Valley flashing
Open metal valleys and step flashing are installed as the roof goes up for a watertight finish.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Palisades Park, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Palisades Park 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. Call (551) 348-3807 to reach a local roofer.
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.
Before installation starts, you choose between shakes and shingles and pick a grade. 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.
Code and climate shape the rest. Shakes need a slope of at least 4 in 12 under most codes, while shingles can go on slightly lower slopes with reduced exposure. Your roofer should check the permit requirements, any fire rating rules and any neighborhood guidelines before ordering.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation is often paired with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair, depending on the cause.
Dealing with this in Palisades Park, NJ right now? Call (551) 348-3807 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
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 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. 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.
Nail each shake
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. Every penetration and wall line is flashed as the shakes go up.
Ridge caps
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
Choosing the wood
You pick between hand-split, resawn, taper-sawn and sawn options with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Deck layer
Sheathing is installed or repaired to suit a wood roof so the cedar can dry from both sides.
Felt interlay
Each course gets its own strip of felt hidden from view but doing real work.
Ridge caps
Hip and ridge caps go on last for balanced attic airflow.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Palisades Park, 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. Side gaps are tighter too, about a quarter to three eighths of an inch.
Unlike shakes, shingles do not get felt interlay between courses, because their tight, thin layering already gives three layers of wood coverage. Shingles can be installed on spaced boards or on solid decking with a ventilated layer beneath. For a Palisades Park 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 Palisades Park, cedar installations are often chosen for craftsman, cottage and lodge style homes. From Palisades Park to neighboring communities such as Leonia, Ridgefield Park, Ridgefield and Fort Lee, a roofer will check permit rules and fire requirements before recommending a cedar product, which is why the planning step matters so much.
Need cedar shake roof installation around Palisades Park? Call (551) 348-3807 for a Palisades Park 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, 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. That is why roof repair in Palisades Park is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Palisades Park and nearby towns.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about cedar shake roof installation
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. Lower slopes need a different roofing system.
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. Installation differs as well, with interlay felt used under shakes and tighter exposures used for shingles.
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
Fire-treated cedar is available for areas where fire is a concern. Treated shakes, often combined with a special underlayment, can meet higher fire ratings required in some wildfire areas. Local codes decide what is allowed, so ask before ordering.
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. A Palisades Park roofer can recommend the right combination.
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
Underneath cedar, the deck must allow airflow. Felt interlay between courses and an eave membrane in cold areas complete the system. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
More questions? Call (551) 348-3807
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
Replacing split, cupped or missing shakes, clearing moss and fixing valleys and ridge caps, matched to what a close look at the roof actually finds.
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
Roof ventilation work that keeps the attic dry in winter and cooler in summer, based on what the attic actually needs.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Palisades Park roofer about cedar shake roof installation
Call (551) 348-3807 for a local roofer in Palisades Park and nearby towns.