Deck layer
Spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat go down first to give nails a solid hold.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Fanwood, NJ
A Fanwood roofer who installs wood roofs can lay new cedar shakes or shingles over solid or spaced sheathing, with open metal valleys and vented ridge caps, which is what lets cedar last for decades instead of years. One call to (908) 663-5020 reaches a nearby cedar roof installer.
A cedar roof lasts as long as the installation lets it dry. The wood has to breathe, swell and shrink, so spacing, sheathing and ventilation are designed in from the start. Get them wrong and even premium cedar can rot early.
Before installation starts, you choose between shakes and shingles and pick a grade. Split shakes look rustic and heavy, sawn shingles look trim and even, and taper-sawn shakes sit in between. Top grades use edge-grain heartwood with no knots, the most stable wood for a roof.
Code and climate shape the rest. Most codes require a minimum pitch for wood roofs, about 4 in 12 for shakes and 3 in 12 for shingles. Areas with wildfire risk may require fire-retardant treated shakes or a rated assembly, and some neighborhoods have their own rules on roofing material.
Many cedar shake roof installation calls in Fanwood also turn up a need for cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Need cedar shake roof installation in Fanwood? Call (908) 663-5020 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
The cedar roof installation process
Here is how a roofer typically builds a new cedar roof.
Prepare the deck
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.
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.
Lay the field
Between every course, a strip of felt sits partly under the shakes to stop wind-driven rain. 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
Two corrosion-resistant nails per shake are placed just above the line where the next course will lap, keeping them out of the weather. Stainless is common near salt air and with treated shakes.
Build the valleys
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.
Finish the ridge
Pre-formed or site-cut caps run along the hips and ridge, lapping in alternating directions. A ridge vent can go under the caps, paired with soffit vents for balanced attic airflow.
What is included
Parts of a new cedar roof
Wall flashing
Open metal valleys and step flashing are installed as the roof goes up rather than relying on sealant.
Ridge ventilation
Cedar caps finish the hips and ridge, often over a ridge vent for balanced attic airflow.
Underlayment
Each course gets its own strip of felt hidden from view but doing real work.
Choosing the wood
Shakes or shingles, grade, length and thickness are picked for the house so the look and lifespan match your goals.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Fanwood, NJ
Shingles give a cedar roof a cleaner, more uniform look, and their installation reflects that. Because shingles are thinner, they use shorter exposures, so more layers overlap at any point on the roof. Spacing between shingles is narrower than between shakes.
Shingles are usually laid without interlay felt, since the overlap itself provides the coverage. Shingles can be installed on spaced boards or on solid decking with a ventilated layer beneath. For a Fanwood 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
In Fanwood, cedar installations are often chosen for craftsman, cottage and lodge style homes. From Fanwood to neighboring communities such as Westfield, Plainfield, Watchung and Mountainside, a roofer will check permit rules and fire requirements before recommending a cedar product, so a site visit comes before any material order.
Need cedar shake roof installation around Fanwood? Call (908) 663-5020 for a Fanwood roofer who serves the towns around it too.
What the local climate does to a roof
Winters here are long and cold, with snow on the roof for weeks at a time and plenty of nights below freezing. Heat escaping from the attic melts snow on the upper roof, and the water refreezes at the colder 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. That is why roof repair in Fanwood is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why fix it now
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Fanwood know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation questions
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
Underneath cedar, the deck must allow airflow. Felt interlay between courses and an eave membrane in cold areas complete the system. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
Cedar can be made far more fire resistant with pressure-impregnated treatment. Treated shakes over a rated underlayment can meet stricter local codes. Your roofer should confirm what your local code requires before you choose.
Should new cedar shakes be treated?
Treatment depends on the climate and the grade of wood. In damp, shaded areas, preservative-treated shakes resist moss and decay better, and in fire-prone areas, fire-retardant treatment may be required. A Fanwood roofer can recommend the right combination.
Are cedar shakes and cedar shingles the same thing?
They are related but not the same product. 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. Installation differs as well, with interlay felt used under shakes and tighter exposures used for shingles.
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. Below those slopes, another material is the better choice.
More questions? Call (908) 663-5020
Often needed together
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, so a sound cedar roof keeps shedding water.
Learn moreRoof Installation
New roof installation done in the right order with the right details, with ventilation and flashing planned in from the start.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Balancing attic intake and exhaust with soffit vents, ridge vents and attic fans, based on what the attic actually needs.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet cedar shake roof installation help in Fanwood
Call (908) 663-5020 to talk to a roofer serving Fanwood, NJ.