If you want to install a wood shake roof on your home, there are a lot of things to consider. You want to make sure the wood shakes are installed correctly and have the right features to prevent wear and future problems. You will also want to know about the maintenance needs and caring for your new wood shake roofing. The following wood shake maintenance tips will help you care for your new wood roof to ensure it lasts: 

1. Good Shake Installation Practices to Prevent Wear and Problems to Make Maintenance Easier 

To start with your shake maintenance, you will want to begin with the installation. Make sure that good practices are used to install the shakes, such as installing felt paper moisture barriers beneath each run of shakes and removing any defective shakes before they are installed on the roof. Continue with other improvements like reinforcing areas that are vulnerable to wear and adding zinc to the roof to prevent problems with fungus, like moss.  

2. Waiting for Shakes to Cure Before Applying a Stain or Oil Sealant to Prevent Wear of Materials 

After the wood shakes have been installed on your home, you will want to allow them time to cure before doing anything to them. Once they have cured, you will be able to apply an oil stain or sealant to help protect the wood and prevent problems with wear and damage.  

3. Clearing Trees from Your Roof to Prevent Moisture and Shade That Can Lead to Lichen and Moss 

Trees that hover over your roof can also be a problem. They can easily lose branches that damage the shake, and debris can cause problems with wear. Therefore, you will want to make sure that the tree canopies around your roof are well-trimmed to prevent problems and reduce shade that can lead to fungus problems.  

4. Routine Cleaning and Zinc to Reduce Problems with Moss and Lichen That Causes Serious Damage to Wood Roofing 

Cleaning the new wood shake roof is one of the tasks that you will have to do most frequently; especially if you have shade trees around your home or live in a wet climate. The cleaning of the roof will help prevent fungus problems, but you may want to take additional precautions to prevent damage, such as installing zinc strips.  

5. Dealing with The Wear of Shake Roofing and Repairing Defects Early to Prevent Problems with Leaks and Damage 

The wear of shake materials is another problem that you will have to deal with. This is something that can happen with natural wood shakes that may have defects in them. Therefore, you want to get started with good maintenance and look for these defects after the new shakes have had time to dry and cure a little. Replace any defective shakes as soon as you notice them to prevent problems with wear and leaks.  

These are some maintenance tips to help get more life out of your wood shake roofing to ensure it lasts. If you are ready to get the right shake roof for your home, contact a residential roofing contractor in your area and ask them about improvements to help reduce wear and make this maintenance easier.