Deciding on the proper shingle to re-side a once magnificent Shingle-style property is each and every bit as fundamental a decision as it sounds. Traditionally, red cedar was the choice for grand homes like the McCues' Shingle in Manchester. Tight-grained and virtually saturated with tannic acid - a natural preservative, red cedar is actually a tough, long-lasting material. It tends to weather to a dark, rich appear. It was with this material that the original property on this web-site was clad in 1883. More than time, still, the seaside climate takes a harsher toll on the appearance of red cedar, causing it to turn black and blotchy. So within the 1979 renovation, the property was re-sided working with white cedar. And whilst it does weather to a pleasing, uniform silver, with less tannin and wider grain, white cedar will not be as sturdy or long-lived as its red cousin.

​

While they liked the silver hue of their white-cedar house, undertaking a total architectural overhaul of their home also presented the McCues with all the opportunity to re-side making use of the extra historically appropriate red cedar. In the end, modern day shingle-treatment technologies have allowed them to have the benefits of each.

​

Because of the historical strategy to the restoration, most of the newer solutions in siding supplies had been out from the starting. For instance, had longevity been the only aspect, a material such as fiber-cement siding stained with water-based coating would have been a perfectly viable choice. But fiber cement and wood shingles climate quite differently. There could be small natural weathering impact with fiber cement, as well as the appearance over time would not happen to be appropriate for a standard Shingle-style house.

​

Historical accuracy, at the same time as the McCues' own aesthetic preference, dictated that the new siding must be cedar. But would it be white or red? Although this huge Manchester Shingle has worn it for the past 20 years, white cedar is traditionally a material more typical of Nantucket-style cottages. Red cedar, coming mainly from the Pacific Northwest, has extended been considered the much more high-end shingle material. A lot more costly than white cedar, hardy red - usually dipped in creosote to combat weather and decay - was a premium constructing material that accentuated the prestigious character of grand New England Shingle-style homes.

​

What the McCues decided was to go with red cedar shingles that have been treated with bleaching oil. Irrespective of color, cedar shingles do need initial remedy and some maintenance. Proper shingle coating and protecting stains are critical towards the longevity and desired appearance of a house's exterior. Generally composed of linseed oil and bleach crystals, the bleaching oil not merely will safeguard the McCues' shingles against decay, fungus along with other coastal contamination, but in addition impart a considerably numerous visual impact than creosote. Make contact with with all the elements will activate the bleach crystals within the oil, causing the red cedar shingles more than several months' time to take on a natural, light gray color similar towards the weathered look of white cedar.

 

Mildecide, yet another crucial agent in the bleaching oil, operates against the frequently misunderstood blackening impact a lot of red-cedar-shingled buildings undergo when left untreated, specially by the sea. This blackening can be a combination of mildew infestation and natural extractions within the wood. But treated with bleaching oil, the red cedar shingles can climate naturally and evenly while enjoying protection against discoloring mildew.

 

To help keep their shingles in fantastic working order, the McCues will have to have to re-coat them with bleaching oil each 4 to seven years, depending on the severity from the seaside weather. But in return, their residence will have its historically appropriate shingles as soon as once more, at the same time as a beautiful, naturally weathered look that could last for a large number of years to come.

​

Brett Reily can be a representative of Samuel Cabot, Inc., who supplied wood-care items for the Manchester project.