Deck layer
Sheathing is installed or repaired to suit a wood roof with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Cranford, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Cranford means getting the slope, sheathing, interlay, spacing and fasteners right before the look of the wood even matters, and walk you through the choices before any wood is ordered. Call (908) 562-6887 to reach a local roofer.
A cedar roof lasts as long as the installation lets it dry. Every detail, from the side gaps to the nail type, exists so the shakes can get wet, dry out and move without leaking. Get them wrong and even premium cedar can rot early.
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.
Several outside factors decide how the system is built. Wood roofs need enough pitch to shed water quickly, generally 4 in 12 for shakes. Your roofer should check the permit requirements, any fire rating rules and any neighborhood guidelines before ordering.
Many cedar shake roof installation calls in Cranford also turn up a need for cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Need cedar shake roof installation in Cranford? Call (908) 562-6887 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Cranford.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
Each layer of a cedar roof has a job.
Prepare the deck
Shakes can go over spaced sheathing, boards with gaps that let air reach the back of the shakes, or over solid plywood with a breathable mat that creates the same airspace. In cold areas, the lower edge gets solid sheathing and an ice and water barrier.
Starter course
The starter course is laid double, projecting past the fascia so water drips clear of the trim. Drip edge metal is usually installed here as well.
Course by course
Between every course, a strip of felt sits partly under the shakes to stop wind-driven rain. The crew keeps the keyways open, staggers every joint and measures exposure to the slope and shake length.
Nail each shake
Nails are stainless or heavily galvanized, two per shake, driven flush but not crushing the wood. Plain steel or electro-galvanized nails rust and stain long before cedar wears out.
Flash the valleys
Valley metal goes down first, and shakes are trimmed back from the center so leaves and water can run freely. Step flashing at walls and flashing at skylights and vents go in as the courses rise.
Cap the ridge
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
Parts of a new cedar roof
Underlayment
An interlay of felt sits under each course hidden from view but doing real work.
Wall flashing
Open metal valleys and step flashing are installed as the roof goes up rather than relying on sealant.
Choosing the wood
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you so the look and lifespan match your goals.
Ridge caps
The ridge is capped and vented with longer nails for wind resistance.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Cranford, 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. The keyways between shingles are kept narrow but never closed.
Shingles are usually laid without interlay felt, since the overlap itself provides the coverage. They can go over spaced sheathing or over solid sheathing with a breathable mat, and they work on slightly lower pitches than shakes. A Cranford roofer can lay out samples of each so you can compare.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
In Cranford, cedar installations are often chosen for craftsman, cottage and lodge style homes. Across Cranford and nearby towns like Garwood, Westfield, Kenilworth and Roselle Park, the key questions are the pitch of the roof, how much shade it gets and whether local rules call for fire-treated wood, which is why the planning step matters so much.
Need cedar shake roof installation around Cranford? Call (908) 562-6887 for a Cranford roofer who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects roofs around Cranford
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. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Cranford, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Cranford and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation questions
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
Cedar can be made far more fire resistant with pressure-impregnated treatment. With treatment and the right underlayment, a cedar roof can reach a higher fire classification. Your roofer should confirm what your local code requires before you choose.
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
A cedar roof is built over either spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat. On top of the deck, felt is woven between the courses of shakes, and the eaves get an ice and water membrane where ice is a risk. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
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. Lower slopes need a different roofing system.
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
That choice depends on where the house is and what grade you buy. Treated shakes last longer in humid or shady spots, and fire-treated ones may be mandatory in wildfire zones. Your roofer can explain which options fit your Cranford home.
Are cedar shakes and cedar shingles the same thing?
Shakes are split from the log, while shingles are sawn. Split shakes are thicker and more irregular, and sawn shingles are thinner, smoother and more uniform. Shakes get felt between courses, shingles rely on overlap.
More questions? Call (908) 562-6887
Other services that may help
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Replacing an old cedar shake roof down to the boards, then rebuilding it right, planned around the material you choose next.
Learn moreCedar Shake Roof Repair
Cedar roof repairs from single cracked shakes up to worn ridge caps and open valleys, without tearing off the shakes that still have years left.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Putting on a new roof the way the material maker intends, so it sheds water at every edge and seam.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Roof ventilation work that keeps the attic dry in winter and cooler in summer, so shingles and decking last as long as they should.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet cedar shake roof installation help in Cranford
Call (908) 562-6887 for a local roofer in Cranford and nearby towns.