Wall flashing
Valleys, walls and penetrations get proper metal flashing so the busiest water paths are protected.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation South Orange, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in South Orange 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. Dial (973) 858-1859 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. Get them wrong and even premium cedar can rot early.
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. Your roofer should check the permit requirements, any fire rating rules and any neighborhood guidelines before ordering.
Depending on what the roofer finds, cedar shake roof installation in South Orange, NJ can go hand in hand with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair.
Looking for South Orange cedar shake roof installation? Call (973) 858-1859 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
The cedar roof installation process
Each layer of a cedar roof has a job.
Prepare the deck
The deck is either open, spaced boards or solid sheathing with a drainage and airflow layer on top. Solid sheathing is usually required at the eaves where an ice barrier is needed.
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. Edge metal along the eave and rakes protects the wood trim.
Course by course
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. Plain steel or electro-galvanized nails rust and stain long before cedar wears out.
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. Walls, skylights and vent pipes get their own flashing woven into the courses.
Finish 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
Parts of a new cedar roof
Deck layer
The deck is built to let air reach the back of the shakes to give nails a solid hold.
Ridge caps
Cedar caps finish the hips and ridge, often over a ridge vent with longer nails for wind resistance.
Material selection
Shakes or shingles, grade, length and thickness are picked for the house so the look and lifespan match your goals.
Felt interlay
Felt strips are woven between every course of shakes to stop wind-driven rain.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation South Orange, NJ
Cedar shingle roof installation follows the same principles as shakes, with a few important differences. Exposure depends on the shingle length and pitch, and it is shorter than for shakes. 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. For a South Orange 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
New cedar roofs in South Orange go on everything from custom homes to additions that need to match an existing wood roof. For homes in South Orange and nearby places including Vauxhall, East Orange, Union and Short Hills, storms, sun and shade all affect which grade and treatment make sense, and a good installer adjusts the system to the house.
Searching for cedar shake roof installation near me from South Orange or Vauxhall, East Orange, Union and Short Hills? Call (973) 858-1859 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
How the weather here affects roofs around South Orange
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, which is how ice dams form and back water up under the shingles. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. Most homeowners in South Orange, 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 South Orange know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about cedar shake roof installation
How steep does a roof have to be for cedar shakes?
Cedar shakes need a slope of about 4 in 12 or more. Sawn shingles allow a bit less pitch if the exposure is shortened. Flatter roofs drain too slowly for wood.
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
A cedar roof is built over either spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat. Shakes also get strips of felt interlay woven between each course, and an ice barrier goes along the eaves in cold climates. The goal is a roof that sheds water but still lets the wood dry.
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
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. Check local rules first, since some areas restrict untreated wood roofs.
Are cedar shakes and cedar shingles the same thing?
Shakes are split from the log, while shingles are sawn. Shakes are rugged and heavy with deep shadow lines, and shingles are trim and even. Shakes get felt between courses, shingles rely on overlap.
Should new cedar shakes be treated?
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 South Orange home.
More questions? Call (973) 858-1859
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
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, based on what the attic actually needs.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a South Orange roofer about cedar shake roof installation
Call now for South Orange cedar shake roof installation and help in the towns around it.