Wall flashing
Metal valleys and wall flashing are woven into the courses for a watertight finish.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Dumont, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Dumont means getting the slope, sheathing, interlay, spacing and fasteners right before the look of the wood even matters, and walk you through the choices before any wood is ordered. Call (551) 374-2031 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. Skip one of those details and the roof can start cupping, rotting or staining within a few seasons.
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.
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.
If the problem goes deeper than it first looked, a Dumont roofer may also recommend cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Dealing with this in Dumont, NJ right now? Call (551) 374-2031 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a cedar roof installation
Each layer of a cedar roof has a job.
Deck preparation
The deck is either open, spaced boards or solid sheathing with a drainage and airflow layer on top. Where ice can build up, the eaves get a waterproof membrane over solid decking.
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. The rake edges overhang slightly too.
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.
Fastening
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.
Flash the valleys
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.
Finish the ridge
Hips and ridges are covered with cedar caps that alternate their overlap, nailed with longer fasteners into solid wood. A ridge vent can go under the caps, paired with soffit vents for balanced attic airflow.
What is included
What goes into a cedar roof
Deck layer
Sheathing is installed or repaired to suit a wood roof with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Underlayment
An interlay of felt sits under each course hidden from view but doing real work.
Ridge ventilation
The ridge is capped and vented to keep moisture out of the attic.
Choosing the wood
You pick between hand-split, resawn, taper-sawn and sawn options before any wood is ordered.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Dumont, NJ
Shingles give a cedar roof a cleaner, more uniform look, and their installation reflects that. Because shingles are thinner, they use shorter exposures, so more layers overlap at any point on the roof. The keyways between shingles are kept narrow but never closed.
Shingles are usually laid without interlay felt, since the overlap itself provides the coverage. Like shakes, shingles need air under them, so spaced boards or a breather mat are common. For a Dumont 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 Dumont, cedar installations are often chosen for craftsman, cottage and lodge style homes. For homes in Dumont and nearby places including Haworth, New Milford, Bergenfield and Cresskill, storms, sun and shade all affect which grade and treatment make sense, which is why the planning step matters so much.
Searching for cedar shake roof installation near me from Dumont or Haworth, New Milford, Bergenfield and Cresskill? Call (551) 374-2031 to talk to a roofer who works in your part of town.
What the local climate does to a roof
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 Dumont, NJ have the roof checked in the fall and again after the snow melts.
Why call
Why not wait
Drier ceilings
Small roof problems caught early usually stay small repairs.
Roofers who know Dumont
Local roofers see the same roofs and storm damage across Dumont and nearby towns.
Clear next steps
Ask your questions before you agree to anything.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation FAQ
Are cedar shake roofs a fire risk?
Cedar can be made far more fire resistant with pressure-impregnated treatment. With treatment and the right underlayment, a cedar roof can reach a higher fire classification. 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. 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?
The difference comes down to how they are cut. Shakes have at least one rough, split face and thicker butts, giving a rustic, textured roof, while shingles are sawn smooth on both faces for a neater look. 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?
The deck under cedar is designed to let air reach the back of the wood. Felt interlay between courses and an eave membrane in cold areas complete the system. Airflow and drainage are the priorities.
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. A Dumont roofer can recommend the right combination.
More questions? Call (551) 374-2031
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
Repairs for split shakes, rot at the butts, moss buildup and leaking valleys on wood roofs, matched to what a close look at the roof actually finds.
Learn moreRoof Installation
Installing a new roof layer by layer, from drip edge and underlayment to flashing, vents and the finished roofing, so it sheds water at every edge and seam.
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
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