Choosing the wood
You pick between hand-split, resawn, taper-sawn and sawn options before any wood is ordered.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Dover, NJ
A roofer in Dover 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. One call to (862) 430-1002 reaches a nearby cedar roof installer.
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.
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. 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.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Dover roofer may also recommend cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Dealing with this in Dover, NJ right now? Call (862) 430-1002 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
The cedar roof installation process
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. Where ice can build up, the eaves get a waterproof membrane over solid decking.
Lay the 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.
Course by course
Each course of shakes gets a strip of 18 inch felt interlay laid above the butts, so the felt is hidden but blocks rain blown through the gaps. 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. Low-grade fasteners can fail decades before the wood, so the nail choice matters.
Flash 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.
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
Underlayment
An interlay of felt sits under each course to stop wind-driven rain.
Valley flashing
Metal valleys and wall flashing are woven into the courses for a watertight finish.
Ridge ventilation
Cedar caps finish the hips and ridge, often over a ridge vent to keep moisture out of the attic.
Sheathing
Spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat go down first to give nails a solid hold.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Dover, 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. Side gaps are tighter too, about a quarter to three eighths of an inch.
Felt interlay is a shake detail, while shingles rely on overlap for protection. Like shakes, shingles need air under them, so spaced boards or a breather mat are common. For a Dover 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
Homeowners in Dover who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. Across Dover and nearby towns like Wharton, Rockaway, Mount Arlington and Morris Plains, the key questions are the pitch of the roof, how much shade it gets and whether local rules call for fire-treated wood, which is why the planning step matters so much.
Searching for cedar shake roof installation near me from Dover or Wharton, Rockaway, Mount Arlington and Morris Plains? Call (862) 430-1002 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
Roofs in this climate
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. 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 Dover, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Smaller repairs
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Dover and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about cedar shake roof installation
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. Ask about both kinds of treatment for your Dover roof.
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.
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
A minimum of 4 in 12 is the common rule for shakes. Sawn shingles allow a bit less pitch if the exposure is shortened. Below those slopes, another material is the better choice.
What is the difference between cedar shakes and cedar shingles?
They are related but not the same product. Shakes are rugged and heavy with deep shadow lines, and shingles are trim and even. They also install differently: shakes use felt interlay between courses and longer exposures, and shingles do not.
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
Underneath cedar, the deck must allow airflow. 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. Everything under the shakes is chosen so the wood can breathe.
More questions? Call (862) 430-1002
Related services
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
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, with ventilation and flashing planned in from the start.
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
Looking for something else?
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