CSSB Trade Show & AGM 2026
October
14-15, 2026
Chicago, IL
Shakes vs. Shingles for Your Roof
Press Release |
August 26, 2026
At the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, we have served as the recognized authority on cedar roofing since 1915, and the question we hear consistently is this: what is the actual difference between shakes vs. shingles for your roof? Both products come from Western Red Cedar or Yellow Cedar. Both carry our Certi-label® certification when manufactured to standard. But they are not the same product, and treating them as interchangeable leads to specification errors that affect appearance, installation, and long-term performance.
The Manufacturing Process Defines the Product
The distinction begins at the mill, not on the roof.
Shingles are precision-sawn on both faces. That process produces a smooth, uniform surface and a consistent taper from butt to tip. Every piece within a bundle conforms to tight dimensional tolerances.
Shakes are split from the block, following the wood’s natural grain. Most shake varieties combine splitting with sawing:
- Certi-Split® Handsplit & Resawn shakes have one textured split face and one sawn face
- Straight-Split shakes are split on both faces, yielding maximum texture and thickness variation
- Certi-Sawn® Tapersawn shakes are sawn on both faces but cut to a heavier profile than shingles, occupying a middle position between the two categories
This is not a minor processing detail. Splitting along the grain affects how the face weathers and how water tracks across the surface. Sawing across the grain produces precision uniformity. Both approaches yield excellent roofing material.
Appearance: Rustic Depth vs. Refined Uniformity
For most homeowners and architects, visual character drives the final specification.
Shakes project a heavier, more dimensional profile. The textured face creates bold shadow lines at the exposure, which reads as handcrafted and substantial on the roof plane. They are the natural specification for craftsman architecture, heritage restorations, mountain lodges, and any application where character and weight matter more than formal precision.
Shingles deliver clean, consistent lines. The sawn surface and uniform taper produce a tailored appearance that suits Colonial, Cape Cod, and cottage styles where visual regularity is part of the architectural grammar.
Both products weather naturally to the familiar silvery patina characteristic of cedar, unless maintained with stains or preservatives. The exact tone depends on species: Western red cedar typically weathers to a medium grey, while yellow cedar weathers to a lighter, more silvery grey.
Grading Standards and Certi-Label® Certification
Separate grading rules govern each product category, and this distinction matters when specifying materials or reviewing bids.
Certigrade® rules govern cedar shingles, available in 16″, 18″, and 24″ lengths, while Certi-Split® rules govern shakes across their various configurations. Under Certigrade®, Grade 1 represents the highest classification for shingles: 100% edge grain, clear face, no defects. Under Certi-Split®, the equivalent top classification for shakes is called premium, meeting that same standard of 100% edge grain, clear face, and no defects. Grade 1 shingles and premium shakes are both the appropriate specification for exposed roofing where long-term performance is the priority.
Off-grade or uncertified products may not meet local code requirements and typically fall outside warranty coverage. The Certi-label® system, developed and maintained by us since 1915, provides third-party grading verification at the manufacturing level. When a contractor sources Certi-label® certified products through our member network, that verification has already been done.
Installation and Practical Considerations
Thickness and Exposure
Shakes carry a heavier butt thickness than shingles, which directly affects exposure rates at installation, underlayment interlay requirements between courses, and total weight per square. Shingles, with their consistent taper and thinner profile, allow tighter dimensional tolerances during installation. The uniformity that makes them visually clean also simplifies coursing.
Labour and Skill Requirements
Neither product tolerates poor installation. Shakes require careful attention to spacing and underlayment placement due to thickness variation between pieces. Shingles reward precision fastening and consistent exposure to maintain their characteristic uniform appearance. In both cases, the installer’s skill determines whether a certified product performs to its potential.
Climate and Fire Ratings
Both shakes and shingles are available with fire-retardant treatment for applications in wildland-urban interface zones or wherever local codes mandate specific fire ratings. Specifying untreated product in a fire-rated application is a code compliance issue, not a material quality issue. Our technical resources and member directory can help identify treated product sources appropriate to a given region.
Start With the Right Specification
Understanding the manufacturing and performance distinctions between shakes and shingles is foundational to any cedar roofing project done right. At the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, our grading standards, installation resources, and member network exist precisely to support that standard of true craftsmanship from specification through installation. If you are working through a shake or shingle specification and need technical guidance, reach out to us through our contact form.
At the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, we have served as the recognized authority on cedar roofing since 1915, and the question we hear consistently is this: what is the actual difference between shakes vs. shingles for your roof? Both products come from Western Red Cedar or Yellow Cedar. Both carry our Certi-label® certification when manufactured to standard. But they are not the same product, and treating them as interchangeable leads to specification errors that affect appearance, installation, and long-term performance.
The Manufacturing Process Defines the Product
The distinction begins at the mill, not on the roof.
Shingles are precision-sawn on both faces. That process produces a smooth, uniform surface and a consistent taper from butt to tip. Every piece within a bundle conforms to tight dimensional tolerances.
Shakes are split from the block, following the wood’s natural grain. Most shake varieties combine splitting with sawing:
- Certi-Split® Handsplit & Resawn shakes have one textured split face and one sawn face
- Straight-Split shakes are split on both faces, yielding maximum texture and thickness variation
- Certi-Sawn® Tapersawn shakes are sawn on both faces but cut to a heavier profile than shingles, occupying a middle position between the two categories
This is not a minor processing detail. Splitting along the grain affects how the face weathers and how water tracks across the surface. Sawing across the grain produces precision uniformity. Both approaches yield excellent roofing material.
Appearance: Rustic Depth vs. Refined Uniformity
For most homeowners and architects, visual character drives the final specification.
Shakes project a heavier, more dimensional profile. The textured face creates bold shadow lines at the exposure, which reads as handcrafted and substantial on the roof plane. They are the natural specification for craftsman architecture, heritage restorations, mountain lodges, and any application where character and weight matter more than formal precision.
Shingles deliver clean, consistent lines. The sawn surface and uniform taper produce a tailored appearance that suits Colonial, Cape Cod, and cottage styles where visual regularity is part of the architectural grammar.
Both products weather naturally to the familiar silvery patina characteristic of cedar, unless maintained with stains or preservatives. The exact tone depends on species: Western red cedar typically weathers to a medium grey, while yellow cedar weathers to a lighter, more silvery grey.
Grading Standards and Certi-Label® Certification
Separate grading rules govern each product category, and this distinction matters when specifying materials or reviewing bids.
Certigrade® rules govern cedar shingles, available in 16″, 18″, and 24″ lengths, while Certi-Split® rules govern shakes across their various configurations. Under Certigrade®, Grade 1 represents the highest classification for shingles: 100% edge grain, clear face, no defects. Under Certi-Split®, the equivalent top classification for shakes is called premium, meeting that same standard of 100% edge grain, clear face, and no defects. Grade 1 shingles and premium shakes are both the appropriate specification for exposed roofing where long-term performance is the priority.
Off-grade or uncertified products may not meet local code requirements and typically fall outside warranty coverage. The Certi-label® system, developed and maintained by us since 1915, provides third-party grading verification at the manufacturing level. When a contractor sources Certi-label® certified products through our member network, that verification has already been done.
Installation and Practical Considerations
Thickness and Exposure
Shakes carry a heavier butt thickness than shingles, which directly affects exposure rates at installation, underlayment interlay requirements between courses, and total weight per square. Shingles, with their consistent taper and thinner profile, allow tighter dimensional tolerances during installation. The uniformity that makes them visually clean also simplifies coursing.
Labour and Skill Requirements
Neither product tolerates poor installation. Shakes require careful attention to spacing and underlayment placement due to thickness variation between pieces. Shingles reward precision fastening and consistent exposure to maintain their characteristic uniform appearance. In both cases, the installer’s skill determines whether a certified product performs to its potential.
Climate and Fire Ratings
Both shakes and shingles are available with fire-retardant treatment for applications in wildland-urban interface zones or wherever local codes mandate specific fire ratings. Specifying untreated product in a fire-rated application is a code compliance issue, not a material quality issue. Our technical resources and member directory can help identify treated product sources appropriate to a given region.
Start With the Right Specification
Understanding the manufacturing and performance distinctions between shakes and shingles is foundational to any cedar roofing project done right. At the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, our grading standards, installation resources, and member network exist precisely to support that standard of true craftsmanship from specification through installation. If you are working through a shake or shingle specification and need technical guidance, reach out to us through our contact form.
