Cedar
Cedar shake and shingle roofs
The roof most shore houses started with, and still the one that looks right on them.
Cedar is split or sawn, laid in overlapping courses with gaps so it can dry between rains. Near the water it turns silver-gray, which is normal. What matters is whether the courses are sound, the ridge is tight and the shaded slopes are not holding moss.
Repairs in place, shake by shake
New roofs in shake or shingle, to match the house
Cleaning and moss control
Look for these
Signs a cedar roof is tiring
Curled or split shakes
Edges lift and crack, mostly on the sunny slopes.
Moss on the shade side
Moss holds water against the wood and lifts the edges.
Gaps at the ridge
Loose ridge cap lets wind-driven rain in first.
Daylight or stains in the attic
Look at the underside of the deck on a bright day.
Care
Cedar care, through the year
What a cedar roof is asked for, in the order the seasons ask it.
- 01Before the season
Step 1: Spring
Walk the roof. Replace what split over winter. Clear the gutters.
- 02High season
Step 2: Summer
Leave it alone unless it leaks.
- 03Off-season starts
Step 3: Fall
Clean off moss and debris. Treat on the schedule the treatment maker sets.
- 04As the report says
Step 4: Every few years
Replace the worst courses, then re-lay a slope when the repairs stop keeping up.
Questions about cedar
Should cedar be fire-treated?
Some roofs are laid with factory-treated shakes and some are treated after. Which one your house needs depends on the shake, the building code and the treatment maker's terms. We write the product, the schedule and who re-applies it into your plan.
How long will it last?
Often 25 to 50 years, and less in damp, shaded places. The photo reports show which slopes are going first.
Is the silver gray a problem?
No. It is weathering. Black patches and moss are the things to deal with.
Does the historic district need to approve it?
Many older Cape May houses are reviewed by the city's Historic Preservation Commission before exterior work. Check with the city first; we supply photos and material notes.
Ask for a cedar roof visit
We walk the roof, photograph each slope and write down what we found.