This is a cedar shake roof cleaning job from a ravine-backed home in The Sanctuary, Columbus, Ohio . The Sanctuary is a private, gated community of approximately 40 homes nestled among deep ravines and mature hardwood forest in North Columbus. Every home in The Sanctuary carries a cedar shake roof — it's an HOA requirement that preserves the community's natural woodland aesthetic. This particular home features an extremely complex roof with multiple hips, valleys, dormers, and synthetic ridge caps throughout. Years of ravine humidity and canopy shade had turned the shakes from their natural golden color to a dark gray-black with white lichen colonies and green moss at the eaves. The transformation speaks for itself. GPS verified in The Sanctuary, Columbus, Ohio . Learn more about our Sanctuary services →
About The Sanctuary's Cedar Shake Roofs
The Sanctuary's HOA requires cedar shake roofing on all homes — a rule that has maintained the community's natural woodland character since the mid-1980s. Situated in deep ravines with dense hardwood and pine canopy, Sanctuary roofs face some of the most aggressive organic growth conditions in Central Ohio. The combination of ravine humidity, limited sunlight penetration, and constant organic debris creates ideal conditions for moss, algae, and lichen to colonize cedar shakes year-round. Read more about The Sanctuary →
The Transformation
The Sanctuary — Overhead View (Before vs. After)
Cedar Shake
The showcase photo. From directly above, you can see the full scope of this complex cedar shake roof — multiple hips, valleys, and dormers with copper ridge caps throughout. In the before shot, the shakes are a uniform dark gray-black with scattered white lichen colonies. After treatment, the cedar has returned to its natural golden honey-brown color. The Forza van is visible in the driveway in the after shot, and — look to the left — the neighbor's untreated roof provides a stark contrast to the cleaned surface.
The Sanctuary — Chimney & Front Angle (Before vs. After)
Cedar Shake
This pairing shows the roof from a similar front-side angle. The before shot captures the brick chimney surrounded by dark, weathered shakes — the copper ridge caps are barely distinguishable from the blackened cedar. In the after shot, the transformation is dramatic: the shakes glow a warm golden-brown, the copper ridge caps pop against the lighter wood, and the Forza van sits in the driveway with our logo and phone number clearly visible. The manicured boxwood landscaping below completes the picture of a well-maintained Sanctuary home.
The Sanctuary — Full Roof Footprint (Before vs. After)
Cedar Shake
From this opposite overhead angle, the full footprint of this complex roof is visible — and so is the ravine. In the before shot, you can see the dense tree canopy pressing in from the left side, which is exactly why this roof got so dirty so fast. The Sanctuary's ravine topography traps moisture and drops organic debris directly onto the shakes. After treatment, the golden-brown color has returned across the majority of the surface. The Forza van with ladder is visible in the driveway, and the deck and patio area are visible on the left.
The Problem Up Close: Moss, Lichen & Algae at the Eaves
This close-up tells the story that the overhead shots can't. At the eave line, you can see three distinct types of organic growth attacking the cedar shakes: green moss colonizing the gutter edge where moisture collects, white lichen patches scattered across individual shakes, and gray-black algae staining the entire surface. A tree branch overhangs directly above — dropping leaves, seeds, and moisture onto the shakes year-round. This is what happens to cedar in The Sanctuary's ravine environment without regular professional treatment. Our treatment process kills all three types of growth at the root without damaging the wood.
Spot the Difference: Neighbor's Roof vs. Ours
In several of the after photos above, you can see the neighboring home's untreated cedar shake roof on the left side of the frame. The dark, weathered surface of the neighbor's roof provides a striking contrast to the golden honey-brown of the freshly treated roof. This is the same transformation waiting for every cedar shake home in The Sanctuary — the difference is unmistakable from the air.
The Final Result
The Sanctuary — front elevation after treatment. The cedar shakes have been restored to a light silver-gold, the copper ridge caps gleam against the wood, and the brick entrance steps lead up to a home that looks like it belongs in this setting. Behind the house, the dense pine and hardwood forest of The Sanctuary's ravines rises up — the same environment that caused the problem is now the backdrop to the solution. This is what professional cedar shake maintenance looks like in one of Columbus's most private communities.
Live in The Sanctuary?
Forza Roof Cleaning serves 13 of the approximately 40 homes in The Sanctuary — over a third of the community trusts us with their cedar shake roofs. Every job starts with a free drone assessment and is backed by our our commitment to quality.
Serving The Sanctuary streets including Windsong Ct, Windsong Way, Green Springs Dr, Sanctuary Dr, and Dillmont Dr.
Get Your Free Drone Assessment(888) 516-0008