Has anyone had any experience with synthetic shingles. I saw the web site for davinciroofscapes.com and thought that it might be an alternative for my cedar shingles. The cedar shingles only last about 20 years.
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There are architectural grade shingles rated to last fifty years. They fit my definition of "synthetic"
new materials have to burden of proof for me. There have been a lot of new things come and go that never stood the test of time and elements.
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Not sure what you're talking about. Asphalt shingles are "synthetic", technically. But more recently there are wood-look products made from plastic, fiber/cement, and even steel.
[Oops -- meant to be To: the OP.]
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Edited 3/19/2007 6:36 am by DanH
"There have been a lot of new things come and go that never stood the test of time and elements." Agreed. But I can say the same thing for conventional products as well. Its all about the material used to make the product. Use cheap materials that have been around for decades and you will get cheap results in the end.
Of course, some builders these days are taking advantage of markets where the average resale cycle is ~7 years and putting 15-year shingles on them. How can the curious consumer tell the difference? Also, if the shingle isn't wood are they not all artificial? Or, are we talking about components made from man-made components as well?
You've just openned a hundred cans of worms theere.briefly, for life expectancy, look at the label and warranteee from long time companies with long time products. I would estimate that of the newest "synthetic" roof products I have seen in the past ten years or so, that a good 40% have been junk put out by new companies that disappear as the product begins to disappoint.Reminds me of back in the seventies when mills tried to foster poplar shingles off on people. They were good for 4-8 years...
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<< The cedar shingles only last about 20 years. >>
Who told you that? The North side of my house has original Cedar shingles from the 1890's. I know they are original based on the number of layers of paint.
If you have an air space behind the cedar they should last at least 50 years, if not longer.
The wall of your house might have 100 yr old shingles but my house and my neighbours houses as far as the eye can see are on their last legs, and their all not more than 20 yrs old. I haven't seen anyone paint their cedar roof shingles.
20 years is an average lifespan for a well applied cedar roof that is installed on strapping that is vented well. I would say that a 100 year old roof is either an anomoly or an inacurate statement. However cedar roofs applied 100 years ago are of higher quality cedar with a much tighter grain than the 3rd and 4th growth trees used to make shakes nowadays. The only 100 year old cedar roofs Ive ever seen were under 3 or even 4 layers of asphalt.
Are you familiar with any of these synthetic cedar shingles?
I know of them, they offer 50 year warrantys for the most part. Ive never actually done a job with them though. Some are plastic, others ive seen are made from recycled tires. As far as ive heard there a good product.
One more thing...the construction of these homes consits of strapping placed 12" apart...no plywood.
Yeah, lots of old wood shingle roofs lasted 50 years or more in this neck of the woods. The replacements don't seem to hold up as well (20 at best), and end up getting replaced again with asphalt. Don't know if it's materials or installation that's the problem,
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin