Premium Quality Siding and Roofing Cedar Shingle System Best Appearance Best Protection Extreme Weather Protection Leakproof design prevents mold and decay Code-Perfect Joint Spacing Just match the numbers from course to course Built-in Ventilation PATENT PENDING MOLD NO MOLD GUARANTEE
What is the Ecoshel System? The Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System combines the natural beauty and proven performance of the highest quality Western Red Cedar shingles, with the added benefits of integral ventilation, and a fast and easy installation system that automatically offsets all joints, over the next two courses, as required by code. Installing cedar shingles is now a simple process of matching the guide numbers from course to course. Installation is much faster, which reduces cost significantly. Ecoshel Cedar Shingles look better, perform better and actually cost less than conventional cedar shingles, because of the reduced cost of installation. For sidewall applications, choose Ecoshel Pre-finished Cedar Shingles for additional cost and performance advantages. The cedar shingles in the Ecoshel System are prefabricated as "shingle-strips", not as shingle panels. Shingle panels are sections of cedar shingles glued to a plywood base or backer board. Ecoshel Cedar Shingle-strips are full size cedar shingles held together by thin fiberglass mesh strips on the back, and thin ruler strips on the front. Spacers between the shingles provide consistent spacing, and also prevent the assembled shingle-strip from folding. The result is a semi-rigid shingle-strip without the use of a backer board. Ridges on the back of the shingles provide built-in ventilation.
Because there is no backer board, Ecoshel Cedar Shingle-strips function as shingles, not as shingle panels. When the shingle-strips are installed, each shingle is fastened conventionally using two fasteners per shingle. The lower ruler is then removed, which also removes the spacers between the shingles, which are attached to the ruler. When shingles are properly installed and function as true shingles, not as panels, they provide a highly weatherproof barrier for both roofing and siding applications. Even in extreme weather, Ecoshel Cedar Shingles prevent leaks that would otherwise result in mold and decay within the structure. Preventing leaks is essential for a healthy home. If a house is otherwise properly maintained, the single most important factor that will determine the useful life of the structure is the performance of the weather barriers. Installing cedar shingles using the Ecoshel System provides optimizes joint placement, built-in ventilation, and the best possible protection from moisture related decay. Fast, Easy, Installation Installing cedar shingles using the Ecoshel System is much faster than installing cedar shingles conventionally, which reduces the overall cost significantly. In addition, the superior appearance and performance, that the system provides, is not dependent on the skill or experience of the installers. Adjustable Bracket Gauge The Ecoshel number matching system, combined with the installation brackets, provides a fast and easy installation method, even for individuals with no previous experience installing cedar shingles. See the Installation Video at www.ecoshel.com The installation video at www.ecoshel.com shows just how fast and easy it is to install cedar shingles perfectly, using the Ecoshel system. The website also complete installation instructions. Ecoshel Installation Brackets Use two of these brackets to hold shingle-strips in position for rapid installation. Brackets clip onto the previous course and hold the shingle-strips perfectly aligned and ready to fasten. The shingle exposure is easily adjusted over a wide range.
The Ecoshel System is calculated to provide a perfect installation automatically, just by matching the numbers. All joints between shingles will be offset from the joints in the next two courses, as required by code. All offsets meet or exceed the minimum required offset of 11/2 inches. 1 Install Shingle-Strips 2 Fasten Each Shingle. 3 Remove the Zip Strip. 4 one course at a time. Just as with conventional Alternate strips A and B so the numbers are continuous. Strips are 4 long for easy handling by one person. installation, use two nails per shingle as required by code. Main Numbers (next course) Removing the zip strip also removes the spacers in the joints between the shingles, which allows the shingles to expand. Guide Numbers (previous course) Match the Numbers for Perfect Joint Placement. For the next course, line up the edge of one shingle-strip so the main numbers in the new course match the guide numbers in the previous course. Then just alternate strips A and B to finish installing the course. At windows and doors, cut the shingle-strips as needed so the numbers continue to match the course below.
Ecoshel Provides Extreme Weather Protection Leakproof Design for both Roofing and Siding Prevents Mold and Decay. In extreme weather, exterior wall coverings must perform as well as roofing to prevent leaks from wind driven rain or snow. Wind pressure replaces gravity to force precipitation through any available opening, including laps and nail holes in housewrap. Significant amounts of water can be drawn further into the wall by capillary action, and as water vapor, resulting in mold and decay, which shortens the life of the structure and creates an unhealthy environment. In fact, during the recent hurricanes in Florida, the vast majority of homes were destroyed by mold and rot in saturated walls, not by wind related structural damage. Even with less extreme weather, the life of the structure is often determined by how much moisture has become trapped inside the walls, leading to mold and decay that makes restoration impractical. The Ecoshel System All joints in the next 2 courses are offset, as required by code to prevent leaks. Conventional Installation Improper installation allows precipitation to leak between and behind shingles. 1-1/2 minimum required offset
Code-Perfect Joint Placement Just Match the Numbers from Course to Course for Perfect Joint Placement Cedar shingle siding is the only conventional siding that is sufficiently weatherproof that it also provides excellent roofing. Shingle systems are unique in that they provide 3 layers of weather barriers, and each layer redirects precipitation back to the surface. However, cedar shingles must be installed properly to provide this higher level of protection. Codes for installing cedar shingle roofing require that all joints in the next two courses be offset from the joints in the current course. The minimum offset for adjacent courses is 1-1/2 inches. Meeting this requirement, when installing cedar shingles conventionally, is very tedious and time consuming, and is often ignored or compromised, resulting in leaks. The Ecoshel System All joints in the next 2 courses are offset, as required by code to prevent leaks. Conventional Installation Improper installation allows precipitation to leak between and behind shingles. 1-1/2 minimum required offset The Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System provides superior weatherproofing for both roofing and siding applications. Just matching up guide numbers from course to course insures that all joints are properly offset as required by building codes for cedar shingles installation
Built-in Ventilation The Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System includes ventilation ridges on the back of the shingles that provide a slight space between overlapping shingles, and between shingles and the housewrap or underlayment. This built-in ventilation prevents moisture related mold and decay fungi in several ways: Ecoshel Ventilated Shingles Provides a capillary break between shingle layers, and between the shingles and the housewrap, preventing trapped moisture from soaking inward to the sheathing. Provides airflow between shingle layers, which promotes drying and reduces warping. Prevents contact between the housewrap and extractives in the shingles, which degrade the water repellency of some housewraps. Prevents windblown precipitation from moving sideways, between shingles layers, to underlying joints. Non-ventilated Shingles Eliminates the need for other costly and problematic ventilation methods: The Ecoshel System provides a rain-screen type system, that is continuously ventilated throughout the entire surface, without adding significant thickness. The use of lath or mesh behind the shingles creates an air space, NOT ventilation. A dead air space can cause additional moisture problems as trapped warm, humid air cools and condenses, or is pressurized by heat from the sun, and diffuses through the vapor permeable housewrap. Installing vents that are large enough to adequately ventilate this type of air space is not practical, and the additional thickness of the air space and vents creates problems with door and window jambs, flashing, and trim work.
Kiln Dried, Rejointed, Rebutted, and Sanded, for Superior Appearance and Performance. Kiln Dried Paints and stains adhere better to kiln dried wood. Prevents warping, shrinking, and splitting after installation. Rejointed Side edges are recut parallel to each other. Enables precise shingle spacing and alignment. Rebutted Bottom edge is recut smooth and square to the sides. Provides a smooth edge for sealing with paint or stain. Enables precise and even alignment of shingle butts. Sanded Removes stains and reveals the wood grain. Eliminates raised wood fibers that cause a blotchy appearance, and trap dirt that promotes mildew growth. Paints and stains adhere better to freshly sanded wood.
Advantages of Pre-finished Cedar Shingles: Pre-finished Cedar Shingles provide the highest quality finish at the lowest cost. Pre-finishing provides many advantages over finishing in the field, at about half the cost. Always choose pre-finished cedar shingles for sidewall applications. Choose any color stain, semi-transparent to solid, from top quality manufacturers, or pre-finish with a tinted high performance primer. Call us for recommendations on the best performing finishes. Coating the front, back, and edges of the shingles seals out moisture to prevent cupped shingles and insure a long lasting finish. Pre-finished shingles are coated in areas of the shingles that overlap when they are installed, providing a more complete seal against moisture. Finishes perform best and last the longest when applied to sanded wood, before it has weathered. Ecoshel Cedar Shingles are coarse sanded for greater finish penetration. Finishes adhere better to kiln dried wood than to "green" wood. All Ecoshel Cedar Shingles are kiln dried and are protected from moisture before and after the pre-finishing process. Pre-finishing provides the most uniform coverage and eliminates drips, sags, and lap marks. Factory finishing provides a controlled environment that insures ideal conditions for finish application and curing. Direct sun, rain, and temperature can severely degrade the quality of field applied finishes. Pre-finished cedar shingles can be installed in any season, in any weather. Ecoshel Cedar Shingle-strips are ideal for pre-finishing because they require very little cutting, which exposes unfinished edges that need to be touched-up.
Premium Quality Siding and Roofing Cedar Shingle System Best Appearance Best Protection Kiln Dried Pre-Set Shingles Paints and stains adhere better to kiln dried wood. Prevents warping, shrinking, and splitting after installation. Rejointed Side edges are recut parallel to each other. Enables precise shingle spacing and alignment. Rebutted Fast, easy installation. Automatic code-perfect joint placement. Prevents leaks that cause decay inside the wall or roof. Integral Ventilation Ridges between shingles provides a capillary break that prevents moisture from soaking inward. Ridges allows airflow between shingles which promotes drying and prevents decay. Eliminates trapped moisture that causes warping. Pre-Finished Options Bottom edge is recut smooth and square to the sides. Allows paint or stain to seal the edge. Enables precise and even alignment of shingle butts. Sanded Removes stains and reveals the wood grain for a beautiful finish. Eliminates raised wood fibers that cause a blotchy appearance, and trap dirt that promotes mildew growth. Paints and stains adhere better to freshly sanded wood. Front, Back, and Edges are sealed with stain or primer. Sealing both sides of the shingles prevents cupping. Paints and stains perform better when both sides are coated. No Mold Guarantee MOLD Protects your house from mold and decay inside the walls better than any other conventional siding. Guaranteed to prevent leaks, that cause mold, even in extreme weather. Ventilation allows moisture from other sources to escape. (404)350-0540 www.ecoshel.com
Save Time, Save Money Comparison of Costs and Features Western Red Cedar 4/01/09 Costs/Square (100 sq. ft.) (7-1/2 Exposure) Premium Standard Selected #1 18 Selected #2 18 TM Conventional Siding Shingles (10% waste included) 18 #1 Shingles / square 278.00 237.00 260.00 Professional Installation to Code 125.00-175.00 125.00-175.00 250.00-350.00 (INSTALLATION COST VARIES BY REGION) Rain-screen* Included Included 170.00 (mesh or lath, screened vents and extensions) Total Cost Installed 428.00 387.00 730.00 Kiln Dried Rejointed Rebutted Sanded Selected NO Fast Easy Install NO Auto Joint Spacing NO Integral Ventilation NO Pre-Finished Options Premium Quality Custom Color Stain front and back application 64.00 64.00 limited *A ventilated rain-screen prevents mold and decay behind the siding and is recommended or required in most green building programs.
Selected for Quality Ecoshel Premium / Standard Comparison Premium Standard Selected #1 18 Selected #2 18 100% Vertical Edge Grain 100% Heartwood 100% Clear Kiln Dried Selected Shingles that are split, warped, or defective are excluded. Ecoshel Premium Shingles are the highest quality Western Red Cedar Shingles available. Premium shingles are the best choice for sidewall applications, and the only choice for roofing. Because roofing shingles should never be sealed, they depend on the inherent dimensional stability provided by 100% clear, vertical, edge grain to perform well through continuous wet/dry cycles. Mixed Grain - some flat grain. Mostly Heartwood - some sapwood. 100% Clear for the lower 11. Some defects in the upper non-visible portion of the shingle. Kiln Dried Selected Shingles that are split, warped, or defective are excluded. Ecoshel Standard Shingles provide a good economical alternative for sidewalls, but only when they are pre-finished. Mixed grain shingles have much less potential to warp or split when they are sealed on both sides. In addition, kiln drying allows us to identify shingles that have a tendency to warp or split when drying. These shingles are excluded from the manufacturing process.
Coverage - Calculating the quantity you need. 1. Measure the house to determine the square footage. Subtract for door and window areas. Add one course to the height because the first course is doubled. Add about 1 foot to the base width of gables for angled cut waste. Add 3-5% percent for general waste, depending on the complexity of the job. Unlike other shingle panels, Ecoshel cut-offs can be reused. 2. Convert area in square feet to area in "squares". Siding and roofing is purchased in squares. One square = 100 square feet. 3. Determine the "exposure" you will use. Exposure is the height of each course - how much height of the shingles will show. Maximum recommended roofing exposure is 5-1 /2". Maximum recommended siding exposure is 7-1 /2". A larger exposure will require less product which lowers the cost. Most people think a 6" exposure looks better for tradional styles. 4. Check the Price List for the cost per square at different exposures.
building green Ecoshel and the Environment Ecoshel is committed to developing building systems that preserve our environment and its resources, while providing healthy homes that will last for generations. This means developing durable, energy efficient building systems, using non-toxic, renewable resources. Wood is the only conventional siding and roofing material that is a renewable resource, and the manufacturing process for wood uses far less energy, and creates much less pollution, than manufacturing processes for other siding and roofing products. Wood is also biodegradeable, while other building products become a permanent addition to landfills, or a source of toxic waste. The cedar used in the Ecoshel System comes from salvaged logs from well managed forests. Ecoshel Premium FCP is produced using wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System contributes significantly to energy efficiency, not just because cedar is a good insulator, but also because the system keeps insulation dry. In addition, thermal breaks in an Ecoshel installation reduce the transfer of heat between the shingles and the underlying sheathing. On a hot day, the sheathing under Ecoshel Cedar Shingles can be up to 40 degrees F cooler than sheathing under asphalt/fiberglass shingles. While the use of renewable, non-toxic, and energy efficient resources is important, it is also important to build homes that last for centuries, not decades. Building homes with a life span of 40 or 50 years is a horrible waste of energy and resources. The key to a healthy, durable home is to keep the structure dry. If a house is otherwise properly maintained, the single most important factor that will determine the life span of the structure is the performance of the weather barriers. By combining the highest quality cedar shingles with optimal installation and enhanced ventilation, the Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System provides a beautiful classic appearance, and the best possible protection from moisture related decay.
building green The Difference Between Cedar Shakes and Shingles The difference between cedar shakes and shingles is less clear now than it was 50 years ago. Initially, cedar shingles were sawn from a block, while cedar shakes were split off using a mallet and froe. Cedar shingles are more precisely milled than shakes, and provide a more refined classic appearance, which is well suited to a wide range of styles. Shingles were the siding of choice for the post Victorian "Shingle Style" of the late 19th century, as well as for the many styles of the Arts and Crafts Period. Cedar shingles were very prevalent in the hundreds of Craftsman Style bungalows designed by Gustav Stickley, and were frequently specified for both roofing and siding installations. Cedar shake installations provide a more irregular, rustic appearance. They make a less sophisticated, more charming statement that works well for some smaller cottage styles. Most cedar shakes today are made by machines, and are sawn on at least one side. Shakes are sometimes machine grooved to appear more like authentic hand split shakes. Although cedar shakes today are seldom hand split, they still follow the dimensional rules of their predecessors, which vary by grade. Shakes are thicker than shingles, ranging from 1/2" to 3/4" or greater at the butt end, while shingles range from about 3/8" to 1/2". The 18" "Perfections" used in the Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System are between 7/16" and 1/2". Functionally, the most important difference between cedar shakes and shingles is that shingles are milled more precisely than shakes. Cedar shakes are more irregular, and don t lay as flat when installed. This creates gaps which can be penetrated by wind blown precipitation. Because shakes can be penetrated by wind blown rain or snow, a layer of felt paper is required between courses for roofing installations. Interleaving felt paper helps blocks wind blown precipitation, and also allows shakes to be installed with 2 layers of shakes and one layer of felt paper, rather than 3 layers of shakes, which would be quite thick. Unfortunately, when installing cedar shakes, many roofers take advantage of this felt interlayer as a license to ignore the code requirements. Joints between cedar shakes must still be offset by at least 1-1/2" from course to course. When joints in adjacent courses are aligned, or nearly so, the only protection from the elements is the felt paper, which has already been riddled with nail holes, and is easily torn. The felt underlayment was designed for temporary protection, and as a secondary barrier for sparse and intermittent leaks, not as a primary weather barrier. Cedar shingle installations are more precise, lay flat, and are never installed with felt interleaving. For roofing, shingles are always installed so there are 3 layers of shingles at any point. Cedar shingles, properly installed as 3 overlapping layers, provide a highly weatherproof system, even in extreme weather. The Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System provides even greater extreme weather protection. The installation system guarantees optimal joint placement, and the ventilation ridges function as baffles that prevent wind blown precipitation from moving sideways between layers to underlying joints. The ridges direct water downward and back out to the surface. The ventilation system also promotes even drying, which helps keep shingles flat.
building green About Ecoshel Bryan Kirkey I built my first house in the late 1960s with a couple of friends. It was made entirely from recycled materials, and was built as high in the tree as we dared to climb. High enough that if you stood on the roof, on your tip toes, on a clear day, you could see all the way to the Dairy Queen sign on the other side of town. I was 12, and nothing was more rewarding than building a treehouse with friends. I learned a lot from that experience. First, mixing together left over paint colors from nearly empty cans in the basement, does not make a rainbow. "Rainbow Fort", as we still insisted on calling it, looked more like a bad psychedelic poster from the same era. "Reinforcing" the tree might have been another bad idea. Adding nails where the branches attached to the trunk probably didn t make it any stronger. Our biggest mistake was hanging venetian blinds in our "picture window" to protect us from the elements. The elements were rotten tomatoes thrown by warriors from another tree fort. The blinds became the worlds largest Veg-O-Matic, slicing and dicing everything that came our way from the garden below. Soon the entire interior of our tree fort was coated with salsa that attracted every bee in the county. We were forced to evacuate. Then the tree died. I've learned a lot about design and building since then. I studied architecture, and engineering, and completed a masters degree in photography. I taught design and photography at the University of Buffalo and Rochester Institute of Technology and developed a business providing design and manufacturing services for retail store displays. During all of those adventures, I also restored historic houses. The hands on restoration experience taught me more about building than all of my theoretical experiences combined. Restoring structures that have been around for 100 to 200 years, really gives you a sense of how materials react with the elements over time. Gutting an old house gives you an opportunity to analyze the results of real world testing, revealing which construction methods work, and which were destined for failure. I started Ecoshel as a business that would take a fresh look at residential architecture with a focus on designing homes that will that will retain their aesthetic, functional and structural value for many generations. Using renewable resources, and creating efficient low energy homes is important, but it s even more important that we stop making disposable houses. It matters little how energy efficient a house is, if it s going to end up in a landfill in 50 years. Building 5 houses that will last 50 years each instead of 1 house that will last 250 years is extremely wasteful. The resources and energy needed to manufacture, package, transport, construct and demolish 4 additional houses is enormous, and more than offsets any claims about responsible use of materials and energy efficiency. Also, if the lifespan of a house is increased significantly, the additional cost of building a truly energy efficient and durable house becomes negligible. continued...
building green About Ecoshel Bryan Kirkey continued from previous page... From a structural perspective, increasing the lifespan of a house means providing a higher level of protection from moisture. If a house is otherwise properly maintained, the lifespan of the house is determined by how much moisture has become trapped inside the walls, often draining to the bottom plate or sills where the rot process begins. While many siding products perform adequately in average weather, they perform poorly in extreme weather. If it can't be used as a roofing material, it will not stop wind blown rain from entering your walls. Wind blown rain is forced through laps, seams, and nail holes. Moisture trapped between the siding and the housewrap is vaporized by the heat of the sun and diffuses through the vapor permeable housewrap causing saturated sheathing that will begin to decay. Once decay fungi have been established inside the walls, the decay process cannot be reversed. Sheltered from light, the decay fungi will thrive whenever the relative humidity rises, even after the wall has dried out. The Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System was designed specifically to provide the best possible protection from this type of moisture related decay.
building green Contact Us For more information about the Ecoshel Cedar Shingle System, contact us by email or by phone: Ecoshel 1468 Southland Circle, NW Atlanta, GA 30318 info@ecoshel.com (404)350-0540 7AM - 7PM EST (404)355-6853 fax
Ecoshel installs for about half the cost of conventional shingle installation, which typically results in a lower installed cost. Plus, Ecoshel includes a built-in rain-screen, which eliminates the expense of a separate rain-screen product. Price List - 3/15/10 Cost per Square 18" Kiln Dried R&R Sanded Rain-Screen Exposure: 7-1 /2" 7" 6-1 /2" 6" 5-1 /2" Premium Select #1 WRC Unfinished $260 $279 $301 $326 $356 Premium Select #1 WRC Pre-finished $325 $348 $375 $406 $443 Standard Select #2 WRC Unfinished $237 $255 $272 $296 $323 Standard Select #2 WRC Pre-finished $301 $323 $346 $376 $410 Premium Select #1 NWC Unfinished $266 $290 Premium Select #1 NWC Pre-finished $346 $377 Coverage / Nails (Contact Ecoshel for discount pricing on stainless steel nails.) Exposure 7.5" 7" 6.5" 6" 5.5" Panels/square 40 43 46 50 54.5 Nails/square 720 = 1.83 lbs 774 = 1.96 lbs 828 = 2.10 lbs 900 = 2.28 lbs 980 = 2.49 lbs Ecoshel is sold in full cartons, 20 panels per carton. Call for pricing on prefabricated Hip and Ridge units for roofing.