Underlayment
Felt strips are woven between every course of shakes to stop wind-driven rain.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Montvale, NJ
A Montvale 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, which is what lets cedar last for decades instead of years. Call (551) 390-0362 to reach a local roofer.
How a cedar roof is put on matters more than the wood itself. 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. Ask about grain and heartwood, since edge-grain heartwood cups and splits less.
Code and climate shape the rest. Wood roofs need enough pitch to shed water quickly, generally 4 in 12 for shakes. Wildfire codes, local permits and neighborhood rules can all affect which cedar product is allowed.
Depending on what the roofer finds, cedar shake roof installation in Montvale, NJ can go hand in hand with cedar shake roof replacement and cedar shake roof repair.
Looking for Montvale cedar shake roof installation? Call (551) 390-0362 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
A cedar roof is built in a specific order, from the deck up.
Prepare the deck
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.
Install the shakes
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
Nails are stainless or heavily galvanized, two per shake, driven flush but not crushing the wood. Stainless is common near salt air and with treated shakes.
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. Walls, skylights and vent pipes get their own flashing woven into the courses.
Ridge caps
Pre-formed or site-cut caps run along the hips and ridge, lapping in alternating directions. Pairing a ridge vent with soffit intake keeps the attic dry and helps the shakes last.
What is included
Parts of a new cedar roof
Ridge ventilation
The ridge is capped and vented for balanced attic airflow.
Material selection
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you before any wood is ordered.
Deck layer
The deck is built to let air reach the back of the shakes to give nails a solid hold.
Wall flashing
Open metal valleys and step flashing are installed as the roof goes up so the busiest water paths are protected.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Montvale, NJ
Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, so they are thinner, smoother and installed a little differently than shakes. 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.
Shingles are usually laid without interlay felt, since the overlap itself provides the coverage. Shingles can be installed on spaced boards or on solid decking with a ventilated layer beneath. A Montvale roofer can lay out samples of each so you can compare.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
Homeowners in Montvale who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. From Montvale to neighboring communities such as Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Saddle River and Hillsdale, a roofer will check permit rules and fire requirements before recommending a cedar product, which is why the planning step matters so much.
For cedar shake roof installation in Montvale, NJ or nearby towns like Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Saddle River and Hillsdale, call (551) 390-0362 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. Strong coastal storms push rain into every weak spot at the flashing and valleys. Most homeowners in Montvale, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Roofers who know Montvale
Roofers in Montvale know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Clear next steps
Ask the roofer about the cause, the options and the estimate before work starts.
Common questions about cedar shake roof installation
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. Felt interlay between courses and an eave membrane in cold areas complete the system. The goal is a roof that sheds water but still lets the wood dry.
What roof pitch do cedar shakes need?
Most codes call for at least 4 in 12 for cedar shakes. Sawn shingles allow a bit less pitch if the exposure is shortened. Flatter roofs drain too slowly for wood.
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.
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
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. Local codes decide what is allowed, so ask before ordering.
Should new cedar shakes be treated?
Whether to treat depends on moisture, shade and fire rules. In damp, shaded areas, preservative-treated shakes resist moss and decay better, and in fire-prone areas, fire-retardant treatment may be required. A Montvale roofer can recommend the right combination.
More questions? Call (551) 390-0362
Other services that may help
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Full replacement of worn-out wood roofs, from tear-off and sheathing to the new ridge, 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, without tearing off the shakes that still have years left.
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
Balancing attic intake and exhaust with soffit vents, ridge vents and attic fans, based on what the attic actually needs.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesNeed cedar shake roof installation in Montvale, NJ?
Call (551) 390-0362 for a local roofer in Montvale and nearby towns.