A Short Discussion of Shingled Walls
Shingles present a distinct visual contrast to lap siding. Shingled walls thus lend conspicuous distinction to a home’s appearance.
Such distinction, however, comes at a price. Shingles are commonly only three-eights inch thick at the butt (bottom edge) and taper to only a thin edge. They are thinner, and consequently, less robust than lap siding. Secondly, shingles in contrast to lap siding contain a veritable “Achilles heel.” Their bottom edges, the portion slowest to dry, are end grain. And end grain is the most moisture absorbent and therefore most decay vulnerable part of a wood member. Shingled walls therefore are far less tolerant of neglect than those sheathed with lap siding.
Gary D. Torgerson Co. restorative work on shingled walls is engineered to impart maximum protection to these vulnerable surfaces.
