Deck layer
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 West Milford, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in West Milford 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) 858-1835 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. Skip one of those details and the roof can start cupping, rotting or staining within a few seasons.
Choosing the material comes first, and the choices are wider than most owners expect. 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.
Local rules and conditions narrow the options further. 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.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a West Milford roofer may also recommend cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Need cedar shake roof installation in West Milford? Call (973) 858-1835 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
The cedar roof installation process
A cedar roof is built in a specific order, from the deck up.
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 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.
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
Nails are stainless or heavily galvanized, two per shake, driven flush but not crushing the wood. Plain steel or electro-galvanized nails rust and stain long before cedar wears out.
Flash 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. 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. 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
Ridge caps
Hip and ridge caps go on last with longer nails for wind resistance.
Wall flashing
Valleys, walls and penetrations get proper metal flashing so the busiest water paths are protected.
Underlayment
An interlay of felt sits under each course as a second line of defense.
Choosing the wood
You pick between hand-split, resawn, taper-sawn and sawn options before any wood is ordered.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation West Milford, NJ
Cedar shingle roof installation follows the same principles as shakes, with a few important differences. 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. They can go over spaced sheathing or over solid sheathing with a breathable mat, and they work on slightly lower pitches than shakes. In West Milford, ask the roofer to explain which product suits your slope and style.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
Homeowners in West Milford who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. From West Milford to neighboring communities such as Bloomingdale, Ringwood, Wanaque and Butler, a roofer will check permit rules and fire requirements before recommending a cedar product, and a good installer adjusts the system to the house.
For cedar shake roof installation in West Milford, NJ or nearby towns like Bloomingdale, Ringwood, Wanaque and Butler, call (973) 858-1835 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
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, which is how ice dams form and back 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 West Milford is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why not wait
Less damage
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in West Milford know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation questions
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
Fire-treated cedar is available for areas where fire is a concern. With treatment and the right underlayment, a cedar roof can reach a higher fire classification. Check local rules first, since some areas restrict untreated wood roofs.
Are cedar shakes and cedar shingles the same thing?
The difference comes down to how they are cut. 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.
How steep does a roof have to be for cedar shakes?
Cedar shakes need a slope of about 4 in 12 or more. Shingles can work on slightly lower slopes with reduced exposure. Lower slopes need a different roofing system.
Should new cedar shakes be treated?
Treatment depends on the climate and the grade of wood. Treated shakes last longer in humid or shady spots, and fire-treated ones may be mandatory in wildfire zones. Ask about both kinds of treatment for your West Milford roof.
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
A cedar roof is built over either spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat. 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. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
More questions? Call (973) 858-1835
Related services
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Tearing off worn cedar shakes, repairing the deck and putting on a new cedar or look-alike roof, when the old shakes are too thin to repair.
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
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
Balancing attic intake and exhaust with soffit vents, ridge vents and attic fans, so shingles and decking last as long as they should.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesNeed cedar shake roof installation in West Milford, NJ?
Call (973) 858-1835 to talk to a roofer serving West Milford, NJ.