Cedar Upgrades
Specifying Composite Roofing and Siding for Coastal Homes
by Marcus Dodson, publisher
If you’re still specifying real cedar shakes for your coastal area projects, you’re making contractors like Landon Coggins very happy. That’s because, when those cedar shakes get really beat up by coastal weather conditions in a decade or less, Coggins is ready to step in with a long-term solution for homeowners: composite roofing and siding.
“Real cedar simply can’t stand up year-after-year to the wind, salt air, and coastal weather we experience,” says Coggins, co-owner of Apex Home Solutions out of Oregon. “We install about 25 DaVinci® Roofscapes composite roofs each year throughout Washington and Oregon. The majority are re-roofs. They have the same aesthetic appeal, yet the product is made to resist rot, insects, fire, and impact.
“In the past few years we’ve also begun installing the company’s Hand-Split Shake Siding. It’s a win-win situation having both the roof and the siding made of composite material. The homeowners appreciate the no-maintenance aspect of the exterior along with the Lifetime Limited Material Warranty of both products.”
Award-Winning Project
One of Coggin’s most recent projects won the DaVinci Roofscapes Masterpiece Contractors 2023 Project of the Year Award. A home in Oregon had been badly beaten up by Mother Nature. He recommended Select Shake from DaVinci to stand up to the sea salt, harsh sun, high winds, and storm conditions of the coastal location. He also suggested Hand-Split Shake Siding to provide full-exterior protection from the same conditions.
“By choosing this siding, the homeowners said farewell to moss and algae growth on their home exterior,” says Coggins. “Good-bye to insects eating the cedar and good-bye to moisture problems.”
After getting the green light for the composite siding in an Aged Cedar coloring to match the Select Shake roof, Coggins next decided to use HydroGap®, Housewrap, and AZEK® trims. Both products require minimal maintenance. They also add to the exterior’s durability.
“These products raise the value and curb appeal of the home,” says Coggins. “Because of all the assets of the DaVinci products, there’s a very good chance they’ll get a significant discount on their homeowner’s insurance.”
Quality Products and Workmanship
A few hours away, in Gleneden Beach, Oregon, Coggins also recommended the “one-two” punch of composite roofing and siding on a complex of condos. This time the owners of six townhomes chose a Mountain color for the DaVinci Shake roof and the Aged Cedar color for the DaVinci Hand-Split Shake Siding.
The condos, built in 1961, had real cedar shakes falling off the sides and asphalt coming off the roof. Both had been replaced about 20 years ago. The Apex team also replaced the deck and railing with AZEK PVC products. “We took away all exposed wood on the building and replaced it with either the DaVinci or AZEK product,” says Coggins. “The overall savings for the structure will be huge over the coming decades.”
Advice for Architects
“If I had to offer architects just one piece of advice it would be to specify composite exterior products on projects right from the start,” says Coggins. “We’re more than happy to go in for these reroofing and re-siding jobs. However, architects can save their clients the long-term maintenance and replacement hassles if they don’t specify real cedar.
“The authentic look of the DaVinci product mimics nature. The durability can’t be beat and their shake and slate tiles are warranted for decades. These composite products are practically maintenance free. Even in our area, where salt air is such a problem, these roofing and siding shingles can be pressure washed if needed. It’s impressive that the product remains beautiful even under these harsh conditions as it ages.”
