212 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



They cost more than inferior grades, and are worth more. 

 These good shingles, I believe, make the best roofing 

 obtainable. Siding lasts better, and cheaper stock may 

 be used with economic safety. Concerning other species 

 of shingle wood, little need be said. I have seen white 

 pine, yellow pine and even spruce and fir shingles. These 

 are useful for certain temporary work, but are not popu- 

 lar for good buildings. Some good species, as the coast 

 white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) are graded with 

 other species. Numerous Western trees, as the red- 

 wood, make fine timber for shingles, but they are not yet 

 common, especially in the eastern market. 



The cedar and cypress are common in all markets 

 Dealers will supply prospective buyers with information 

 published by such organizations as the Southern Cypress 

 Association, and the Western Associations that market 

 "Rite Grade Inspected" shingles. Good shingles should 

 last over 50 years. As siding, they should last twice or 

 three times that long, without preservative treatment. 



The question of preservation is the last severe abuse 



G>iirtesy Clear Lake Lumber Company. 



A TYPICAL BUNDLE OF WOOD SHINGLES 



Than which there is, of course, no better. The place of the wood 

 shingle has been established through long use, won through its 

 own qualities of lightness, durability and beauty. 



greater number of shingles laid in the last three decades 

 were fastened with abominable wire nails. Old fashioned 

 wrought nails did not rust easily, but we do not have to 

 go back to wrought nails. Modern zinc dipped nails are 

 better than anything that could be made by an 1830 

 nailer, and zinc dijiped nails will double the life of or- 

 dinary shingles. Of course, pure zinc or ]nire copper 

 nails are even better, but are too expensive, and the zinc 

 coated nails are guaranteed by the makers to last as long 

 as the best shingles. So-called "galvanized" nails are 

 better than wire, but not good enough for good shingles. 

 So much for nails, but shingle conservation does not 

 end there. Another difficulty was that shingles, in order 

 to be cheap, were made too thin, and sometimes too short. 

 This is particularly true in the Northeast. So far as the 



Courtesy Patent Vulcanite Roofing Company. 



SUBSTITUTE FOR THE WOOD SHINGLE 



This vulcanite roofing is made in rolls for convenience in hand- 

 ling and application and it is used with great success. 



of shingles we will consider. It consists of painting or 

 staining after the roof is laid. For preservation, shingles 

 should be dipped before laying, and never painted. Mil- 

 writer knows, all are made 16 inches long, and many are lions of shingles are rotted annually by misuse of paint. 

 so thin that they curl on the roof. The Western shingles, The weakest point in every shingle is the joint where the 

 made from Western re(J cedar, are made 16, 18 and 24 over-lapping shingle touches it. Rot usually begins in 



inches long, and 

 several thick- 

 nesses. Thick- 

 ness is usually 

 measured by the 

 number of in- 

 ches in a given 

 number of butts. 

 Five butts to 

 two and one- 

 fourth inches 

 are al)f)Ut the 

 best i,'ra(lc (if 18- 





fe.j.^^v..j;;..,..te;gawi^fi-^ 



inch 



shingles. 



Courtesy Barher and Ross, Washington, D. C. 



COMPOSITION SHINGLES LAID IN STRIPS 



-Substitutes for wooden shingles are widely used and a good argument in favor of these 

 Rex shingles, where a substitute for the wood shingle is sought, is that they are made 

 in strips of four, a means of conserving nails and labor. 



the joint, due to 

 concentration of 

 moisture. A good 

 preservative pro- 

 tects this joint, 

 but painting 

 after laying gen- 

 erally results in 

 the paint layer 

 reaching to the 

 joint but not un- 

 der it. Moisture 

 runs down the 

 shingle and is 



