In her eight years as a content writer and researcher, Alison has published more than 450 home improvement articles and has delved into nearly every topic, including solar, moving and landscaping. In ...

Dear James: My roof and wood siding should be replaced soon. Cedar shingle or shake siding and roofing would be my preferred option. Is there a real difference between shingles and shakes? —Barry L.

Wood shingles and shakes (their brawnier, split cousins) have been a notable component in the homebuilder’s tool kit since the earliest days of European settlement in North America. It may be that ...