-transferable material warranty. Our labor warranty is typically 1 year, although we will continually take care of the customer, and stand behind the work we’ve done (and have been in the business for over 50 years). We can work with you to extend the labor warranty, if needed.

No - We can bend down to a 8-10” radius for eaves, and about a 4-5” radius on gables. Although, any tighter on the eaves is not recommended, as it puts a lot more stress on the shingle.

We can bend concave and convex curves, and in some cases diagonally, with the minimum curvature being the radiuses listed above.

Wood shingles do not require maintenance, but it is alway recommended every 5-7 years. Read the guide on how your roof should be maintained here.

Most certainly, which we do often. Keep in mind though, stained color does not last forever, as the sun will eventually weather out pigment. Stain can be reapplied every 5-7 years, if a pigment is desired. We typically recommend and use Sherwin Williams stain, which preserves the life of the shingles, and can also add pigment back into the roof, if desired. These can be mixed in any color, as well as different opacities: solid, semi-solid, semi-transparent and transparent.

Per recommendation from the Cedar Bureau, as well as our past experience, a felt interlayment can actually hold moisture in, from wind driven rain and snow. Although not required, rolled vent fabric such as AirCore is recommended over the entire roof to help with breathability, which we often use under cedar roofs.