Wooden shingles, Black Forest shape, right – poplar plywood

The nativity stable is up and the house has its walls. Now all that's missing is the roof that turns your craft project into a little treasure. With these wooden shingles in Black Forest shape (right), you tile model roofs row by row. That's just how shingle makers once did it at full size. The precisely laser-cut cutouts in 3 mm poplar plywood are made for your nativity roof. And when you're done, you're looking at a miniature that seems to come straight from the Black Forest.

What changes for you

• Your roof looks true to detail and even, and you don't have to cut anything yourself. That's because every shingle is precisely laser-cut.
• You work cleanly with no finishing needed, thanks to smooth laser-cut edges with the typical brown rim.
• You design it exactly as you like. The wood is untreated and can be glued on, painted, coated or oiled.
• You'll find the right size for every project. The shingles come in 28 sizes, from 15 mm x 7.5 mm to 150 mm x 75 mm.
• You build with a real natural material instead of plastic. The wood shows grain and a rough surface, just like real roofs.

Why these wooden shingles make a real difference

A roof made of individual wooden shingles changes the whole look of a model. Instead of a flat surface, you get a lively pattern of rows, edges and wood tones. Anyone standing in front of your nativity scene, model house or pyramid takes a closer look. The roof shows that someone worked here with real attention to detail. And tiling the roof itself is a calm, focused crafting moment, as something of your own grows shingle by shingle.

Material & finish

The shingles are made of poplar plywood about 3 mm thick. It is light, keeps its shape and is pleasant to work with. The Black Forest cut with a bevel on the right is precisely laser-cut after you order, in our own production in Pößneck. This creates clean, smooth edges with the typical brown laser rim, which gives the shingles a naturally aged look. The wood is untreated, neither varnished nor glazed. You decide on the finish yourself. As a purely natural material, every shingle has its own texture: different shades, fine grain and the occasional small knot. That is exactly what makes each piece one of a kind and your roof believable.

Dimensions & technical details

• Material: poplar plywood, untreated
• Material thickness: approx. 3 mm
• Shape: Black Forest cut with bevel on the right
• Dimensions: from 15 mm x 7.5 mm to 150 mm x 75 mm, available in 28 sizes
• Cut: laser-cut, smooth edges with typical brown rim
• Use: in its natural state for indoor use only; for outdoor use the wood must be treated, e.g. oiled
• Made in Thuringia, Germany

How to use the shingles

• Building a nativity scene in Advent: you tile the roof row by row. Your nativity scene gets a closed shingle roof with visible wood texture.
• In model making: houses, huts and mills look much more lifelike with individually laid roof shingles than with painted-on roof tiles.
• Our tip for the Christmas season: As small-format roof shingles, the cutouts are also great for roofing a Christmas pyramid. This way you create true-to-detail miniatures for all kinds of Christmas projects.
• Designing and decorating: you paint, decorate or oil the shingles just as you imagine. Anything goes, from natural wood tones to colourful decorations.
• In shop window and store displays: little houses with shingle roofs draw people's attention. They make your winter decor look handmade.

Good to know about the Black Forest shingle

Wooden shingles have been part of the Black Forest for centuries. The traditional farmhouses were roofed and clad with them, because wood stands up to wind and weather surprisingly well. The typical shape with its slanted bevel made sure rainwater ran off cleanly. This very shape in miniature makes your nativity scene or model house look like a real Black Forest house.

Care & durability

There isn't much you need to do. Indoors, the untreated shingles stay looking good for a long time without any extra care. If you want to display your work outdoors, treat the wood first, for example with oil. This protects it from moisture and helps it keep its shape.

Options & what's included

• 28 sizes to choose from: from 15 mm x 7.5 mm to 150 mm x 75 mm
• Quantity selection: shingles in the selected pack size
• Precisely laser-cut to order

Frequently asked questions

Can I use the shingles outdoors? In their natural state, they are for indoor use only. For outdoor use, the wood must be treated, for example by oiling.

Can the shingles be painted or decorated? Yes. The wood is untreated, neither varnished nor glazed. It can be glued on, coated, oiled or painted.

Where does the brown rim on the edges come from? It is created during laser cutting and is typical of this cutting method. The edges are smooth and clean, with no sanding needed.

Do all shingles look the same? Not quite, as wood is a natural material. Different shades, fine textures and small knots are normal. They make every shingle one of a kind.

What really counts is the moment you place the last shingle and take a step back. Your nativity roof looks as if a shingle maker had tiled it. Simply choose the size and quantity that suit your project.