Ridge caps
The ridge is capped and vented to keep moisture out of the attic.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Garfield, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Garfield means getting the slope, sheathing, interlay, spacing and fasteners right before the look of the wood even matters, which is what lets cedar last for decades instead of years. Call (551) 348-2856 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.
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. The best grades are clear heartwood with edge grain, which stays flatter and resists splitting and decay better than flat grain.
Several outside factors decide how the system is built. Wood roofs need enough pitch to shed water quickly, generally 4 in 12 for shakes. Areas with wildfire risk may require fire-retardant treated shakes or a rated assembly, and some neighborhoods have their own rules on roofing material.
Depending on what the roofer finds, cedar shake roof installation in Garfield, NJ can go hand in hand with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair.
Need cedar shake roof installation in Garfield? Call (551) 348-2856 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Garfield.
Call nowThe process
The cedar roof installation process
A cedar roof is built in a specific order, from the deck up.
Set up the sheathing
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. Solid sheathing is usually required at the eaves where an ice barrier is needed.
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. 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. Side gaps are kept even, joints are staggered from course to course and the exposure follows the length and the slope.
Fasten correctly
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.
Build 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
The ridge and hips get matched cedar caps laid in an alternating pattern. A ridge vent can go under the caps, paired with soffit vents for balanced attic airflow.
What is included
Parts of a new cedar roof
Material selection
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you so the look and lifespan match your goals.
Deck layer
Sheathing is installed or repaired to suit a wood roof to give nails a solid hold.
Wall flashing
Metal valleys and wall flashing are woven into the courses rather than relying on sealant.
Felt interlay
Each course gets its own strip of felt hidden from view but doing real work.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Garfield, NJ
Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, so they are thinner, smoother and installed a little differently than shakes. Because shingles are thinner, they use shorter exposures, so more layers overlap at any point on the roof. Spacing between shingles is narrower than between shakes.
Felt interlay is a shake detail, while shingles rely on overlap for protection. Shingles can be installed on spaced boards or on solid decking with a ventilated layer beneath. For a Garfield 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 Garfield, cedar installations are often chosen for craftsman, cottage and lodge style homes. For homes in Garfield and nearby places including Lodi, Elmwood Park, Wallington and Passaic, storms, sun and shade all affect which grade and treatment make sense, and a good installer adjusts the system to the house.
For cedar shake roof installation in Garfield, NJ or nearby towns like Lodi, Elmwood Park, Wallington and Passaic, call (551) 348-2856 to reach a roofer who covers your street.
What the local climate does to a roof
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. Coastal storms and heavy spring rain drive water sideways into flashing, valleys and old chimneys. That is why roof repair in Garfield is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why fix it now
Less damage
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Garfield know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Straight answers
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. 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.
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
A cedar roof is built over either spaced boards or solid sheathing with a breathable mat. On top of the deck, felt is woven between the courses of shakes, and the eaves get an ice and water membrane where ice is a risk. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
Fire-treated cedar is available for areas where fire is a concern. Treated shakes over a rated underlayment can meet stricter local codes. Your roofer should confirm what your local code requires before you choose.
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
Cedar shakes need a slope of about 4 in 12 or more. Cedar shingles can go on roofs as low as 3 in 12 with a shorter exposure. Lower slopes need a different roofing system.
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
Whether to treat depends on moisture, shade and fire rules. 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 Garfield roof.
More questions? Call (551) 348-2856
Often needed together
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Tearing off worn cedar shakes, repairing the deck and putting on a new cedar or look-alike roof, when the old shakes are too thin to repair.
Learn moreCedar Shake Roof Repair
Cedar roof repairs from single cracked shakes up to worn ridge caps and open valleys, 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, with ventilation and flashing planned in from the start.
Learn moreRoof Ventilation
Balancing attic intake and exhaust with soffit vents, ridge vents and attic fans, based on what the attic actually needs.
Learn more
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