Best Australian timbers for making shingles

**MAI** · 22nd April 2012, 05:03 PM

I'd like to have a crack at making shingles for the roof of a garden shed. Shingles as a roofing material were reasonably common in Australia in the 19th century and there's still a lot of California Bungalows around that use shingles on walls as a decorative feature under a window, for example.

There's a fair bit of information on the WWW about making shingles and some useful Youtube videos but I have the feeling this is one of those crafts that might look simple but takes a lot of experience to get right.

I've done some research into what timbers were used by the early settlers for shingles and to some extent the answer is whatever was available but commonly mentioned species are ironbarks, stringybarks and casuarinas. I guess ideally a shingle timber would split readily, have good dimensional stability and good durability. I think the Europeans used oak and chestnut a lot and many shingles from the US are made of cedar.

There's a number of woodcrafts sites in the UK that sell froes (great Old English word) or shingle axes.

If anyone has any experience in making shingles or can give some advice on what timbers they have found work well that would be great

Thanks

David

**Scribbly Gum** · 22nd April 2012, 06:31 PM

There is a shingle maker at Timbertown in Wauchope.
From what I have seen, he uses mostly forest oak and other casuarina.
Cheers
SG

**Dan** · 22nd April 2012, 10:17 PM

I remember watching Stan Ceglinski at the Brissy wood show demonstrate shingle splitting. Fairly sure he was using Bloodwood, but it was a few years ago.

**artme** · 23rd April 2012, 04:09 AM

I've seen shingles made from any number of accacia species.

**whitewood** · 23rd April 2012, 08:59 AM

David

If you fail to find a suitable Australian native species you could use rough sawn Australian grown and renewable Paulownia 16 x 150 mm planks and cut it to length. It has all the qualities of WRC but initially is 'white'. When exposed to the weather it turns grey/silver the same as WRC and most timber. Will last jut as long as a roofing material.

Whitewood

**MAI** · 23rd April 2012, 10:34 AM

I've heard that silver wattle (acacia dealbata) is suitable but I would have thought that shingles made from this material wouldn't last for long if exposed to the elements. A fallen silver wattle tree rots in a few years. Maybe they're used for the cladding shingles with some paint on them.

**tassietimbers** · 24th April 2012, 11:31 PM

King billy pine has been used in Tassie for a long time a shingle timber. Splits like a dream, durable in the weather, easy to work with and very light weight. Let me know if your'e interested.

Cheers
James

**hybridfiat** · 25th April 2012, 08:30 PM

She oak has been used here in WA for over a century. There used to be a bloke who sourced she oak for bespoke roofs in the "posh" suburbs. The Armadale 'Pioneer Village' had S/O shingled roofs. Prob still does. An easy to split very durable timber but costs and arm and a leg.

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