Wall flashing
Open metal valleys and step flashing are installed as the roof goes up so the busiest water paths are protected.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Butler, NJ
A Butler roofer who installs wood roofs can lay new cedar shakes or shingles over solid or spaced sheathing, with open metal valleys and vented ridge caps, and walk you through the choices before any wood is ordered. One call to (862) 356-0005 reaches a nearby cedar roof installer.
A cedar roof lasts as long as the installation lets it dry. 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. Get them wrong and even premium cedar can rot early.
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. The best grades are clear heartwood with edge grain, which stays flatter and resists splitting and decay better than flat grain.
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. Wildfire codes, local permits and neighborhood rules can all affect which cedar product is allowed.
Many cedar shake roof installation calls in Butler also turn up a need for cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Need cedar shake roof installation in Butler? Call (862) 356-0005 to reach a nearby roofing contractor.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
Each layer of a cedar roof has a job.
Set up the sheathing
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
A strip of felt goes along the eave, then a doubled or tripled starter course of shakes or shingles overhangs the fascia by about an inch and a half. 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. Low-grade fasteners can fail decades before the wood, so the nail choice matters.
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. 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. Balanced ventilation under a wood roof keeps both the attic and the shakes drier.
What is included
What goes into a cedar roof
Material selection
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you so the look and lifespan match your goals.
Ridge caps
Cedar caps finish the hips and ridge, often over a ridge vent for balanced attic airflow.
Underlayment
An interlay of felt sits under each course hidden from view but doing real work.
Deck layer
Spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat go down first with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Butler, NJ
Shingles give a cedar roof a cleaner, more uniform look, and their installation reflects that. Exposure depends on the shingle length and pitch, and it is shorter than for shakes. 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. In Butler, ask the roofer to explain which product suits your slope and style.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
In Butler, cedar installations are often chosen for craftsman, cottage and lodge style homes. Across Butler and nearby towns like Riverdale, Bloomingdale, Pompton Plains and Pompton Lakes, 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.
Need cedar shake roof installation around Butler? Call (862) 356-0005 for a Butler 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. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. Most homeowners in Butler, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why fix it now
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Butler
Roofers in Butler know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Straight answers
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation questions
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
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 roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
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.
What is the difference between cedar shakes and cedar shingles?
Shakes are split from the log, while shingles are sawn. Shakes are rugged and heavy with deep shadow lines, and shingles are trim and even. They also install differently: shakes use felt interlay between courses and longer exposures, and shingles do not.
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
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. Everything under the shakes is chosen so the wood can breathe.
Should new cedar shakes be treated?
That choice depends on where the house is and what grade you buy. Treated shakes last longer in humid or shady spots, and fire-treated ones may be mandatory in wildfire zones. A Butler roofer can recommend the right combination.
More questions? Call (862) 356-0005
Often needed together
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
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, 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
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Butler roofer about cedar shake roof installation
Call (862) 356-0005 to talk to a roofer serving Butler, NJ.