Choosing the wood
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Rockaway, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Rockaway means getting the slope, sheathing, interlay, spacing and fasteners right before the look of the wood even matters, so the roof sheds water and dries out between storms. Dial (862) 421-0113 to talk with a local roofer about a new cedar roof.
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.
Before installation starts, you choose between shakes and shingles and pick a grade. 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.
Several outside factors decide how the system is built. Wood roofs need enough pitch to shed water quickly, generally 4 in 12 for shakes. Areas with wildfire risk may require fire-retardant treated shakes or a rated assembly, and some neighborhoods have their own rules on roofing material.
Depending on what the roofer finds, cedar shake roof installation in Rockaway, NJ can go hand in hand with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair.
Dealing with this in Rockaway, NJ right now? Call (862) 421-0113 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
A cedar roof is built in a specific order, from the deck up.
Prepare the deck
The deck is either open, spaced boards or solid sheathing with a drainage and airflow layer on top. Where ice can build up, the eaves get a waterproof membrane over solid decking.
Start at the eaves
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
Each course of shakes gets a strip of 18 inch felt interlay laid above the butts, so the felt is hidden but blocks rain blown through the gaps. Shakes are spaced about three eighths to five eighths of an inch apart, side joints are offset at least an inch and a half from the course below and the exposure stays even, often 10 inches for 24 inch shakes.
Fasten correctly
Each shake gets two stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized nails, about an inch in from each side and placed so the next course covers them. Low-grade fasteners can fail decades before the wood, so the nail choice matters.
Valley work
Cedar roofs use open valleys lined with wide metal, often with a center crimp to keep water from running across to the other side. Step flashing at walls and flashing at skylights and vents go in as the courses rise.
Cap the ridge
Pre-formed or site-cut caps run along the hips and ridge, lapping in alternating directions. Pairing a ridge vent with soffit intake keeps the attic dry and helps the shakes last.
What is included
What a cedar installation covers
Ridge ventilation
Hip and ridge caps go on last for balanced attic airflow.
Wall flashing
Metal valleys and wall flashing are woven into the courses so the busiest water paths are protected.
Sheathing
Sheathing is installed or repaired to suit a wood roof to give nails a solid hold.
Felt interlay
Each course gets its own strip of felt as a second line of defense.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Rockaway, NJ
Shingles give a cedar roof a cleaner, more uniform look, and their installation reflects that. Exposure depends on the shingle length and pitch, and it is shorter than for shakes. Side gaps are tighter too, about a quarter to three eighths of an inch.
Felt interlay is a shake detail, while shingles rely on overlap for protection. Like shakes, shingles need air under them, so spaced boards or a breather mat are common. In Rockaway, ask the roofer to explain which product suits your slope and style.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
Homeowners in Rockaway who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. Across Rockaway and nearby towns like Dover, Wharton, Mountain Lakes and Morris Plains, the key questions are the pitch of the roof, how much shade it gets and whether local rules call for fire-treated wood, so a site visit comes before any material order.
Searching for cedar shake roof installation near me from Rockaway or Dover, Wharton, Mountain Lakes and Morris Plains? Call (862) 421-0113 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
Roofs in this climate
Winters here are long and cold, with snow on the roof for weeks at a time and plenty of nights below freezing. When warm attic air melts the snow, the meltwater runs down and freezes again at the eaves, building ice dams that push water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Rockaway is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Rockaway
Roofers in Rockaway know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation FAQ
Are cedar shakes and cedar shingles the same thing?
Shakes are split from the log, while shingles are sawn. Shakes have at least one rough, split face and thicker butts, giving a rustic, textured roof, while shingles are sawn smooth on both faces for a neater look. Shakes get felt between courses, shingles rely on overlap.
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
That choice depends on where the house is and what grade you buy. In damp, shaded areas, preservative-treated shakes resist moss and decay better, and in fire-prone areas, fire-retardant treatment may be required. Your roofer can explain which options fit your Rockaway home.
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
The deck under cedar is designed to let air reach the back of the wood. Shakes also get strips of felt interlay woven between each course, and an ice barrier goes along the eaves in cold climates. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
Cedar shakes need a slope of about 4 in 12 or more. Sawn shingles allow a bit less pitch if the exposure is shortened. Below those slopes, another material is the better choice.
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
Untreated cedar is combustible, which is why fire-retardant treated shakes exist. Treated shakes, often combined with a special underlayment, can meet higher fire ratings required in some wildfire areas. Local codes decide what is allowed, so ask before ordering.
More questions? Call (862) 421-0113
Related services
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Tearing off worn cedar shakes, repairing the deck and putting on a new cedar or look-alike roof, planned around the material you choose next.
Learn moreCedar Shake Roof Repair
Replacing split, cupped or missing shakes, clearing moss and fixing valleys and ridge caps, matched to what a close look at the roof actually finds.
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
Fixing hot, damp or poorly vented attics with the right mix of intake and exhaust, without mixing vent types that work against each other.
Learn more
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