Wall flashing
Valleys, walls and penetrations get proper metal flashing so the busiest water paths are protected.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation North Arlington, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in North Arlington means getting the slope, sheathing, interlay, spacing and fasteners right before the look of the wood even matters, so the roof sheds water and dries out between storms. Dial (551) 348-7205 to talk with a local roofer about a new cedar roof.
How a cedar roof is put on matters more than the wood itself. The wood has to breathe, swell and shrink, so spacing, sheathing and ventilation are designed in from the start. Done right, a cedar roof can serve a home for 30 years or more.
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. Top grades use edge-grain heartwood with no knots, the most stable wood for a roof.
Code and climate shape the rest. Shakes need a slope of at least 4 in 12 under most codes, while shingles can go on slightly lower slopes with reduced exposure. 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 North Arlington, NJ can go hand in hand with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair.
Need cedar shake roof installation in North Arlington? Call (551) 348-7205 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
Each layer of a cedar roof has a job.
Set up the sheathing
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
A strip of felt goes along the eave, then a doubled or tripled starter course of shakes or shingles overhangs the fascia by about an inch and a half. 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.
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. Low-grade fasteners can fail decades before the wood, so the nail choice matters.
Build the valleys
A wide open metal valley is installed, with shakes cut to a clean line on each side. Every penetration and wall line is flashed as the shakes go up.
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
Felt strips are woven between every course of shakes as a second line of defense.
Deck layer
The deck is built to let air reach the back of the shakes with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Ridge ventilation
Hip and ridge caps go on last for balanced attic airflow.
Material selection
Shakes or shingles, grade, length and thickness are picked for the house before any wood is ordered.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation North Arlington, NJ
Shingles give a cedar roof a cleaner, more uniform look, and their installation reflects that. 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.
Unlike shakes, shingles do not get felt interlay between courses, because their tight, thin layering already gives three layers of wood 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 North Arlington roofer can lay out samples of each so you can compare.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
New cedar roofs in North Arlington go on everything from custom homes to additions that need to match an existing wood roof. For homes in North Arlington and nearby places including Kearny, Rutherford, East Rutherford and Secaucus, storms, sun and shade all affect which grade and treatment make sense, which is why the planning step matters so much.
For cedar shake roof installation in North Arlington, NJ or nearby towns like Kearny, Rutherford, East Rutherford and Secaucus, call (551) 348-7205 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
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. 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 North Arlington, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why fix it now
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know North Arlington
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across North Arlington and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation questions
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
Cedar can be made far more fire resistant with pressure-impregnated treatment. 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.
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. Ask about both kinds of treatment for your North Arlington roof.
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 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. They also install differently: shakes use felt interlay between courses and longer exposures, and shingles do not.
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
Most codes call for at least 4 in 12 for cedar 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 (551) 348-7205
Often needed together
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Replacing an old cedar shake roof down to the boards, then rebuilding it right, when the old shakes are too thin to repair.
Learn moreCedar Shake Roof Repair
Repairs for split shakes, rot at the butts, moss buildup and leaking valleys on wood roofs, so a sound cedar roof keeps shedding water.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Installing a new roof layer by layer, from drip edge and underlayment to flashing, vents and the finished roofing, whether it is asphalt shingles, metal or another material.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Roof ventilation work that keeps the attic dry in winter and cooler in summer, without mixing vent types that work against each other.
Learn more
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