Sheathing
The deck is built to let air reach the back of the shakes with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Denville, NJ
A roofer in Denville 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, and walk you through the choices before any wood is ordered. Dial (862) 421-0116 to talk with a local roofer about a new cedar roof.
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. Done right, a cedar roof can serve a home for 30 years or more.
The first decisions are the wood and the style. Split shakes look rustic and heavy, sawn shingles look trim and even, and taper-sawn shakes sit in between. Ask about grain and heartwood, since edge-grain heartwood cups and splits less.
Several outside factors decide how the system is built. 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.
Depending on what the roofer finds, cedar shake roof installation in Denville, NJ can go hand in hand with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair.
Dealing with this in Denville, NJ right now? Call (862) 421-0116 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Denville.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
Here is how a roofer typically builds a new cedar roof.
Prepare the deck
The roofer installs either spaced 1x boards or solid sheathing covered with a ventilated underlayment mat. In cold areas, the lower edge gets solid sheathing and an ice and water barrier.
Lay the starter course
The first course is doubled so the gaps in the top layer never line up with gaps in the layer below. Drip edge metal is usually installed here as well.
Lay the field
Shakes go on in courses with felt interlay woven between them, positioned so it never shows below the next course. 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. Stainless is common near salt air and with treated shakes.
Build 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. Pairing a ridge vent with soffit intake keeps the attic dry and helps the shakes last.
What is included
What goes into a cedar roof
Choosing the wood
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you before any wood is ordered.
Wall flashing
Metal valleys and wall flashing are woven into the courses for a watertight finish.
Ridge ventilation
Hip and ridge caps go on last with longer nails for wind resistance.
Underlayment
Each course gets its own strip of felt as a second line of defense.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Denville, 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. The keyways between shingles are kept narrow but never closed.
Unlike shakes, shingles do not get felt interlay between courses, because their tight, thin layering already gives three layers of wood coverage. Like shakes, shingles need air under them, so spaced boards or a breather mat are common. In Denville, ask the roofer to explain which product suits your slope and style.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
New cedar roofs in Denville go on everything from custom homes to additions that need to match an existing wood roof. From Denville to neighboring communities such as Rockaway, Mountain Lakes, Morris Plains and Dover, a roofer will check permit rules and fire requirements before recommending a cedar product, which is why the planning step matters so much.
Searching for cedar shake roof installation near me from Denville or Rockaway, Mountain Lakes, Morris Plains and Dover? Call (862) 421-0116 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. 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. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. Most homeowners in Denville, 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.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Denville and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation questions
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
Fire-treated cedar is available for areas where fire is a concern. Treated shakes over a rated underlayment can meet stricter local codes. Your roofer should confirm what your local code requires before you choose.
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
Whether to treat depends on moisture, shade and fire rules. 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 Denville home.
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
Cedar shakes need a slope of about 4 in 12 or more. Cedar shingles can go on roofs as low as 3 in 12 with a shorter exposure. Flatter roofs drain too slowly for wood.
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. The goal is a roof that sheds water but still lets the wood dry.
What is the difference between cedar shakes and cedar shingles?
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.
More questions? Call (862) 421-0116
Other services that may help
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
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
New roof installation done in the right order with the right details, whether it is asphalt shingles, metal or another material.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Fixing hot, damp or poorly vented attics with the right mix of intake and exhaust, based on what the attic actually needs.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
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Call (862) 421-0116 to talk to a roofer serving Denville, NJ.