Wall flashing
Metal valleys and wall flashing are woven into the courses so the busiest water paths are protected.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Lyndhurst, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Lyndhurst 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. One call to (551) 348-2859 reaches a nearby cedar roof installer.
How a cedar roof is put on matters more than the wood itself. 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. Top grades use edge-grain heartwood with no knots, the most stable wood for a roof.
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. 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 Lyndhurst, NJ can go hand in hand with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair.
Need cedar shake roof installation in Lyndhurst? Call (551) 348-2859 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a cedar roof installation
Here is how a roofer typically builds a new cedar roof.
Deck preparation
The deck is either open, spaced boards or solid sheathing with a drainage and airflow layer on top. Solid sheathing is usually required at the eaves where an ice barrier is needed.
Lay the starter course
The starter course is laid double, projecting past the fascia so water drips clear of the trim. Edge metal along the eave and rakes protects the wood trim.
Install the shakes
Shakes go on in courses with felt interlay woven between them, positioned so it never shows below the next course. 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.
Nail each shake
Two corrosion-resistant nails per shake are placed just above the line where the next course will lap, keeping them out of the weather. Plain steel or electro-galvanized nails rust and stain long before cedar wears out.
Flash the valleys
Valley metal goes down first, and shakes are trimmed back from the center so leaves and water can run freely. Every penetration and wall line is flashed as the shakes go up.
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
Felt interlay
An interlay of felt sits under each course to stop wind-driven rain.
Ridge ventilation
Cedar caps finish the hips and ridge, often over a ridge vent for balanced attic airflow.
Sheathing
Spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat go down first with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Material selection
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Lyndhurst, NJ
Cedar shingle roof installation follows the same principles as shakes, with a few important differences. 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.
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 Lyndhurst roofer can lay out samples of each so you can compare.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
New cedar roofs in Lyndhurst go on everything from custom homes to additions that need to match an existing wood roof. Across Lyndhurst and nearby towns like Rutherford, North Arlington, East Rutherford and Wallington, the key questions are the pitch of the roof, how much shade it gets and whether local rules call for fire-treated wood, and a good installer adjusts the system to the house.
For cedar shake roof installation in Lyndhurst, NJ or nearby towns like Rutherford, North Arlington, East Rutherford and Wallington, call (551) 348-2859 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. 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 Lyndhurst is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why act early
Drier ceilings
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Lyndhurst 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 FAQ
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
Cedar can be made far more fire resistant with pressure-impregnated treatment. Treated shakes over a rated underlayment can meet stricter local codes. Local codes decide what is allowed, so ask before ordering.
What is the difference between cedar shakes and cedar shingles?
Shakes are split from the log, while shingles are sawn. Split shakes are thicker and more irregular, and sawn shingles are thinner, smoother and more uniform. Shakes get felt between courses, shingles rely on overlap.
How steep does a roof have to be for cedar shakes?
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.
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
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 Lyndhurst roof.
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
The deck under cedar is designed to let air reach the back of the wood. Felt interlay between courses and an eave membrane in cold areas complete the system. Everything under the shakes is chosen so the wood can breathe.
More questions? Call (551) 348-2859
Related services
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Replacing an old cedar shake roof down to the boards, then rebuilding it right, 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, without tearing off the shakes that still have years left.
Learn moreRoof Installation
New roof installation done in the right order with the right details, so it sheds water at every edge and seam.
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?
See all roofing servicesGet cedar shake roof installation help in Lyndhurst
Call now for Lyndhurst cedar shake roof installation and help in the towns around it.