Cedar Shake Roofs Across Brookhaven

A cedar shake roof has a warmth and texture that is hard to match. It also lives and breathes. Shakes take on water and swell, then dry and shrink, over and over through the year. A cedar roof lasts when it is installed to allow that movement and to dry out properly. That means gaps between shakes so they can expand without buckling. It means interlayment between courses to send any water that gets past the wood back out. It means airflow beneath the shakes so the underside dries, and fasteners that resist corrosion and will not streak the wood. When those details are missing, you see cupping, splitting, moss and soft spots far sooner than you should. When we look at an existing cedar roof, we check for all of that and photograph what we find. If the problems are limited to certain areas, replacing individual shakes and refreshing the flashing around them can give the roof years more. If wear is widespread, we will explain gently why replacement may be the better path. Homes under heavy shade need extra attention, since leaves and limited sun keep wood damp longer.