Wood shingles are thin, tapered pieces of wood primarily used to cover roofs and walls of buildings to protect them from the weather. Historically shingles, also known as shakes, were split from straight grained, knot free bolts of wood. Modern shingles are mostly made by being cut which distinguishes them from shakes, which are made by being split out of a bolt.

Wooden shingle roofs were prevalent in the North American colonies (for example in the