Underlayment
Each course gets its own strip of felt hidden from view but doing real work.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Fairfield, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Fairfield 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 (973) 858-9960 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. Get them wrong and even premium cedar can rot early.
Before installation starts, you choose between shakes and shingles and pick a grade. 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. 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.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Fairfield roofer may also recommend cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Dealing with this in Fairfield, NJ right now? Call (973) 858-9960 and describe the problem to a roofer who works in Fairfield.
Call nowThe process
How cedar shake roof installation works
Each layer of a cedar roof has a job.
Prepare the deck
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
The first course is doubled so the gaps in the top layer never line up with gaps in the layer below. The rake edges overhang slightly too.
Lay the field
Between every course, a strip of felt sits partly under the shakes to stop wind-driven rain. Side gaps are kept even, joints are staggered from course to course and the exposure follows the length and the slope.
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. Stainless is common near salt air and with treated shakes.
Valley work
Valley metal goes down first, and shakes are trimmed back from the center so leaves and water can run freely. 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. A ridge vent can go under the caps, paired with soffit vents for balanced attic airflow.
What is included
What a cedar installation covers
Wall flashing
Valleys, walls and penetrations get proper metal flashing for a watertight finish.
Material selection
The style, grade and treatment are chosen with you with fire and preservative treatment where needed.
Ridge ventilation
Hip and ridge caps go on last to keep moisture out of the attic.
Deck layer
The deck is built to let air reach the back of the shakes so the cedar can dry from both sides.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Fairfield, 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.
Unlike shakes, shingles do not get felt interlay between courses, because their tight, thin layering already gives three layers of wood coverage. They can go over spaced sheathing or over solid sheathing with a breathable mat, and they work on slightly lower pitches than shakes. A Fairfield roofer can lay out samples of each so you can compare.
Local help
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Near Me
New cedar roofs in Fairfield go on everything from custom homes to additions that need to match an existing wood roof. From Fairfield to neighboring communities such as Pine Brook, Lincoln Park, Caldwell and Towaco, a roofer will check permit rules and fire requirements before recommending a cedar product, so a site visit comes before any material order.
Need cedar shake roof installation around Fairfield? Call (973) 858-9960 for a Fairfield roofer who serves the towns around it too.
How the weather here affects roofs around Fairfield
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. Most homeowners in Fairfield, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why act early
Less damage
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Fairfield know the roof types and weather wear common in local homes.
Know what happens next
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, 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.
Should new cedar shakes be treated?
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 Fairfield roof.
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
The deck under cedar is designed to let air reach the back of the wood. 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. Everything under the shakes is chosen so the wood can breathe.
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. Installation differs as well, with interlay felt used under shakes and tighter exposures used for shingles.
How steep does a roof have to be for cedar shakes?
A minimum of 4 in 12 is the common rule for shakes. Sawn shingles allow a bit less pitch if the exposure is shortened. Lower slopes need a different roofing system.
More questions? Call (973) 858-9960
Related services
Cedar Shake Roof Replacement
Replacing an old cedar shake roof down to the boards, then rebuilding it right, 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
New roof installation done in the right order with the right details, 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, without mixing vent types that work against each other.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesTalk to a Fairfield roofer about cedar shake roof installation
Call (973) 858-9960 for a local roofer in Fairfield and nearby towns.