Siding services · Suffolk County, NY

Cedar shake, shingle and clapboard siding on Long Island

Cedar shingle walls and white trim are part of how Long Island looks, from shingle-style houses near the water to Cape Cods inland. Cedar can be repaired a shingle at a time, re-sided in matching wood, or replaced with a product that imitates it. All three start with one call.

Call (631) 296-9599

Weathered gray cedar shingles in staggered courses meeting a white corner board and window trim

Shingles, shakes and clapboard

Cedar shingles are sawn smooth and laid in straight or staggered courses; shakes are thicker and rougher, traditionally split. Clapboard is long horizontal boards, usually painted. Many older houses have more than one: shingles on the upper walls, clapboard or trim boards below.

Left unfinished, cedar weathers from tan to silver-gray. Stained or painted cedar needs refinishing every so often, and the timing depends on the exposure: a wall facing the water or the afternoon sun needs it sooner than a shaded one.

A shingle-style house in weathered gray cedar shingles with white trim and hydrangeas

Repair, re-side in cedar, or switch?

Split, cupped or missing shingles can be replaced individually, and new shingles can be pre-stained to sit closer to the weathered ones. When a wall has many curled and thin shingles, the nails are rusting through, or water is getting behind, a full re-side is usually the better answer.

Re-siding in real cedar keeps the house authentic and is often expected in a historic district. Fiber cement shingle panels, engineered wood shakes and vinyl shake profiles imitate the look with less upkeep. A contractor can show you samples next to the existing wall.

Near salt water, ask which fasteners the shingle and the house wrap instructions call for, and whether a drainage gap or rainscreen behind the cedar makes sense on your walls.

Historic houses

Some Long Island houses sit in historic districts or are designated landmarks. In the Town of Huntington, the Historic Preservation Commission reviews applications for Certificates of Approval for designated landmarks and districts; Brookhaven requires its Historic District Advisory Committee approval for projects within a historic district. If your house is in one, check before the old siding comes off. The permits guide has the details.

Before you sign

Questions to settle with the contractor

Shingle grade, exposure and course pattern (straight or staggered)
Natural weathering, bleaching stain, solid stain or paint
Fastener type for a house near salt water
Whether a drainage gap or rainscreen goes behind the shingles
Any historic district or landmark review that applies

Where calls are connected

Towns covered

Western Suffolk County ZIP codes, by town. Eastern Suffolk (Riverhead, the Hamptons, the North Fork) is not covered.

Siding loose, split or just worn out?

Talk to a siding contractor who works in Suffolk County

One call connects you with an independent siding contractor serving Huntington, Babylon, Islip, Smithtown and much of Brookhaven. Have the walls looked at, then ask for a written price for the repair or the new siding.

Loose panels, soft trim or siding that's simply had its day? Talk it through with a local contractor.

The call goes to an independent siding contractor that works in western Suffolk County and takes on repairs as well as full re-siding jobs.

Call (631) 296-9599

Calls may be recorded. See the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.

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