Choosing the wood
You pick between hand-split, resawn, taper-sawn and sawn options with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Parsippany, NJ
A Parsippany 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. Call (862) 693-4349 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. Get them wrong and even premium cedar can rot early.
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. The best grades are clear heartwood with edge grain, which stays flatter and resists splitting and decay better than flat grain.
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. Areas with wildfire risk may require fire-retardant treated shakes or a rated assembly, and some neighborhoods have their own rules on roofing material.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation is often paired with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair, depending on the cause.
Need cedar shake roof installation in Parsippany? Call (862) 693-4349 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Parsippany.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
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. In cold areas, the lower edge gets solid sheathing and an ice and water barrier.
Lay the starter course
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. Drip edge metal is usually installed here as well.
Lay the field
Between every course, a strip of felt sits partly under the shakes to stop wind-driven rain. The crew keeps the keyways open, staggers every joint and measures exposure to the slope and shake length.
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.
Valley work
Valley metal goes down first, and shakes are trimmed back from the center so leaves and water can run freely. Step flashing at walls and flashing at skylights and vents go in as the courses rise.
Cap the ridge
Hips and ridges are covered with cedar caps that alternate their overlap, nailed with longer fasteners into solid wood. Pairing a ridge vent with soffit intake keeps the attic dry and helps the shakes last.
What is included
What goes into a cedar roof
Underlayment
Each course gets its own strip of felt hidden from view but doing real work.
Ridge ventilation
Hip and ridge caps go on last with longer nails for wind resistance.
Valley flashing
Valleys, walls and penetrations get proper metal flashing for a watertight finish.
Deck layer
The deck is built to let air reach the back of the shakes with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Parsippany, NJ
Cedar shingle roof installation follows the same principles as shakes, with a few important differences. Exposure depends on the shingle length and pitch, and it is shorter than for shakes. 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. For a Parsippany 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
Homeowners in Parsippany who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. For homes in Parsippany and nearby places including Lake Hiawatha, Mountain Lakes, Boonton and Whippany, storms, sun and shade all affect which grade and treatment make sense, which is why the planning step matters so much.
For cedar shake roof installation in Parsippany, NJ or nearby towns like Lake Hiawatha, Mountain Lakes, Boonton and Whippany, call (862) 693-4349 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
How the weather here affects roofs around Parsippany
Cold winters bring snow, ice and a long stretch of freezing nights. 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. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. Most homeowners in Parsippany, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
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 Parsippany and nearby towns.
Know what happens next
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about cedar shake roof installation
What goes under a cedar shake roof?
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.
How steep does a roof have to be for cedar shakes?
Cedar shakes need a slope of about 4 in 12 or more. Shingles can work on slightly lower slopes with reduced 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 Parsippany roof.
Are cedar shakes and cedar shingles the same thing?
They are related but not the same product. 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.
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. Check local rules first, since some areas restrict untreated wood roofs.
More questions? Call (862) 693-4349
Often needed together
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
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
Putting on a new roof the way the material maker intends, with ventilation and flashing planned in from the start.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Fixing hot, damp or poorly vented attics with the right mix of intake and exhaust, based on what the attic actually needs.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesGet cedar shake roof installation help in Parsippany
Call now for Parsippany cedar shake roof installation and help in the towns around it.