Sheathing
The deck is built to let air reach the back of the shakes so the cedar can dry from both sides.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Scotch Plains, NJ
A roofer in Scotch Plains can install a cedar shake roof by choosing the right grade and thickness, laying felt interlay between courses and fastening each shake with stainless or galvanized nails, which is what lets cedar last for decades instead of years. Call (908) 562-6873 to reach a local roofer.
Most early cedar failures trace back to installation, not to the shakes. The wood has to breathe, swell and shrink, so spacing, sheathing and ventilation are designed in from the start. Done right, a cedar roof can serve a home for 30 years or more.
The first decisions are the wood and the style. Heavy hand-split and resawn shakes give a rugged, deep shadow line, taper-sawn shakes look cleaner, and sawn shingles look neatest of all. Top grades use edge-grain heartwood with no knots, the most stable wood for a roof.
Code and climate shape the rest. Wood roofs need enough pitch to shed water quickly, generally 4 in 12 for shakes. Wildfire codes, local permits and neighborhood rules can all affect which cedar product is allowed.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation is often paired with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair, depending on the cause.
Dealing with this in Scotch Plains, NJ right now? Call (908) 562-6873 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
Each layer of a cedar roof has a job.
Set up the sheathing
The deck is either open, spaced boards or solid sheathing with a drainage and airflow layer on top. In cold areas, the lower edge gets solid sheathing and an ice and water barrier.
Lay the starter course
The starter course is laid double, projecting past the fascia so water drips clear of the trim. The rake edges overhang slightly too.
Course by course
Shakes go on in courses with felt interlay woven between them, positioned so it never shows below the next course. The crew keeps the keyways open, staggers every joint and measures exposure to the slope and shake length.
Fastening
Nails are stainless or heavily galvanized, two per shake, driven flush but not crushing the wood. Stainless is common near salt air and with treated shakes.
Flash the valleys
A wide open metal valley is installed, with shakes cut to a clean line on each side. Walls, skylights and vent pipes get their own flashing woven into the courses.
Ridge caps
Hips and ridges are covered with cedar caps that alternate their overlap, nailed with longer fasteners into solid wood. Balanced ventilation under a wood roof keeps both the attic and the shakes drier.
What is included
What goes into a cedar roof
Underlayment
Felt strips are woven between every course of shakes hidden from view but doing real work.
Wall flashing
Valleys, walls and penetrations get proper metal flashing so the busiest water paths are protected.
Choosing the wood
Shakes or shingles, grade, length and thickness are picked for the house with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Ridge ventilation
Hip and ridge caps go on last for balanced attic airflow.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Scotch Plains, NJ
Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, so they are thinner, smoother and installed a little differently than shakes. Because shingles are thinner, they use shorter exposures, so more layers overlap at any point on the roof. The keyways between shingles are kept narrow but never closed.
Felt interlay is a shake detail, while shingles rely on overlap for protection. They can go over spaced sheathing or over solid sheathing with a breathable mat, and they work on slightly lower pitches than shakes. For a Scotch Plains home, the right choice between shakes and shingles comes down to the look you want and the pitch you have.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
Homeowners in Scotch Plains who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. Across Scotch Plains and nearby towns like Fanwood, Westfield, Garwood and Plainfield, the key questions are the pitch of the roof, how much shade it gets and whether local rules call for fire-treated wood, and a good installer adjusts the system to the house.
Searching for cedar shake roof installation near me from Scotch Plains or Fanwood, Westfield, Garwood and Plainfield? Call (908) 562-6873 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
What the local climate does to a roof
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. Most homeowners in Scotch Plains, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Scotch Plains
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Scotch Plains and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation FAQ
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
A cedar roof is built over either spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat. Felt interlay between courses and an eave membrane in cold areas complete the system. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
What is the difference between cedar shakes and cedar shingles?
They are related but not the same product. Shakes are rugged and heavy with deep shadow lines, and shingles are trim and even. They also install differently: shakes use felt interlay between courses and longer exposures, and shingles do not.
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
Cedar can be made far more fire resistant with pressure-impregnated treatment. Treated shakes, often combined with a special underlayment, can meet higher fire ratings required in some wildfire areas. Check local rules first, since some areas restrict untreated wood roofs.
How steep does a roof have to be for cedar shakes?
A minimum of 4 in 12 is the common rule for shakes. Cedar shingles can go on roofs as low as 3 in 12 with a shorter exposure. Flatter roofs drain too slowly for wood.
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
Whether to treat depends on moisture, shade and fire rules. Preservative treatment helps in wet climates, and fire treatment may be required by local code. Ask about both kinds of treatment for your Scotch Plains roof.
More questions? Call (908) 562-6873
Often needed together
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Full replacement of worn-out wood roofs, from tear-off and sheathing to the new ridge, when the old shakes are too thin to repair.
Learn moreCedar Shake Roof Repair
Repairs for split shakes, rot at the butts, moss buildup and leaking valleys on wood roofs, without tearing off the shakes that still have years left.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Installing a new roof layer by layer, from drip edge and underlayment to flashing, vents and the finished roofing, so it sheds water at every edge and seam.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Balancing attic intake and exhaust with soffit vents, ridge vents and attic fans, without mixing vent types that work against each other.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet cedar shake roof installation help in Scotch Plains
Call (908) 562-6873 for a local roofer in Scotch Plains and nearby towns.