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MAKING WAVES Custom Shingles has completed some of the most challenging and unique roofing projects, primarily in the Cottage and Storybook genres of architecture, and specializes in steam-bending cedar shingles for many different roof and wall applications. An essential component in these geometrically complex, wavy and undulating roof lines along with the curved cedar shingles, set apart any roof from the ordinary. Through the years you have likely seen our work; From a striking American Thatch home to pre-formed shingles on a towering church steeple, our work has been featured in dozens of magazines and achieved multiple awards for nearly four decades. One of the tributaries of the mainstream of medieval craftsmanship flowed through the hands of peasants, who, with no formal training, graced the European countryside with their unpretentious cottages. It’s an appearance of spontaneous and natural craft. A look the drawing board and tee square rarely achieves. The unselfconscious, delightful simplicity that radiates from these pastoral, vernacular dwellings has captured people for centuries. The peasants intuitive skill at beautifying the utilitarian is no where more evident than in the cottages’ thatch roofs, with their undulating roof lines which roll gently over the irregular contours, it seems to have a way of making a building an integral part of the landscape.
OUR ROOTS: Early
Days
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In the 1920’s, when English Tudor, French Norman and Cotswold design first came into prominence in this country, the European cottage style was also transplanted and took root. Since water reed thatch is a native plant to many parts of Europe, but rare in the United States, a building product indigenous to North America, Western Red Cedar, was used as a roof covering to create a “thatch effect” roof. A company headquartered in the Buffalo, New York area, called Creo-Dipt, pioneered the concept. They designed a framing system that produced all the rounded configurations of a thatch roof, and appeared in various architectural catalogues of their day. They also manufactured a bent shingle made from western red cedar, which was used on the rounded area of the roof. The courses of shingles, rather than being laid in straight lines, were run in long, irregular waves to simulate the texture of thatch. Creo-Dipt’s detailing was excellent and their attempat to reproduce the flowing roof lines of the thatched European cottage was very successful. Before long, their “thatch effect” roofs were being constructed all over the United States. They soon had manufacturing plants in different parts of the country, as well as distributorships through regional lumberyards. But alas, the Great Depression did the company in, but not America’s love for the European cottage. In the early 1980’s these original cottage roofs were worn out and many homeowners, desperate to stop leaks, re-roofed with composition shingles; a gross imitation of the natural beauty of the original wood roofs, not to mention the drastic deviation from the European thatched cottage they were designed to emulate. Many homeowners, realizing the architectural significance of their homes, patched and plugged leaks waiting for a roofer to come along who would accept the challenge of restoring their roofs. In 1982, we took the challenge of re-roofing a 60 year old home, which was a beautiful example of cottage architecture. After inventing and constructing our own steaming and bending equipment, we completed the sensitive restoration project, receiving national publicity for our work. Shortly thereafter, we were awarded a U.S. patent for our steam-bending equipment. We had revived a lost art. The inquires began pouring in, and within half a year, we were traveling extensively throughout the United States, re-roofing these unique structures. With such a resurgence of interest in the country cottage style roof, Country Cottage Roof® saw a viable market for producing pre-bent wood shingles like Creo-Dipt had done sixty years before.
OUR ROOFS:
Then & Now
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We had revived a lost art Afterward, we were awarded a U.S. patent for our steam-bending equipment. We had revived a lost art. With considerable exposure in national magazines, we sensed that the public was tired of the straight, stark lines of modern architecture, and was waiting to discover the romantic charm of the European cottage. Realizing there was a limited need for bent wood shingles without builders being familiar with the construction of roofs with curved configurations, we set out to design a framing system which would incorporate our specialty shingles. As part of our newly trademarked roof system called Country Cottage Roof®, we designed and marketed pre-fabricated, curved framing components which would give the builder the luxury of framing the roof conventionally and attaching our components to the existing roof structure. The finished product retains the integrity of its hand-crafted appeal, without pricing itself out of the market. 1987 was the first year the product was heavily marketed to new construction. Builder magazine, the official publication of the National Association of Home Builders, rated it among the top fifty new building products for reader interest in 1987. Model homes using Country Cottage Roof® were built in major cities across the Unites States, in a number of instances winning top exterior awards in their local builder shows. In 1990 Country Living featured the Country Cottage Roof® on it’s “House of the Year”. Since that time, the Country Cottage Roof® has received wide acclaim with it’s constant exposure in the national media. Installations have been completed from coast to coast, beyond the borders, and as far away as Japan. Our work has continued to make waves, with our work being featured in Architectural Digest, and just this summer, at the Southern California Institute of Architecture.
portfolio Cottages
RAISING EYEBROWS The most striking characteristic of the Country Cottage Roof is the rolled eaves and rolled gables. These rolled edges can be achieved through our preassembled facia boards with attached radiused blocking. These are sold in ten foot sections and are nailed to existing roof framing members the same way a conventional fasica board is installed. Any method of gable construction is acceptable, as our preassembled gable sections are nailed on like a conventional facia board. The radius of the blocking is designed to work with our pre-formed shingles.
(ABOVE) framed with curved roof edges, and installed using our steam-bent and pre-stained cedar shingle system. Our company restored the historical roof at The MacNider Art Museum, in Mason City, Iowa, using laminated photos of each roof plane, and precisely mimicking the roof’s original wave pattern. (BELOW) The Sea Horse Palace in Barrington, Illinois was initially a conventionally framed structure, and was re-
The soft, flowing curves in the roof lines of the Country Cottage Roof truly distinguish it from all others. Our pre-cut level change components are nailed to the existing framing and allow the changing roof leves to roll gracefully over doors, windows, or whatever you want to protrude above the standard plate line. “Eye brow” dormers add an even greater appeal to an already strikingly beautiful roof. These dormers rise subtly out of the sea of shingles to blend harmoniously with the undulating curves of the roof.
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portfolio Cottages
Being one of the pioneers in the 1920’s, Roscoe Harold Zook began designing homes imitating an english reed thatch, created a significant and lasting impression. We roofed his iconic home and studio back in the 1980’s. Nearly 25 years later, this historically significant building was divided into pieces and moved to another location. Although the roof was still in good condition prior to the re-location, we were priveleged to re-roof this project again.
Cedar shingles can be pre-dipped with a preservative stain in nearly any color desired. Or, after installation, the shingles can be sprayed using a preservative stain, which helps extend the life of the shingles, and can be applied even decades later, and also adds pigment, giving a brand new appearance.
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portfolio Cottages
The semi-transparent stained shingles shown above are stacked at the roof edges, a faux english cottage appearance, but with the lasting beauty and durability of cedar shingles.
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The over-sized rolled roof edges are a create a visually striking element, coupled with the random flowing wave pattern, make this home truly spectacular.
Here is another amazing home with exaggerated rounded roof edges. The roof waves flow up and over the front entrance; a seamless transistion between the dormers and roof planes.
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Necker Island is Sir Richard Branson’s home and favorite hideaway. He first purchased the island in 1978 and it opened as a luxury retreat available for private hire in 1984. We had the privelege of roofing this logistically challenging resort, and is now adorned with cedar shakes.
Our on-going relationship with many clients in the Caribbean, has allowed us to provide and install many projects there, including the beautiful Little Thatch Resort, also located in the B.V.I.
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portfolio Cedar Shakes
Cedar Shakes differ from cedar shingles, as they are known for their handsplit surface texture, and are more characteristically rustic than sawn shingles. They are also generally thicker, and depending on the specification, can be up to 1� or more in thickness. Popular on traditional, ranch, vacation homes, or non-residential structures, and are designed to blend with the natural and/or rustic surroundings.
portfolio Cedar Shingles
Cedar shingles can be used in many diverse applications, and are different from a Shake, as both sides are smooth sawn, providing a more refined and tailored appearance. Cedar shingles are what we use on our cottage roofs, but this gallery takes a look at the many other conventional and unconventional applications of cedar shingles. They can be a decorative or fancy cut, such as a fishscale, diamond, or sawtooth pattern, steam-bent or, as shown below, cut into wafer-thin shingles. This project below is the Japanese Tea House located in Chicago’s Botanical Gardens. These stacked shingles give the roof a much thicker and fuller appearance, and the small shingles seem to give the structure a larger scale.
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The Ocean Course Clubhouse in Kiawah Island, SC, hosted both the 2007 Senior PGA and the 2012 PGA Championships. Under a strict time constraint before the PGA Championship,
this project allowed us to excersise our abilities, using pre-dipped, steam-bent and decorative cut cedar shingles, all while completing the project with-in a specific time window.
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Above is a beautiful example of the crowning touch cedar shingles provide on nearly any home. This summer, we were honored to be featured at the Southern California Museum of Architecture.
This contemporary exhibit explores the many uses of cedar shingles, and the aesthetics that can be achieved specifically through the use of curved cedar shingles. This scaled mock-up is for the restoration of a historic one-room schoolhouse, showing the harshness of Utah’s winter climate.
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Rawhide exhibit photos by Joshua White
Cedar Shingles can also be stained in nearly any color desired. This can be done before the shingles are installed, or any time in the future. Staining cedar shingles not only helps extend the life of the shingle, but also gives seems to give the roof a brand-new appearance. This pictured home shows how cedar shingles can be used to seamlessly flow the roof to wall planes, as well as around and beside windows.
portfolio Cedar Shingles
ROYALWOOD P R E M I U M
W A L L A B A
R O O F I N G
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portfolio Wallaba
Our Wallaba shingles are manufactured from sustainably harvested logs of Wallaba wood which is one of the most abundant timber species in Guyana. Wallaba is a dense tropical hardwood which is light red to reddish-brown in color. The texture is rather coarse, and the grain is typically straight. Wallaba Shingles are world-renowned for being naturally resistant to moisture, insects and decay. This project in the British Virgin Islands showcases the rustic surface and rugged appeal of handsplit Wallaba.
We used re-claimed teak, chamfered-edge shingles on a private residence in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Because of the roofs’ unique rounded surface, the teak shingles were bent on-site using our mobile steam-bending unit. The shingles were cut into graduated sizes, keeping the courses perfectly elliptical over all of the roofs’ surfaces. The beauty and durability of teak assures this project will be a lasting masterpiece.
portfolio Teak Shingles
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The level of precision reflected in the installation of the roof’s shingles can only be performed by true craftsman, skilled and versed in the most ornate roofing application. Shingle courses are graduated to smaller sizes, keeping the roof uniform and courses elliptical. Below is another stunning graduated Teak shingle roofs we provided in Thailand, and bent onsite to fit the timeline.
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above & beyond Work of Art
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Make your Storybook home a reality A roof is the crowning touch of any home or structure. We’ve traveled as far as Thailand with our mobile bending unit, to provide and perfect our client’s desired roof. Roofing solutions are sometimes brought to life with pen and paper, and we are never afraid to take on new challenges, while aiding in your design.
Mailing Address: 186 SW Ring Court, Lake City, FL 32025 sales@customshingles.com | www.customshingles.com Toll-free Call: (877) 323-3553 | Facsimile: (386) 755-3233
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