Choosing the wood
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you so the look and lifespan match your goals.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Newton, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Newton means getting the slope, sheathing, interlay, spacing and fasteners right before the look of the wood even matters, which is what lets cedar last for decades instead of years. Dial (973) 858-9950 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.
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.
Code and climate shape the rest. Most codes require a minimum pitch for wood roofs, about 4 in 12 for shakes and 3 in 12 for shingles. Areas with wildfire risk may require fire-retardant treated shakes or a rated assembly, and some neighborhoods have their own rules on roofing material.
Depending on what the roofer finds, cedar shake roof installation in Newton, NJ can go hand in hand with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair.
Need cedar shake roof installation in Newton? Call (973) 858-9950 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.
Deck preparation
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.
Start at the eaves
The starter course is laid double, projecting past the fascia so water drips clear of the trim. The rake edges overhang slightly too.
Course by course
Shakes go on in courses with felt interlay woven between them, positioned so it never shows below the next course. The crew keeps the keyways open, staggers every joint and measures exposure to the slope and shake length.
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. Stainless is common near salt air and with treated shakes.
Valley work
Cedar roofs use open valleys lined with wide metal, often with a center crimp to keep water from running across to the other side. Step flashing at walls and flashing at skylights and vents go in as the courses rise.
Ridge caps
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
What a cedar installation covers
Sheathing
Sheathing is installed or repaired to suit a wood roof with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Felt interlay
An interlay of felt sits under each course as a second line of defense.
Wall flashing
Valleys, walls and penetrations get proper metal flashing rather than relying on sealant.
Ridge ventilation
The ridge is capped and vented to keep moisture out of the attic.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Newton, NJ
Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, so they are thinner, smoother and installed a little differently than shakes. 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. They can go over spaced sheathing or over solid sheathing with a breathable mat, and they work on slightly lower pitches than shakes. A Newton roofer can lay out samples of each so you can compare.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
Homeowners in Newton who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. From Newton to neighboring communities such as Andover, Hopatcong, Allamuchy and Franklin, 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 Newton, NJ or nearby towns like Andover, Hopatcong, Allamuchy and Franklin, call (973) 858-9950 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Newton
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. Most homeowners in Newton, 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.
Local knowledge
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Newton and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Common questions about cedar shake roof installation
What is the difference between cedar shakes and cedar shingles?
The difference comes down to how they are cut. Shakes are rugged and heavy with deep shadow lines, and shingles are trim and even. Installation differs as well, with interlay felt used under shakes and tighter exposures used for shingles.
How steep does a roof have to be for cedar shakes?
Cedar shakes need a slope of about 4 in 12 or more. Cedar shingles can go on roofs as low as 3 in 12 with a shorter exposure. Lower slopes need a different roofing system.
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. 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. Preservative treatment helps in wet climates, and fire treatment may be required by local code. Ask about both kinds of treatment for your Newton roof.
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
Underneath cedar, the deck must allow airflow. 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.
More questions? Call (973) 858-9950
Related services
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Full replacement of worn-out wood roofs, from tear-off and sheathing to the new ridge, with the deck brought up to what the new roof needs.
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
New roof installation done in the right order with the right details, 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, so shingles and decking last as long as they should.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet cedar shake roof installation help in Newton
Call (973) 858-9950 to talk to a roofer serving Newton, NJ.