In recent years, Western Red Cedar Blue Label shingles have more than doubled in price – they are now so expensive to use and many are looking for alternatives. In September 2013, a bundle of cedar shingles were selling for £33.75 per bundle. For comparison in 2022, September arrivals are nearly 6.5 times higher in price.
In this article, we’ll explore the reasons behind the significant increase in price, as well as discuss how Larch Shakes can be a great alternative for your upcoming projects. First, let’s look at the major differences between the two products.
Cedar Shingles: A cedar shingle is a fine sawn roofing and cladding solution with a tapered finish. Cedar are only supplied in 400mm lengths and are easy to fix and install.
Larch Shake: A shake is also a roofing and cladding solution and has been hand split/clef along the grain, leaving a textured finish. They are supplied in random widths, with lengths from 200mm to 600mm. They are a little difficult to fix, however once the technique is achieved, the result is far more satisfying for the customer.
Why have Cedar Shingles risen in price?
The main reason for the significant rise in price for Cedar Shingles is the role China are playing in the timber market. China is currently buying all grades of cedar and paying above market prices. This of course means demand has grown substantially. They are a traditional building material in Japan, whose style of building is heavily reliant on Cedar in their older buildings and for roofing shingles.
China are buying 1:5 planks for timber from the USA and Canada, ultimately having a knock-on effect internationally.
Additionally, the Japanese Government have banned logging old-growth Cedar, which is where the best timber is sourced for shingle durability, and therefore are better in performance. Cedar relies on the resins to give it the durability and the “Blue Label†marking ensures the grade of the timber used is faultless.
Further, Covid-19 also played a part, affecting production from the forests.
What’s the feasible alternative?
So for those looking for a feasible solution, we recommend taking a look at Austrian/Bavarian Larch Hand Split Shakes.
The Larch is cropped from over 500′ above sea level, making it slow-grown and dense. The stock is defect-free and although heavier and greater density, it’s durability far outweighs Cedar Shingles. The Larch takes longer to fix and install, however it’s a learning curve to fix correctly and it’s about understanding the differences to Cedar.
The Larch is hand-cleft to split them to give Quarter cleft radially produced shakes, approx 8/10mm and 2/4mm at the tip – thicker on average than a sawn shake. The shakes are 80mm and wider but are available in more lengths, with 40cm being the most common. Remember, a roof relies on the “3-ply†lay-up effect and a wall elevation relies on a 2-ply lay up, so on a 40cm shake / shingle the exposed face is 12.5cm.
Thankfully, Larch Shakes are also a renewable resource due to the planting regimes they have in Europe – it’s not old-growth stock, but because of altitude it is slower grown and denser anyway, ultimately making it more durable.
W L West & Sons Ltd are the sole UK distributor for Rapold GmbH shake products. We manufacture and deliver all sorts of timber roofing materials, including architectural shingles, western red cedar shingles, larch shakes and oak shakes. Find out more here.
WL West & Sons Ltd is a timber merchant and sawmill business with 150 years of experience. We provide a wide range of air-dried oak and kiln-dried oak timber products and supplies. We also build and install custom projects for our customers.
Our wood products, building materials and certified wood are manufactured and sold with the endorsement of forest certification and the Forest Stewardship Council FSC
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