cedar-shingles / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Cedar shingles & shakes: a homeowner's & pro's guide Cedar shingles and shakes give a home a very natural feel that enhances any home's curb appeal. Known for their durability and insulation properties, these roofing and siding materials provide a beautiful, sustainable option for both new builds and renovation...

Restoring a weathered cedar deck easily, step by step  Cedar decking boards turn gray in a few short years if untreated, and can make your deck look much older and closer to the end of its life than it actually is. There are easy tips for restoring an old deck and bringing back the original color of cedar decking. Deck...

How to stain or paint an old cedar deck to make it look new and last longer. Staining or painting an old weathered cedar deck can be quite different than staining a new one. First, pressure wash the deck to remove the old gray color and all the build up of grit and stains. Try to always blast the water with the directi...

The definitive guide to cleaning and preserving cedar roofs To maintain the unique beauty and longevity of a cedar shake roof, it is essential to have a definitive guide for cleaning and preservation that protects this premium, natural material. Unlike mass-produced roofing, cedar shakes and shingles require specific c...

Asphalt shingles are the most common and cheapest roof covering, at least until it's time to replace them. Metal roofing can last a lifetime or longer, so we feel that the cost levels out in the long run. Here is a comprehensive comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of metal roofing v asphalt shingles for buil...

Which is better: cedar, pressure treated or composite plastic decking? a homeowner's & pro's guide Building or renovating a deck is a big decision for any homeowner, and a critical one for professionals. The choice of material impacts everything from upfront costs and installation time to long-term maintenance, dur...

In North America, about 90% of pitched roofs are covered with asphalt roofing shingles. This petroleum-based product is incredibly popular for roof replacements: studies show that 81% of shingles sold go toward replacing old roofs. Chances are, if you’re redoing your roof you are probably looking at asphalt roofing shi...

Tesla is a powerful brand that when riding on its track record of electric vehicles needs to do little but step into a market to get glowing accolades. Some of it is well-deserved, but in the case of their solar shingles that are flooding news feeds, we found very little hard facts behind the big marketing push. To get...

The definitive guide to cleaning & treating asphalt shingle roofs As asphalt shingles are North America's most popular roofing material choice (though far from being the most sustainable option) knowing how to properly clean them is the key to making them last longer. Treating asphalt shingle roofs is essential for...

Siding is important! There is no stage of home construction that you should rush through, but if there were, it shouldn't be siding. Whatever type of siding product you choose, purchase and installation is not cheap, so you don't want to do it again anytime soon. Your siding needs to protect your home from the weather,...

1. Asphalt shingles: Asphalt shingles © Ecohome We’ll start with shingles to get it out of the way, because choosing an eco-friendly, durable roof covering starts first with dismissing any idea of installing asphalt shingles. High-embodied energy, rarely if ever recycled, they deteriorate rapidly with UV rays, emit s...