Notebook

1 MIN READ
Fiber-cement roofing shakes were widely marketed during the 1990s, especially in the West, as a fire-resistant substitute for wood shakes. Some manufacturers, including American Cemwood of Albany, Ore., were so confident of the durability of their fiber-cement shakes that they offered a 50-year warranty. Within three to five years of installation though, many fiber-cement roofs — which are made from a mixture of Portland cement and wood fiber — began to deteriorate. “As time went on, they would turn to the consistency of oatmeal,” says Michael Satran, a Portland, Ore., roofer. His contracting company, Interstate Roofing, installed fiber-cement shakes made by both American Cemwood and Re-Con, a Canadian manufacturer. “The shakes would crumble in your hand,” says Satran. “The freezethaw cycles would tear

Register to download and view this article

Get your copy

No recommended contents to display.