Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Cedar Shingles?

We recently built a patio on the front of our house using rustic timbers, we would like to tear down the existing siding ( old and ugly, never seen these things before) to expose the orginal wood and paint that white, but redo the front of the house attached to the deck using cedar shingles. Anyone have any experience using this type of shingles? Or know of the pro's and con's? Or know of any materials similiar to this that will be better ? Any help will be appreciated.
Thanx, Laura

If you are looking for a natural wood option, cedar is probably your best choice. I'm assuming you are taking about lap siding with several options for reveal (4" to 6" or more). Natural shakes are an option, but labor to install is a major factor and maintenence is an issue.

Beveeled lap siding can be left natural or painted. If you decide to paint, consider having the siding prefinished by the distributer. (Ask at your lumberyard). You can opt for primer and one or two coats. Even with two coats, you will still need a final coat, but the factory applied underneath will make it very easy to pain and will give you many more years before having to repaint than doing the whole job from bare wood yourself.

Vinly is an option (either in several different lap styles or shakes.) Shakes are quite nice looking but cost 3-4 times as much as regular lap.

Another option is fiber cement. Two manufactures that I know of are James Hardie and Certanteed Weatherboard. Both last an incredible long time (garantees are like 35 yrs). I prefer the Certainteed because the cedar graining is more natural looking but both are good.

Fiber cement comes either primed or primed with one or two coats. With a base prime, DYI painting is really easy because the paint flows on very easy. Cost is similar to cedar. Special tools are required to install. Regular vinyl is the lowest cost but not as distinctive as the other options.

tear down the existing siding to expose the orginal wood and paint that white
Hmm. You may discover why the original wood was covered over.

cedar shingles. Anyone have any experience using this type of shingles?
Yes, in the mildewy but mild Pacific Northwest. Painted, they're effectively immortal. Lots of 80 year old houses here with the original cedar shingle siding, looking good. The paint holds very well to cedar, and better yet to shingles (AKA shakes) because this siding breathes like nothing else. They also obscure warps and stains and such that grow obvious on boards or sheet products.

Jay_myself made an important point about the additional labour time. On the other hand, cedar shingles are crazy easy to put up and virtually foolproof. A skinny teenager can do a good job with a dull handsaw and one ladder.

thanks jay and kobuchi, we have plenty of time to decide what to choose and to look at overall cost, maintence, durability, etc. we have alot of work to do inside before starting outside, but I do like the skinny teenager with a ladder and hand saw techinque though. Thanx to you both for the recommendations and advice.