Ridge caps
Cedar caps finish the hips and ridge, often over a ridge vent for balanced attic airflow.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Tenafly, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Tenafly means getting the slope, sheathing, interlay, spacing and fasteners right before the look of the wood even matters, which is what lets cedar last for decades instead of years. Dial (551) 355-3330 to talk with a local roofer about a new cedar roof.
Most early cedar failures trace back to installation, not to the shakes. Shakes need air on both faces, gaps at the sides to swell, felt between each course to stop wind-driven rain and fasteners that will not rust before the wood wears out. Get them wrong and even premium cedar can rot early.
Choosing the material comes first, and the choices are wider than most owners expect. Shakes are split, with a rough, textured face and thick butts, while cedar shingles are sawn smooth on both sides for a tighter, tailored look. Ask about grain and heartwood, since edge-grain heartwood cups and splits less.
Local rules and conditions narrow the options further. 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.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation is often paired with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair, depending on the cause.
Looking for Tenafly cedar shake roof installation? Call (551) 355-3330 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Tenafly.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a cedar roof installation
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. Edge metal along the eave and rakes protects the wood trim.
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. 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. 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.
Cap the ridge
The ridge and hips get matched cedar caps laid in an alternating pattern. A ridge vent can go under the caps, paired with soffit vents for balanced attic airflow.
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.
Choosing the wood
Shakes or shingles, grade, length and thickness are picked for the house with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Wall flashing
Open metal valleys and step flashing are installed as the roof goes up rather than relying on sealant.
Sheathing
Spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat go down first with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Tenafly, NJ
Cedar shingle roof installation follows the same principles as shakes, with a few important differences. Shingles come in 16, 18 and 24 inch lengths and are laid with shorter exposures, often around 5 to 7 and a half inches depending on length and slope. Spacing between shingles is narrower than between shakes.
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 Tenafly roofer can lay out samples of each so you can compare.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
New cedar roofs in Tenafly go on everything from custom homes to additions that need to match an existing wood roof. Across Tenafly and nearby towns like Cresskill, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs and Demarest, 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.
For cedar shake roof installation in Tenafly, NJ or nearby towns like Cresskill, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs and Demarest, call (551) 355-3330 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Tenafly
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. Most homeowners in Tenafly, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Local knowledge
Roofers in Tenafly know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation FAQ
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
A minimum of 4 in 12 is the common rule for shakes. Sawn shingles allow a bit less pitch if the exposure is shortened. Flatter roofs drain too slowly for wood.
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
Untreated cedar is combustible, which is why fire-retardant treated shakes exist. 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.
Are cedar shakes and cedar shingles the same thing?
The difference comes down to how they are cut. Split shakes are thicker and more irregular, and sawn shingles are thinner, smoother and more uniform. Installation differs as well, with interlay felt used under shakes and tighter exposures used for shingles.
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
The deck under cedar is designed to let air reach the back of the wood. 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. Everything under the shakes is chosen so the wood can breathe.
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
That choice depends on where the house is and what grade you buy. Preservative treatment helps in wet climates, and fire treatment may be required by local code. A Tenafly roofer can recommend the right combination.
More questions? Call (551) 355-3330
Other services that may help
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Replacing an old cedar shake roof down to the boards, then rebuilding it right, with the deck brought up to what the new roof needs.
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, with ventilation and flashing planned in from the start.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Roof ventilation work that keeps the attic dry in winter and cooler in summer, based on what the attic actually needs.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
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