Choosing the wood
You pick between hand-split, resawn, taper-sawn and sawn options so the look and lifespan match your goals.
Cedar Shake Roofing
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Bogota, NJ
Installing a cedar shake roof in Bogota 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) 369-2007 to reach a local roofer.
Most early cedar failures trace back to installation, not to the shakes. The wood has to breathe, swell and shrink, so spacing, sheathing and ventilation are designed in from the start. Done right, a cedar roof can serve a home for 30 years or more.
Choosing the material comes first, and the choices are wider than most owners expect. Split shakes look rustic and heavy, sawn shingles look trim and even, and taper-sawn shakes sit in between. Ask about grain and heartwood, since edge-grain heartwood cups and splits less.
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. Areas with wildfire risk may require fire-retardant treated shakes or a rated assembly, and some neighborhoods have their own rules on roofing material.
Many cedar shake roof installation calls in Bogota also turn up a need for cedar shake roof replacement or cedar shake roof repair.
Dealing with this in Bogota, NJ right now? Call (551) 369-2007 to talk to a local roofer.
Call nowThe process
What happens during a cedar roof installation
A cedar roof is built in a specific order, from the deck up.
Set up the sheathing
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
The starter course is laid double, projecting past the fascia so water drips clear of the trim. Edge metal along the eave and rakes protects the wood trim.
Install the shakes
Between every course, a strip of felt sits partly under the shakes to stop wind-driven rain. Shakes are spaced about three eighths to five eighths of an inch apart, side joints are offset at least an inch and a half from the course below and the exposure stays even, often 10 inches for 24 inch shakes.
Nail each shake
Nails are stainless or heavily galvanized, two per shake, driven flush but not crushing the wood. 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. Step flashing at walls and flashing at skylights and vents go in as the courses rise.
Cap the ridge
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
Valley flashing
Metal valleys and wall flashing are woven into the courses for a watertight finish.
Ridge caps
The ridge is capped and vented for balanced attic airflow.
Sheathing
The deck is built to let air reach the back of the shakes with solid decking at the eaves where needed.
Felt interlay
An interlay of felt sits under each course hidden from view but doing real work.
Related service
Cedar Shingle Roof Installation Bogota, NJ
Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, so they are thinner, smoother and installed a little differently than shakes. Shingles come in 16, 18 and 24 inch lengths and are laid with shorter exposures, often around 5 to 7 and a half inches depending on length and slope. Spacing between shingles is narrower than between shakes.
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 Bogota 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 Bogota who choose cedar usually want a natural look that newer materials only imitate. For homes in Bogota and nearby places including Hackensack, Ridgefield Park, Little Ferry and Leonia, storms, sun and shade all affect which grade and treatment make sense, which is why the planning step matters so much.
Need cedar shake roof installation around Bogota? Call (551) 369-2007 for a Bogota roofer who serves the towns around it too.
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. That is why roof repair in Bogota is busiest after a hard winter and before the next one.
Why call
Why fix it now
Drier ceilings
A roof problem fixed early rarely spreads to the decking, the insulation or the ceilings.
Familiar with local homes
Roofers in Bogota 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
Do cedar shakes need a preservative treatment?
Whether to treat depends on moisture, shade and fire rules. Preservative treatment helps in wet climates, and fire treatment may be required by local code. A Bogota roofer can recommend the right combination.
What kind of underlayment does a cedar roof need?
Underneath cedar, the deck must allow airflow. 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?
A minimum of 4 in 12 is the common rule for shakes. Shingles can work on slightly lower slopes with reduced exposure. Lower slopes need a different roofing system.
Are cedar shakes and cedar shingles the same thing?
Shakes are split from the log, while shingles are sawn. 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. Installation differs as well, with interlay felt used under shakes and tighter exposures used for shingles.
Can cedar shakes be fire rated?
Fire-treated cedar is available for areas where fire is a concern. 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.
More questions? Call (551) 369-2007
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
New roof installation done in the right order with the right details, 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, so shingles and decking last as long as they should.
Learn more
Looking for something else?
See all roofing servicesNeed cedar shake roof installation in Bogota, NJ?
Call (551) 369-2007 for a local roofer in Bogota and nearby towns.