Siding · Cedar Shake
Cedar shake siding, done the traditional way
White cedar weathered to gray is the look of the Connecticut shoreline. We install shake and shingle siding the way it was meant to go on: stainless fasteners, correct exposure, and airflow behind every course.
White cedar or red cedar
Eastern white cedar
The classic New England shingle. Left alone near salt water it weathers to an even silver-gray — the color half the shoreline is trying to imitate. Tighter grain, smaller shingles, and the traditional choice for a natural finish.
Western red cedar
Longer, thicker shakes with deep grain character. Takes solid and semi-transparent stains well, which makes it the pick when you want a held color rather than natural weathering.
How we install cedar
- Stainless steel fasteners only; anything less streaks and bleeds within a few seasons of salt air
- Correct exposure per course so the butt lines stay even and the wall sheds water the way it should
- A ventilation gap behind the shingles so the back face dries as fast as the front — skip it and cedar cups
- Woven or mitered corners by preference, corner boards where the house calls for them
Finish options
Natural weathering, bleaching oil to get to the gray evenly, or stain to hold a color. Each has a different maintenance rhythm, and we will be straight with you about what each one asks of you over ten years.
At home in the historic districts
Cedar is what the older streets of this coast are built from, and it is usually the material historic district commissions want to see. We regularly work on shingled houses around the Guilford Green, in Essex Village, and in Stonington Borough, matching exposures and trim profiles to what the street already wears. For a lower-maintenance alternative with a similar lap look, see vinyl siding.
Thinking about cedar?
We will look at the house, talk through finish options, and give you an honest read on whether cedar or vinyl makes more sense for the exposure you have.
Or reach us directly: (203) 555-0184 · hello@harborlineexteriors.com