Semicircular beaver tail shingles in poplar plywood

The nativity stable roof is almost done, and the pyramid is standing. But it takes real shingles to give your little building its character. With these semi-circular beaver-tail shingles made of 3 mm poplar plywood, you can cover roofs row by row. That's how roofers used to do it. Only here it's on a small scale, made for your craft table. Each shingle is laser-cut to exact size. It's ready for you to glue, paint or oil.

What changes for you

• Your model roof looks as if it were made in one piece. That's because every round shingle is laser-cut to exact size for your order, and the rows sit neatly against each other.
• You're free to design it just as you imagine – the untreated poplar wood can be glued, painted, coated or oiled, whatever your project needs.
• You save yourself tedious cutting. The smooth, laser-cut edges with their typical brown rim are ready to use straight away.
• You order exactly as many as you need – thanks to the choice of sizes and quantities, you won't have material left over or be one shingle short in the final row.

Why these wooden shingles make a real difference

A roof made of individual wooden shingles looks different from a flat board. It gains depth and texture. This visibly sets nativity scenes, model houses and Christmas pyramids apart from machine-made surfaces. Anyone standing in front of your finished piece takes a closer look. They discover the loving work in every row. This very difference turns a craft project into a treasured piece that comes out again year after year.

Material & finish

The shingles are made of poplar plywood approx. 3 mm thick. They are light enough for delicate roofs and keep their shape as you work with them. The laser cut gives smooth edges with the characteristic brown rim, which is reminiscent of fired roof tiles. The wood is untreated. It is neither varnished nor glazed. It takes paint, glue and oil well. Wood is a purely natural material, so brightness and grain vary from shingle to shingle. Small knots or textures are part of it and make every roof one of a kind. Every order is made in our own production at Bütic in Pößneck, Thuringia.

Dimensions & technical details

• Material: poplar plywood
• Material thickness: approx. 3 mm
• Shape: beaver tail, semicircular (round shingle)
• Cut: laser-cut, smooth edges with typical brown rim
• Surface: untreated, not varnished or glazed
• Production: made precisely to order, manufactured in Thuringia, Germany

How to use the beaver tail shingles

• Building a nativity scene in Advent: you tile the stable row by row – and when the nativity scene stands on the sideboard on Christmas Eve, the shingle roof is the first thing everyone looks at.
• On a Christmas pyramid: the semicircular shape follows the curve of the pyramid roof – so your self-tiled roof adorns the living room while the figures turn in the candlelight.
• In model making: whether it's a half-timbered house, a mill or a decorative birdhouse – real wooden shingles give every model roof a depth that painted cardboard can't match.
• For decorating and painting: colour the shingles brick red or slate grey, or let the natural wood speak for itself – the untreated wood takes paint evenly.
• For shop windows and displays: a shingled miniature house in a bakery or shop window catches the eye and brings a warm, handcrafted feel to the display.

Good to know about beaver tail shingles

The beaver tail shape owes its name to the beaver's rounded tail – as a roof tile, it has shaped roofs all over Germany for centuries. That's exactly why nativity scenes, model houses and pyramids with semicircular shingles look so familiar and authentic: the little roof echoes its big counterpart on the market square next door.

Care & durability

There's not much you need to do: in their natural form, the shingles are intended for indoor use, where they'll last for years. If your piece is going outdoors – as the roof of a birdhouse, for example – treat the wood first, for instance with oil. That way the roof will stay looking good for a long time, whatever the weather.

Options & what's included

• Available in various sizes – choose the version that suits your project.
• Choose your quantity from various pack sizes – you order exactly the number of pieces you need.
• Contents: semicircular shingles in the selected pack size.

Frequently asked questions

Can I paint the shingles or glue things to them? Yes. The poplar wood is untreated and can be glued, coated, painted or oiled.

Are the shingles suitable for outdoor use? In their natural form, they are intended for indoor use only. For outdoor use, you'll need to treat the wood, for example by oiling it.

Why do the shingles look different from one another? Wood is a natural material: brightness, grain and small knots vary from piece to piece – which is exactly what makes every roof unique.

Where does the brown rim on the edges come from? It's created during laser cutting and is typical of laser-cut wood – many crafters love it because it's reminiscent of fired roof tiles.

In the end, it's not about plywood and laser cutting. It's about the moment your nativity scene or pyramid stands in the candlelight under its finished shingle roof – and you know: I tiled that myself. Simply choose your size and quantity, and your next roof can begin.