Anything I need to know about removing/replacing cedar shingles?
 

Okay, I return again to my Pelican Brain Trust. This time I am planning to replace a window in my house with a slightly larger window. But my house is covered with cedar shingles. So I'll need to remove some of the shingles in order to make room for the new window. I assume I will also put some of them back after I have properly placed the window. A friend told me that I need to be "careful" when removing and replacing cedar shingles. But he did not know anything more. So here I am. I assume many of you have dealt with cedar shingles. So may I ask if there is anything special I need to do other than just pry them off and then nail them back into place?

If you "just pry them off " they will likely split. (depending on nails used.)

I will be surprised if many of the shingles survive any attempt to remove them. They will be extremely dry and brittle. Best thing to do is just expect to replace all that you remove with new ones. In a year they will turn grey just like the old shingles.

Do not try to remove any that you don't need to for the enlargement. Use a new blade in a skill saw and cut very carefully to the minimum size you need to remove.

You will likely split any that you try to remove.

One word.

Splinters.

There is a tool that looks very much like a slim jim(car door unlocking tool). The one for shingles slides up under a shingle, hooks the nail or staple leg, and you whack the part of the tool still exposed with a hammer to pull the fastener through the shingle.

Hey, that's not a very nice thing to say about Janus.

I always thought you were an a**hole.







:cool: :D