Ludowici’s terra cotta wood shake and cedar shake alternatives offer product benefits that cannot be matched by wood shingles. Featuring a natural rustic appearance, and without the maintenance and short life expectancy of wood and cedar, Ludowici’s shake roofs are non-combustible and carry a Grade 1 ASTM certification for less than 2% water absorption. Ludowici’s signature craftsmanship allows for fully customizable textures on its shake tiles, including an aged look texture, pressed grooves, scratching, and rugged butt styles that mirror the appearance of wood shake.
Proudly made in the USA for more than 130 years, Ludowici terra cotta shake roofing products are built to stand up to Canada’s harshest winters, with a minimum life expectancy of 75+ years. Its resistance to freeze-thaw cycles guarantees no warping or curling like with lesser shingles, and its Class A Fireproof Classification means that Ludowici wood-look shake tiles are among the most durable roofing materials available. And for all its toughness and durability, it is an environmentally sustainable all-natural American-made product that lasts longer and requires less maintenance than natural wood.
Ludowici’s terra cotta tiles have been sheltering people since the company’s founding in 1888, always handcrafted and infinitely customizable to fit any architectural style. Their wood and cedar shake-looks combines the rustic aesthetic of a cedar shake roof with the durability, longevity, and low-maintenance upkeep of terra cotta tile.
Ludowici LudoShake: The Lightweight Tile Solution
For a shake tile roof system at a fraction of the weight, the LudoShake lightweight tile option offers a tile roof appearance with a weight of just 6 lbs per square foot. Only slightly heavier than saturated natural wood or cedar shakes, this interlocking terra cotta roof tile provides the same texture and rustic thickness of hand-split wood shakes.
The Ludoshake profile features a textured exposure of 13” x 10-1/8” in a single width. Ludoshake Premier is available in three random widths, for a more natural and varied effect on the roof’s appearance. These tiles are expertly designed and able to be installed at roof slopes as low as 3:12 with no intermittent underlayment required between courses.
Ludowici Century Shake: Profiles in Character
Featuring a more rugged overall appearance, Ludowici’s Century Shake Profile offers a thicker terra cotta tile with a more uneven surface designed to mimic the appearance of natural cedar shakes with a minimal increase in the weight per square. Like its lightweight counterpart, Ludowici’s Century Shake Premier is available in a random width configuration featuring exposures of 5-1/2”, 7-3/16”, and 20-1/2” widths by an 11-1/2” length.
All Ludowici Cedar Shake Tile products provide a low-maintenance alternative to natural wood shakes and are backed by a 75-Year colorfast warranty that offers the peace of mind of knowing that Ludowici’s shake tile roofs will not fade or discolor over the course of their service life.
Shake Color Blends
Ludowici shake tiles are available in seven standard color blends. Custom Blends can also be created for a truly unique roof appearance that stands out from the crowd.
Earth Gray – Century Shake
Ebony Mist – Century Shake
Golden Red Cedar- Ludoshake
Sienna – Century Shake
Western Cedar – Century Shake
White Cedar – LudoShake
Aged Cedar – Century Shake
Shake Profiles
Ludoshake Terra Cotta Tiles are available in 9 distinct profiles, each of which provides the longest-lasting alternative to wood and cedar shakes available. Every profile offers a distinct aesthetic appearance that can elevate and enhance the building it stands on to new heights.
LudoShake Premier
LudoShake
Americana 16″
Century Shake Premier
Williamsburg 14″
Americana 14″
Century Shake
Georgian
Williamsburg 16″
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FAQs
Do Ludowici cedar shake tiles require regular maintenance?
Ludowici cedar shake-look shingle tiles do not require any regular maintenance. While not required, annual inspection of the roof, including valleys, flashings and eaves is recommended. Contact North Country Slate for a list of recommended clay tile roofing contractors to assist with any concerns you may have. Ludowici by North Country architectural tile roofs have a minimum life expectancy of 75 years.
Are Ludowici cedar shake shingles suitable for coastal climates?
Ludowici cedar shake-look shingles are an excellent choice for structures located in all coastal climates. Ludowici terra cotta is designed to resist salt intrusion, a common problem in coastal areas. Salt from coastal air can infiltrate building materials, especially in more porous products, leading to expansion and contraction during freeze-thaw cycles. These cycles can cause fading, cracking and tile failure. Due to their dense clay bodies and inherent low water absorption rates, Ludowici terra cotta tiles prevent salt from penetrating and damaging the tiles.
Do Ludowici cedar shake tiles fade or change color over time?
Ludowici cedar shake-look shingles never fade or change color over time. Due to the glazing and kiln firing treatment that all Ludowici terra cotta products receive, they are impermeable to the ultraviolet (UV) light in solar rays and other damaging environmental elements, such as acid rain, air pollution, etc. When it comes to colour, Ludowici cedar shake shingles can be made to look golden yellow like a brand new cedar roof or coloured so as to look like a faded, 25-year old weathered natural cedar roof. The best part is that the homeowner/designer can select their favorite shade of natural cedar shake and lock that colour in for the life of the roof. And all Ludowici products come with a 75-year warranty, which includes colour fastness.
What certifications and testing standards do Ludowici cedar shake tiles meet?
Ludowici products have earned numerous certifications, including the endorsements of the ‘Cool Roof Rating Council’, ‘Cradle To Cradle’, ‘U.S. Green Building Council’ and ‘Energy Star’. More information on these organizations can be found at: www.ludowici.com/ludowici-difference/greenpromise. All Ludowici terra cotta building products meet or exceed the ‘ASTM C1167 – Grade 1’ standard. The Grade 1 designation is the highest rating (of three) and means that the material offers the highest resistance to weathering and the highest resistance to breakage. Grade 1 materials absorb < 2% of their weight in water. It is the absorption of moisture that causes cracking and spalling during freeze-thaw cycles.
How do Ludowici cedar-look shake roof tiles resist mold and mildew?
Due to the extremely low moisture content (< 2%) of Ludowici terra cotta tiles and the product’s inherent moisture-resistant properties, Ludowici terra cotta resists the ingress of moisture and prevents the absorption and retention of water that mold and mildew require in order to grow. Any rain water or water resulting from snow melt runs off the roof and the tiles dry before biological growth has a chance to establish a foothold on the roof.