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If you’ve been following along as we build our garden shed on Instagram, you would know that we painted the whole shed and THEN decided to add cedar shake siding on the front. The reason for this is we felt the front of the shed needed some texture and wanted to make it feel charming and elevated. Also, adding in the cedar allowed us to highlight the front-facing side that is visible from the street. In this post we wanted to share why we made this decision, how we went about installing the shingles, and the lessons we learned along the way.
A Nod to Tradition: The History of Cedar Shake
Just a little background on cedar shake – cedar has long been a popular material for roofing and siding due to its natural resistance to moisture, decay and insects- particularly in New England along the coast. It provides a rustic look and excellent durability. Over time, cedar naturally weathers and develops a silvery-gray patina.
The Installation Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
Installing cedar shake shingles isn’t particularly difficult, but it does require some attention to detail to get things right.
Preparation: We started by wiping down the shed’s front surface to clean off any dust or debris.
Cutting the Shingles: Cedar shakes come in varying widths, which makes installation straightforward. The only cuts needed were at the edge and door trim after each row, and we used a jigsaw when a piece didn’t quite fit. To keep each row level, we used a level throughout the install. It’s important to leave a 1/8″ to 1/4″ gap between shakes for expansion—we aimed for consistency, but in hindsight, we wish we had been more precise in a few spots.
Attaching the Shingles: We began installing the shingles from the bottom, overlapping each one about 5″ as we went. Each row was nailed securely in place just above the 5″ mark.
Cutting Around the Light Sconces: One of the more challenging parts of the installation was cutting around the outdoor light sconces. We used a jig saw for this step, tracing approximately where the outlet cut would be, but knowing we had some room for error since the sconce would be blocking the hole.
Why Cedar Shake Only on the Front and Why Did We Paint It?
The front of our garden shed is the most visible part from the street, and we wanted it to flow with the style of our home which also has cedar shake (although vinyl) on the front of the house. We felt this was a way for us to give the shed a charming, elevated look while keeping it cost effective. We decided to paint the cedar shake to maintain a cohesive look from all angles of the shed. While some people love the natural, weathered gray appearance of cedar, we preferred a more uniform look. Cedar is known for weathering over time, and while the grayish-silver hue can be beautiful, it wasn’t the effect we were going for. We decided to paint the entire shed Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee – a soft, warm off-white, which gave it a clean, timeless appearance while still allowing the natural textures of the cedar to come through. *Note, the man at the paint store suggested we use oil based primer to prevent tannin bleed – a discoloration that appears when oils from the cedar leak through the paint, which would alter the paint color.
Mistakes We Made/Lessons We Learned
One of the mistakes we made during the installation was nailing the shingles too high and too tightly together. Initially, we didn’t leave enough space between each shingle, thinking it would make the wall look more seamless. However, we didn’t account for the fact that wood naturally expands and contracts with moisture. Without leaving a 1/4 – inch gap between the shingles , we risked damaging the siding over time as the wood would have no room to breathe or expand. We also placed the nails a little too high, which left the top part of the shingles less secure.
In the end, we are so happy with our decision to add cedar shake shingles to the front of our garden shed. The rustic, cottage charm it brought to the design transformed the shed from a simple storage space into a standout feature of the yard. While we made a few mistakes during the installation process, we learned a few valuable lessons along the way. And by painting the cedar, we ensured the look would remain fresh and cohesive with the rest of the shed’s design.
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