BCAB #1035 - Taper-Sawn Red Cedar Shakes

November 23, 1988

BCAB #1035

Re: Taper-Sawn Red Cedar Shakes

With reference to your letter of September 30, 1988 regarding the installation of taper-sawn cedar shakes.

While this material is classified under shakes rather than shingles, the manufacturing process necessitates sawing on both faces, not splitting. Under the circumstances we, as indicated in an earlier Appeal No. 558, could also equate it to a good quality shingle. Because of this we stated that it could be installed either as a shake or as a shingle, but would need to comply fully with the Building Code for the appropriate installation requirements; this would apply to everything including slope, exposure, nailing and interleaving. There is no variation for the use of taper-sawn shakes, and we must also point out that we are only dealing with what are graded as No. 1 shakes; No. 2 shakes are not recognized for use under the Building Code and are therefore unacceptable as either shake or shingle.

You refer to recommendations from the manufacturer, but we would point out that these are irrelevant in this situation, the Code is explicit and must be followed.

J.C. Currie, Chair