# Cedar Shake Dipping



## StrokerAce (Aug 19, 2015)

I have done lots of cedar shake staining post installation but never pre-installed.
I just got a job of doing forty-five squares and trying to find the most efficient way to do so. I have searched the threads but find nothing. Maybe doing it wrong so if this thread exist, sorry! Will be using Sikkens Log and Siding.
I know a lot of people dip the shakes but it's the drying and set-up that I'm not sure of best approach. Any ideas? Thanks.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Dip them, let them soak for a few and hang them to dry on a clothes line with drops or tarps under them.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Lambrecht said:


> Dip them, let them soak for a few and hang them to dry on a clothes line with drops or tarps under them.


My back-of-the envelope calculations for 18-inch shakes averaging 7 inches wide installed with a 10-inch exposure indicates that 45 squares would require about a mile of clothesline.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

Ok maybe upgrade to a zip line cable😀


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## Boco (May 18, 2013)

Build some drying racks with chicken wire about 6' long and 2' wide. 2 x 2s are fine and you want to keep them light so you can move them.. Dip shakes and set them on racks with plastic underneath. Fan and or heaters optional but highly recommended.


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## StrokerAce (Aug 19, 2015)

I read someone somewhere that said they'd dip them, 2 taps on the side of a bucket then fling 'em in a pile. Sounds pretty messy and how would you keep them from sticking and being yuck? Not my plan! Wire with clothespins and jap dry, few nights a week.


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## Jtpaintalot (May 4, 2011)

I've used some nice racks for dip method. Basically just a 2x10 with a whole bunch of saw rips for grooves for shingles .. Like thin slots with a couple inches inbetween worked awesome


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

These racks hold 3 bundles each in a 10' area.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

PRC said:


> These racks hold 3 bundles each in a 10' area.


Are there two racks in the photo? It looks like it to me. That would be 1.2 square of shakes and the OP is looking at 45 squares (225 bundles).


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

Why dip them? Some kinda special reason? 
Sounds kinda messy and slow to me, I'd much rather throw em on the ground someplace and spray em, flip em over and spray the other side later?
Well actually. I'd much rather the carpenters put em on the house for me. Spray em there. Save me a lot of work. 
I know, I'm sure there's a reason....


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Oden said:


> Why dip them? Some kinda special reason?
> Sounds kinda messy and slow to me, I'd much rather throw em on the ground someplace and spray em, flip em over and spray the other side later?
> Well actually. I'd much rather the carpenters put em on the house for me. Spray em there. Save me a lot of work.
> I know, I'm sure there's a reason....


The only one we've prefinished shingles/shakes has been because they were being installed in the off season and the clients didn't want to wait 6 months for the exterior to be finished.

Another _caveat_: often, shakes/shingles are wet when delivered. Having to rack them to dry BEFORE you stain them means handling them a few more times. That can be a budget breaker. Don't ask me how I know that.:whistling2:


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

Gough said:


> Are there two racks in the photo? It looks like it to me. That would be 1.2 square of shakes and the OP is looking at 45 squares (225 bundles).


Yes, 2. I was just showing that vertical space is the best way I've found. If he built 8 they could fit in a 16x20' area. That's 4.8 square. If he has the manpower to fill that in a day. Then 8+ days and done. If that doesn't keep him ahead of the installers then build 12 or more. Just a thought. 

These dried shingles are being oil primed, so they need the dry time before stacking. Latex stain you could unrack sooner.

Do you have method you use? Always looking for better ways.


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## PNW Painter (Sep 5, 2013)

PRC, it's tough to tell from the photos, but how are you connecting the shingles to the rack? BTW, that looks like a nice setup.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

PRC said:


> Yes, 2. I was just showing that vertical space is the best way I've found. If he built 8 they could fit in a 16x20' area. That's 4.8 square. If he has the manpower to fill that in a day. Then 8+ days and done. If that doesn't keep him ahead of the installers then build 12 or more. Just a thought.
> 
> These dried shingles are being oil primed, so they need the dry time before stacking. Latex stain you could unrack sooner.
> 
> Do you have method you use? Always looking for better ways.


The only two that we've tried were handing from wires and stuck into racks of 1x2s spaced about 1/2 inch apart. Both were put together on the fly and I wasn't really happy with either. I'm always looking for better ways as well.:thumbup:


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

PNW Painter said:


> PRC, it's tough to tell from the photos, but how are you connecting the shingles to the rack? BTW, that looks like a nice setup.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


They are small binder clips strung on 17 gauge fencing wire. Stringing them is the most tedious part of building them. The whole setup took 2 people 2 hours from unloading to start of priming.


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## StrokerAce (Aug 19, 2015)

PRC said:


> They are small binder clips strung on 17 gauge fencing wire. Stringing them is the most tedious part of building them. The whole setup took 2 people 2 hours from unloading to start of priming.


Could you possibly post a picture of so called binder clip? My issue of course is with clothespins they are parallel with clothesline and take up lots of space.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

StrokerAce said:


> Could you possibly post a picture of so called binder clip? My issue of course is with clothespins they are parallel with clothesline and take up lots of space.


http://www.amazon.com/ACCO-Binder-Clips-Large-72100/dp/B002VD6BLG

144 pcs./case from staples. I think$9/box.

They rarely drop a shingle. Just make sure they clip to unprimed wood at the top so they don't want to slip.


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## StrokerAce (Aug 19, 2015)

PRC said:


> http://www.amazon.com/ACCO-Binder-Clips-Large-72100/dp/B002VD6BLG
> 
> 144 pcs./case from staples. I think$9/box.
> 
> They rarely drop a shingle. Just make sure they clip to unprimed wood at the top so they don't want to slip.


That really would be the ticket but looks to be cost prohibitive. $4:50 per 12 comes out to over $200 for 600 clips.


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

StrokerAce said:


> That really would be the ticket but looks to be cost prohibitive. $4:50 per 12 comes out to over $200 for 600 clips.


That link was just to show the item. 
Buy 4 boxes here or any other office supply store.
http://m.staples.com/Staplesreg-Sma...Black-34-Size-with-38-Capacity/product_480114


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

StrokerAce said:


> Could you possibly post a picture of so called binder clip? My issue of course is with clothespins they are parallel with clothesline and take up lots of space.


The credit for this idea needs to go to a past PT member. Found it in a GIS. The search function here didn't net the post I'm referencing when I was looking for similar help.


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## PNW Painter (Sep 5, 2013)

Have you tried looking at Uline?


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## StrokerAce (Aug 19, 2015)

Well the customer finally decided to go with pre stained from factory. Even after paying a restocking fee he saved 1500$. He took a look at cost of material, 30 gallons of Sikkens plus my labour and said oops! Of course this was after I purchased a dip tank and strung up 600 feet of clothesline.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

On a positive note, you're gonna save a fortune not putting your clothes in the dryer.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

just an off the wall thought....I've never done it, but was wondering if drilling a small pilot hole (carpenters are going to stick a nail in anyway)in the top then threading them (finished) through the line might work? 
the problem I have with the dipping method though is that from what i've experienced (and repaired) is that the shingles roll after a couple of years.  our company didn't do the original install, we just fixed a bunch of dipped shingles....i dunno...just some thoughts. open to criticism though.


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## StrokerAce (Aug 19, 2015)

Might be good except you would have to string them after dipping and before hanging. Sounds like a disaster.


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