Pine Shakes: A Costly Roofing Mistake from the '90s

Pine shakes are a cautionary tale from Alberta's building history — and a reason to pay attention on homes from a certain era. Here's the story.

What Pine Shakes Were

In the 1980s and 1990s, pine shakes became a popular roofing material across Alberta, especially in the wave of communities built during that stretch. They were marketed as a cheaper alternative to cedar shakes — a similar rustic look at a lower price, often sold with a lengthy warranty. On paper, they looked like a smart way to save money.

In practice, untreated pine shakes turned into one of the more notorious building-material stories in the province.

Why Northern Alberta Got Hit Hardest

Here's the local wrinkle. The rot problems with pine shakes were far more pronounced in the Edmonton area — including St. Albert — than in a drier city like Calgary.

The reason comes down to climate. Our conditions tend to be damper and see less intense drying sun than southern Alberta, and that difference matters a great deal for wood on a roof. A black fungus took hold in these moister conditions and attacked untreated shakes, causing them to decay. Shakes that might have lasted in a drier climate rotted here.

The results were rough. Untreated pine shakes — the cheaper option that had been sold with warranties of up to 25 years since the mid-1980s — sometimes began rotting in a matter of a few years. Many affected homeowners across the province ended up replacing their roofs in well under a decade, far short of the promised lifespan.

The Legal Fallout

The scale of the problem led to legal action. Thousands of Alberta homeowners whose roofs were rotting pursued claims, including a notable class-action lawsuit — which was ultimately dismissed in 2004. Another significant case, Holtslag et al. v. Alberta, saw homeowners argue that the province had authorized pine shakes as a roofing material for years despite reason to know they were unsuitable. The courts did not find in the homeowners' favour on the question of a duty of care owed by the province.

The details of those cases matter less to a home buyer today than the lesson behind them: cheaper building materials adopted widely, without enough testing for local conditions, can cost homeowners dearly. Pine shakes are a textbook example.

What It Means Today

Here's the reassuring part. By now, the overwhelming majority of affected homes have long since had their pine-shake roofs replaced with modern materials — asphalt shingles, metal, or other durable systems. It's genuinely rare to find a home still carrying its original pine shakes today.

Still, if you're looking at a home from that late-'80s-to-'90s era, it's a fair thing to confirm during your due diligence:

• Ask about the roof. What material is on it now, and when was it done? On a home of that vintage, the answer is almost always "it was replaced years ago" — but you want to hear it.
• Get a home inspection. A qualified inspector will assess the roof's current material and condition as a matter of course. Any roofing concern surfaces there.
• Keep the paperwork if you're selling. If your roof was replaced, invoices and permits are a genuine selling feature, and I'll make sure buyers see them.

The Bigger Point

Every era of home building has its "known issues" — poly-B plumbing, aluminum wiring, pine shakes. None of them should scare you off a good home. They're simply things to understand, inspect for, and factor into your decision. That's what a careful inspection and a straight-talking agent are for.

This is general historical and educational information, not a substitute for a professional home inspection. Have any older home's roof assessed by a qualified inspector before you buy.

Looking at a home from that era and want the roof and systems checked properly? Just call John — 780-937-7534.