This article Reprinted from Western Roofing magazine, January/February 2007, Volume 30, number 1

 

 

On a Roll

Rolled Cedar Roof for Classic Seattle Home

by Marc Dodson, editor

 

Rolled cedar roofs… you just don’t see many of them anymore. The rolled cedar roof, simulating the look of European thatch roofing, was a popular style 80 to 100 years ago, but trying to replicate this artistic vision of a bygone era usually presents problems. It’s not just a matter of time and expense, the hardest part from a homeowner’s point of view is trying to find a roofing contractor with the knowledge, expertise, and skilled craftsman to handle the job properly.

                  This is the dilemma that was faced by the owners of a Seattle, Wash., home built in the 1920s. Located in an older prestigious neighborhood of Seattle, between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, the plan was to restore the three-story home to its original grandeur. The owners first contacted the Washington Historical Society for help in finding a roofing contractor who could handle the job, but that led to a dead-end. They then contacted the Oregon Historical Society who recommended Charlie Remington. Remington had done several jobs through the Society previously and is general manager of Quality Plus Roofing in Hillsborough, Oregon. Quality Plus is the sister company of CC&L Roofing, Portland, Oregon, which is owned in part by Dan Cornwell, former president of the WSRCA.

                  Cornwell handled the initial field measurements of the existing roof and Remington took over the supervising, material purchases, and making sure the proper men were on the job, which included Jeff Parte, foreman, and Brian Inman, among others.

                  The roof was 25 squares of shingles, plus another five squares of low-slope. Because of the overlapping shingles and double coverage in many areas, 40 squares of cedar shingles were used. In the field of the roof, a crooked wave was applied, varying from 1” to 5” of exposure.

                  In addition to all the eaves of the roof being rolled, the edges and most of the valleys were rolled as well. In all, about 900 square feet of steamed and bent shingles were applied.

                  To facilitate installation of the shingles that had to be steamed and bent, Parte designed and built a special press for the shingles. Once the shingles had been immersed in hot water for a sufficient length of time, they were removed and inserted into the press. The press put a basic curve to the shingle, which the workers could then manipulate to custom fit the curve of the roof as needed.

                  Stuart Dziedzic of G&R Cedar was charged with making sure that only the highest quality cedar shingles made it to the job. This played a crucial roll as it allowed the crew to work efficiently with little waste. The Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau sent Dziedzic as their representative on this project since he sits on their board.

                  Remington noted that, “The cedar shakes had to be two steps better than standard #1 grade. They had to have 100% edge and 100% vertical grain in order to steam and bend properly.” This was no small task, but Dziedzic delivered. “We were supplied with an excellent cedar product. We used Certigrade Shingles… Quality Plus Roofing is one of only a handful of applicators certified by the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau which provides additional warranties on the materials that meet the Certigrade Standard and are installed by a certified applicator,” added Cornwell.

                  The owners are extremely happy with the end result and their decision to return the house to its original majestic state. The excellent cedar product combined with the artistic skills of Quality Plus Roofing resulted in a roofing job they are proud of. “I’m honored to have people with that level of skill working for us,” stated Cornwell. •••