Roofing & Exterior
The Texture That Makes a House Look Like It Belongs Here
Shake and shingle siding in natural cedar or low-maintenance synthetic — a full craftsman elevation or an accent gable that lifts the whole street view, weathered and detailed to last in this climate.
Free inspection & photo report · Fixed, line-item bids· Written workmanship warranty
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- Written workmanship warranty
Signs to watch
Is this you?
You want craftsman or coastal character, not a flat wall
Shake and shingle siding gives a house depth and texture that flat panels can't. It's the detail that makes a Northwest home look like it belongs on its street rather than dropped onto it.
Your existing cedar shakes are cupping, splitting, or graying badly
Natural cedar weathers, and in this wet-dry climate it eventually cups, splits, and loses its finish. Once it's holding moisture, it's feeding rot and mildew behind the show face.
You love the look but not the maintenance
Real cedar is beautiful and needs upkeep. Synthetic shake gives you the same texture and shadow line with far less maintenance — a trade-off worth understanding before you choose.
You want one accent gable to carry the whole facade
A shake gable or dormer against lap siding elsewhere is one of the highest-impact accents in exterior design — a lot of character for a contained cost.
Your options
Natural or synthetic — the look you want, the upkeep you'll accept
We install shake and shingle siding in real cedar and in synthetic (fiber cement and polymer) shake, and the honest choice is about maintenance as much as looks. Natural cedar has unmatched depth and ages into a classic gray, but wants care to get its full life in this climate. Synthetic shake holds its finish for years with almost no upkeep and won't cup, split, or feed woodpeckers. Whole elevation or a single accent gable, the details are identical: housewrap, a rainscreen gap where the wall calls for it, and flashing at every course, corner, and penetration — because texture siding still lives or dies on the water management behind it.
The method
How we do it
- 01
Design, material, and placement
We hold real cedar and synthetic samples against your house and map where the shake runs — full elevations or specific gables and accents — so the look is right before anything's ordered.
- 02
Tear-off and sheathing inspection
Old siding off, wet or rotted sheathing found, photographed, and repaired at the per-sheet price printed in your bid.
- 03
Weather barrier and install
Housewrap, flashing, correct exposure and fastening course by course — the detailing that lets shake shed water and last. Most homes: one to two weeks.
Straight numbers
What shake and shingle siding runs
Material choice moves the number most: synthetic shake and natural cedar sit at different points on both up-front cost and long-term maintenance. After that it's whether it's a full elevation or an accent, the number of stories, and what we find under the old siding. Shake takes more labor to install than flat lap, and we price that into fixed bids up front, financing available.
Where we do this work
Shake & Shingle Siding: straight answers
Natural cedar or synthetic shake — honest answer?
Natural cedar for unmatched depth and a classic weathered gray, if you'll keep up the maintenance it needs in this climate. Synthetic shake if you want that texture with almost no upkeep and no cupping, splitting, or woodpeckers. Neither is wrong — it's about how much maintenance you actually want to sign up for.
How does natural cedar hold up in the wet Northwest?
It can last a long time, but it weathers, and left unmaintained it cups, splits, and eventually holds moisture. Kept up — and flashed correctly behind the show face — it ages beautifully. If maintenance isn't your thing, synthetic gives you the look without the upkeep.
Can I do shake as just an accent instead of the whole house?
Absolutely, and it's one of the best-value moves in exterior design. A shake gable, dormer, or entry against lap siding elsewhere delivers most of the character for a fraction of a full-elevation cost. We'll show you both options against your house.
Does synthetic shake really look like real cedar?
Good synthetic shake has come a long way — it carries the same texture and shadow line and reads as cedar from the street. Up close a purist can tell, but it holds its finish for years and won't rot or split. We'll put real samples of both in your hand so you can judge for yourself.
Get the shake & shingle siding conversation started.
Free 20-minute inspection. Photo report you keep either way. Zero pressure.