In 1930, Edmond Fitzgerald built a cedar shake roof on his home that lasted 70 years. (He also built a great lakes ore carrier that did not last through a November gale as well as his roof did.) Good materials and good construction methods are why the roof was durable.
In 2000, Matt Millen of Millen Roofing Co. published a case study of this exceptionally good roof, with topics including Roof Deck, Slopes, and Climate; the Shingles; Underlayment and Interlayments; Fasteners; Flashings; and References.
Click here to read the online Case Study of the 70-year-old cedar shake roof on the Edmund Fitzgerald Home.
Click here to view a printable PDF of the online case study.
Photo credit: Millen Roofing Company.