Like any other shingles wooden shingles can last you a long time if you take good care of them
. They require regular maintenance in order for them to remain in good condition and though they may last for fifteen years or more it's important to replace any that are damaged and make sure you replace any other wood before it becomes irreparable. The sooner you can replace damaged wood on your roof the longer the rest of your roof will last. Of course, this is true with any roof but is especially important when you are using wood for your roofing material.
Although we have gotten away from wooden shingles for roofs many older and preserved homes still use them. In history wood was easy to obtain and fabricate so most homes in the United States were completely of wood compared to slate, thatch and tile in parts of Europe. However, if you want to preserve an older home it's essential to make sure you do it authentically which includes the roof. It would not look authentic if you were to take a home built in the 1800s and use asphalt shingles if the material of the period was wood.
If you choose to use wooden shingles you have to make sure you replace any that are worn. In fact they require annual maintenance-you at least need to check them for any signs of wear and repair or replace them before they do damage to any other parts of the roof. Keep in mind that if wood warps it is very easy for it to affect other wood that surrounds it, so you want to avoid this possibility.