Ridge ventilation
The ridge is capped and vented for balanced attic airflow.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Leonia, NJ
A roofer in Leonia 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 (551) 348-8956 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. Done right, a cedar roof can serve a home for 30 years or more.
The first decisions are the wood and the style. 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. Ask about grain and heartwood, since edge-grain heartwood cups and splits less.
Local rules and conditions narrow the options further. Most codes require a minimum pitch for wood roofs, about 4 in 12 for shakes and 3 in 12 for shingles. Wildfire codes, local permits and neighborhood rules can all affect which cedar product is allowed.
Many cedar shake roof installation calls in Leonia also turn up a need for cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Dealing with this in Leonia, NJ right now? Call (551) 348-8956 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a cedar roof installation
A cedar roof is built in a specific order, from the deck up.
Set up the sheathing
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. 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.
Lay the field
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. Stainless is common near salt air and with treated shakes.
Build the valleys
A wide open metal valley is installed, with shakes cut to a clean line on each side. Walls, skylights and vent pipes get their own flashing woven into the courses.
Cap 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
What goes into a cedar roof
Wall flashing
Open metal valleys and step flashing are installed as the roof goes up for a watertight finish.
Choosing the wood
Shakes or shingles, grade, length and thickness are picked for the house with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Felt interlay
Each course gets its own strip of felt hidden from view but doing real work.
Deck layer
Spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat go down first to give nails a solid hold.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Leonia, 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. 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. Shingles can be installed on spaced boards or on solid decking with a ventilated layer beneath. A Leonia roofer can lay out samples of each so you can compare.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
Homeowners in Leonia who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. From Leonia to neighboring communities such as Palisades Park, Fort Lee, Ridgefield Park and Englewood, a roofer will check permit rules and fire requirements before recommending a cedar product, so a site visit comes before any material order.
For cedar shake roof installation in Leonia, NJ or nearby towns like Palisades Park, Fort Lee, Ridgefield Park and Englewood, call (551) 348-8956 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Leonia
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. 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. Most homeowners in Leonia, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why fix it now
Smaller repairs
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Local knowledge
Roofers in Leonia know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation questions
What is the difference between cedar shakes and cedar shingles?
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.
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
Untreated cedar is combustible, which is why fire-retardant treated shakes exist. Treated shakes over a rated underlayment can meet stricter local codes. Your roofer should confirm what your local code requires before you choose.
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 Leonia roof.
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
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.
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
A minimum of 4 in 12 is the common rule for shakes. Cedar shingles can go on roofs as low as 3 in 12 with a shorter exposure. Flatter roofs drain too slowly for wood.
More questions? Call (551) 348-8956
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, without tearing off the shakes that still have years left.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Putting on a new roof the way the material maker intends, 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
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