Our approach to wood roofs is a mix of art, craft and trade. We blend modern materials and installation techniques with old-world craftsmanship to create roofs that protect and beautify.
Why Choose us for your Wood Roof?
The practice of installing wood roofs on Connecticut Homes is as old as the state itself; we view them with reverence and respect. Beyond that, here are a few other reasons why you might consider us for your wood roof:
Passion and Experience – Installing cedar shingles or shakes is a mix of art and craft; it takes specific skills and knowledge enhanced by an appreciation for this unique roofing material. 20 years as a business and a century of experience as a crew puts us at the forefront when it comes to wood roof installations. We have deep experience in everything from choosing the right materials to designing the layout to installing shingles or shakes to fabricating flashing and gutters.
High-quality Product – Our long-standing relationships with Beacon Roofing Supply and ABC Supply Company enable us to specify and procure products that are appropriate and of the highest quality for your roofing project. It is critical to select high-quality materials for a cedar roof; the shingles or shakes we install are Grade A and certified to be 100% vertical grain as well as 100% edge grain
Expert Installation – Durability and aesthetics are always paramount. That said, we will install in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Installing wood properly requires exact measurements for head and side overlap. Accurate calculations save money on materials and ensures the roof is installed in a timely manner..
Full Warranty – Our crew is trained and fully up-to-date in installation techniques which assure the validity of manufacturer’s warranty. We install materials from G&R Cedar, Anbrook Industries and Waska Cedar, to name a few, and can extend the full warranty for these products to our customers.
Finally, both prior to and during the installation, we treat your residence with care and respect. Once the project is complete, we clean the site thoroughly; the only evidence you will have of our presence is the envy of your neighbors with regards to your new cedar roof.
The Durability of Wood; The Art of a Connecticut Roofcrafters Installation.
Connecticut Roofcrafters has 20 years of experience installing new or replacement wood roofs. Typically manufactured from western red cedar and Alaskan yellow cedar, wood shakes and shingles are prized for their beauty, durability, traditional appearance and ability to stand up to severe coastal weather conditions.
Wood roofs made from Western Red Cedar or Alaskan Yellow Cedar create a beautifully rustic roof with a lot of advantages. Be it machine or hand-split, the tight grain and flex of cedar shingles is highly resistant to hail damage, and is rated to withstand wind shearing of 130 MPH-plus. It’s also less prone to breakage from the thermal shock of freeze/thaw cycles like those of New England Winters. As such, Cedar roofing can last anywhere from 30 to 50 years, depending on the quality of installation.
When it’s not protecting your home, Cedar Roofs are also protecting your wallet. Due to its natural resistance to heat conductivity (it’s high “R” rating), your home will be cooler in the height of summer, saving you money on your AC bill. What’s more, the cellular structure of Cedar resists the passage of heat and cold; each cell acts as an insulating agent. The USDA Forest Service stipulates that wood roofs have the highest insulation value of any of the wood substitutes; wood roofing helps reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool homes.
But beyond all that, Cedar Roofs can be works of art. At least we like to think that and many of the hundreds of homeowners for whom we’ve installed wood roofs in Connecticut would tend to agree.
Wood Roof Installation Showcase – Click Image to Enlarge
Types of Cedar Roofs
Western Red Cedar has been the traditional choice for roofing for many years and is a very popular choice due to
its aesthetic appeal, classy look, and its natural oils provide resistance to insects and rot. Western Red Cedar shingles and shakes are a low carbon footprint roofing product that has been used as a durable roofing material for over a century. Interestingly, Western Red Cedar comes in many shades other than red, including blondes, browns, and even yellows. These various shades are a natural occurrence of this species, and are part of the charm of Western Red Cedar.
Alaskan Yellow Cedar has all the same popular benefits of Western Red Cedar, including the same 
insect and rot-repelling tannins and oils. Yellow Cedar, the hardest known cedar in the world, is heavier and more dense than Western Red Cedar and also has a very fine texture and straight grain. These traits combine to give it excellent strength and stability, with very little shrinkage. The most popular characteristic of this wood is its uniform pale yellow color when new and the way it weathers to an attractive light silvery grey. One other interesting fact: Alaskan Yellow Cedar does not come from a cedar tree, but a cypress tree.
A third type of “cedar” New England homeowners ofter request is Eastern White Cedar. Like Alaskan Yellow, Eastern White is actually a variation of the Cypress Tree. Roofs shingled with Eastern White Cedar, a dense wood with fine texture and an even grain, are attractive, distinguished and enduring. Its natural oils, which fight against rot, insects and decay, are the key to its durability. Eastern White Cedar’s beauty is a product of its cell structure and even grain pattern. These traits allow Eastern White Cedar to be stained, painted, coated or bleached in almost any way imaginable, which provides the ability to customize this wood to match the rest of a property’s architecture and color scheme.
Styles of Shingles and Shakes
Wood roofing shingles – the majority of what we install – are sawn on both sides, and are a favorite among architects because of their smooth, traditional, and tailored appearance. They are a very popular choice on cape cod style homes. They come in four grades: #1, the best grade with no defects, taken from the tree’s heartwood, #2 which have limited knots and defects visible in the exposed portion and are often used as a starter course and #3, which can include sapwood and flatgrain, are used for the undercourse.
Tapersawn shakes, like a shingle, are smooth on both sides, 
but are thicker than a shingle. If you want a thicker shadow line, and prefer the smooth appearance of a shingle, then a Tapersawn shake is your product of choice.
Resawn shakes have a split face and a sawn back and are generally preferred when seeking a rougher texture. They are popular when a more rustic appearance is desired: western ranches, vacation homes and cabins.
Connecticut Roofcrafters has significant expertise in helping to design wood shake or shingle roofs from a variety of materials which will be long-lasting, pleasing to the eye and protect your home from the elements. To learn more, contact us directly at 1 (888) 612-0798 or via email.
Kind Words from a Southport Homeowner
Michael and his team, from start to finish, were consummate professionals in re-roofing our saltbox-style farmhouse in Southport. The copper piece they put on the porch hip roof is more artwork than metal work; it speaks to their adherence to the lost art of installing a wood roof.
Questions about our Wood Roofing?
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