Felt interlay
Each course gets its own strip of felt to stop wind-driven rain.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Oradell, NJ
A roofer in Oradell 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, which is what lets cedar last for decades instead of years. Call (551) 383-2310 to reach a local roofer.
A cedar roof lasts as long as the installation lets it dry. Every detail, from the side gaps to the nail type, exists so the shakes can get wet, dry out and move without leaking. 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. 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. 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.
Many cedar shake roof installation calls in Oradell also turn up a need for cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Dealing with this in Oradell, NJ right now? Call (551) 383-2310 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Oradell.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a cedar roof installation
Here is how a roofer typically builds a new cedar roof.
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. 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. Drip edge metal is usually installed here as well.
Lay the field
Shakes go on in courses with felt interlay woven between them, positioned so it never shows below the next course. Side gaps are kept even, joints are staggered from course to course and the exposure follows the length and the slope.
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. Plain steel or electro-galvanized nails rust and stain long before cedar wears out.
Flash 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.
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
Ridge ventilation
Hip and ridge caps go on last for balanced attic airflow.
Material selection
You pick between hand-split, resawn, taper-sawn and sawn options with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Sheathing
Sheathing is installed or repaired to suit a wood roof with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Wall flashing
Open metal valleys and step flashing are installed as the roof goes up rather than relying on sealant.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Oradell, NJ
Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, so they are thinner, smoother and installed a little differently than shakes. 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. The keyways between shingles are kept narrow but never closed.
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. For an Oradell 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
In Oradell, cedar installations are often chosen for craftsman, cottage and lodge style homes. Across Oradell and nearby towns like Emerson, New Milford, Haworth and Paramus, the key questions are the pitch of the roof, how much shade it gets and whether local rules call for fire-treated wood, so a site visit comes before any material order.
Need cedar shake roof installation around Oradell? Call (551) 383-2310 for an Oradell roofer who serves the towns around it too.
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, building ice dams that push 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 Oradell is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why fix it now
Less damage
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Oradell
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Oradell and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation questions
What is the difference between cedar shakes and cedar shingles?
Shakes are split from the log, while shingles are sawn. 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?
Most codes call for at least 4 in 12 for cedar shakes. Sawn shingles allow a bit less pitch if the exposure is shortened. Below those slopes, another material is the better choice.
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
The deck under cedar is designed to let air reach the back of the wood. Shakes also get strips of felt interlay woven between each course, and an ice barrier goes along the eaves in cold climates. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
Treatment depends on the climate and the grade of wood. 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 Oradell roof.
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
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.
More questions? Call (551) 383-2310
Related services
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Replacing an old cedar shake roof down to the boards, then rebuilding it right, planned around the material you choose next.
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, so it sheds water at every edge and seam.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Fixing hot, damp or poorly vented attics with the right mix of intake and exhaust, without mixing vent types that work against each other.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to an Oradell roofer about cedar shake roof installation
Call (551) 383-2310 for a local roofer in Oradell and nearby towns.