Long-lasting alternatives to cedar shake roofing with a natural look

By Kate Smith, DaVinci Roofscapes.

Check out all the details of some stunning DaVinci Roofscapes shake blends!

Cedar shake roofing has a historic look and patina that adds authentic detail to traditional-style homes. These natural shakes mellow over the years to an attractive combination of warm wood and weathered gray-to-black tones. However, natural cedar shakes have some challenges. Because of their short lifespan, it may be time to replace them by the time they reach the perfect color. More importantly, wood shakes are a fire hazard, forcing many homeowners to seek an alternative roofing material with the same natural look while reducing the risks.

Real cedar shakes versus DaVinci black oak shakes — before and after

DaVinci Roofscapes offers an extensive selection of fire-resistant composite shakes that recreate the look of cedar shakes and the aged patina that homeowners love, from fresh-cut wood to weathered shakes with a rustic yet refined look. DaVinci also offers customizable blends, making it possible to create alternative shake roofing that suits almost any environment or architectural style.

The Nature Crafted Collection

Homeowners who love the natural appearance of aged cedar roof shakes will find a durable solution in the Nature Crafted Collection from DaVinci Roofscapes®. Inspired by the texture and color of real wood shakes, these composite products come in three perfectly aged colors.

Mossy cedar

Mossy Cedar roofing captures the warm, earthy silver-brown patina of natural wood shakes at that perfectly weathered moment. Its organic gray patina looks like cedar aged in a shady, wooded area.

Black oak 

Black Oak shakes combine deep brown and charcoal tones to add age and character to your home. This dark roof shade recreates the effect of decades of weather exposure in a four-season climate. Ideal for historic homes, Black Oak provides contemporary and traditional architecture with a sense of permanence.

Aged cedar

Aged Cedar roofing offers a vintage look by combining golden Cedar and dark brown shades with tonal variation. Its rustic surface effect mimics naturally weathered wood shakes. Aged Cedar is a popular choice for cottage and coastal-style homes.

Natural-looking composite roofing

Other natural-looking alternatives from DaVinci Roofscapes® include composite roofing that is fresh but without a bright, new appearance.

Mountain

Mountain, with deep neutral grays, suits almost any architectural style. This roofing features a medium tonal variation in shades that are neither warm nor cool. Mountain offers a versatile alternative to natural shakes that are ideal for today’s modern farmhouse-style homes.

Tahoe

Tahoe combines warm grays with rich brown to create a full-bodied but mellow tonal variation. The result is a medium shade resembling natural wood that has spent a short time in the environment. This versatile alternative shake has a timeless look and is suitable for many home styles, from Tudor to French Country.

Weathered gray

Weathered gray replicates the silvery gray brown of natural cedar exposed to salt air and bleached by the sun. These low-contrast shakes have less tonal variation, making them ideal for a neutral exterior color scheme. The lighter color is perfect for hot climates, and the gray shade perfectly complements a coastal environment.

Chesapeake

Chesapeake shakes also provide a weathered silvery gray but with a slightly cooler undertone. Minimal variations make these shakes an ideal complement to brick exteriors, which look best with a more uniform roof. This versatile shake color is a light, cool neutral that works well with different home styles.

Conclusion

As you can see, DaVinci provides high-quality, durable alternatives to real cedar shingles. DaVinci offers more than 50 slate and shake colors mixed to create multi- and single-color blends that complement any home or building. Whether you choose an aged look, or classic shakes will depend on the style of your home, the surrounding landscape and your personal taste.

To learn more about choosing roofing and exterior colors, be sure to check out this other article!

DaVinci composite roofing, made with virgin resins, UV and thermal stabilizers and a highly specialized fire retardant for increased safety, is backed by a Lifetime Limited Material Warranty on residential projects.

Ready to choose your new roof? Visit the DaVinci Top-Down Color Visualizer to quickly see how your home will look with alternative cedar shake roofing. It’s fast and straightforward. You can upload a photo of your home or choose one of 10 available home styles.