Cedar Siding & Shingles in Cumberland County, Maine

Cedar's natural oils give it decent rot and insect resistance for a wood product, and it takes stain or paint well. Left unfinished, it weathers to the silver-gray color associated with older Maine coastal homes; finished, it holds a stain color for years between coats. It's also simply the material most historic districts and some HOAs expect on an older or traditional-style home.

Maibec is one of the pre-finished cedar shingle products we install — panels of cedar shingles factory-coated with stain or solid color before they arrive on site, which gives more even, longer-lasting coverage than field-applied stain and cuts down on on-site finishing time.

• Cedar moves more with moisture than vinyl or fiber cement — it swells slightly when damp and shrinks as it dries, which is normal, but it's why back-priming (sealing the back face before installation) matters.
• A ventilated gap behind the shingles lets both the shingle and the sheathing behind it dry out between wet spells, instead of holding moisture against the wall over a Maine winter.
• Shingles installed tight against a solid, unventilated backing are the ones most likely to cup, split, or grow mildew first — the shingle itself usually isn't the problem, the assembly behind it is.

• Stained or painted cedar is typically recoated on a multi-year cycle depending on sun and weather exposure — south- and west-facing walls fade fastest.
• Unfinished cedar left to weather naturally needs little maintenance beyond periodic washing, but it won't hold a uniform color without eventually being finished.
• Keep gutters and downspouts clear and grading sloped away from the house — cedar closest to grade or under a poorly draining gutter is the first to show wear.