Cedar Shake Roofing in Paterson, NJ

Name: Paterson Roofing Pros
Telephone: 9737869795
Price range: $$

Paterson Roofing Pros repairs and restores cedar shake roofing that has dried out, cupped, or gone soft with rot. Cedar shakes shed rain and breathe well, but they need re-nailing and fresh flashing before water wicks into the decking. Call 9737869795 for a free roof estimate.

Call 9737869795

Cedar shake roofing on a Paterson home with new step flashing and a ridge vent after a roof repair

Most cedar shake roofing we inspect in Paterson is not worn out — it is dried out. Shakes cup and split after winters where meltwater refreezes along the eave, and the damage rarely stops at the surface.

We pull a few shakes, check the underlayment and ice-and-water shield, and look for rot in the roof deck and sheathing before we quote a number.

A cedar job is mostly labor. We strip cracked shakes with a roofing shovel and pry bar, cut replacements from clear cedar, and set them with ring-shank nails instead of staples.

Self-adhered underlayment goes under valleys and chimney flashing. Step flashing and counter-flashing get reset wherever the roof meets brick, a dormer cheek, or a skylight curb.

Older roofs hide layers: three-tab shingle or architectural shingle, then roofing felt or tar paper, sometimes asphalt shingle over a bituminous base. We find out before we tear off.

Flat and low-slope sections are different work. Membrane, TPO, EPDM, PVC membrane, built-up roof, and modified bitumen all get set hot by torch or mopped, depending on the deck.

Roof shape changes the estimate. A hip or gable roof sheds water differently than a mansard, gambrel, or flat section under an overhang, and a canopy or awning over a side door adds detail work.

Build details decide scope: purlins, battens, and counterbatten spacing on old decks, a roofing square of coverage at a time, and whether an attic fan or soffit vent actually moves air.

We follow local building code on fasteners, and every screw we set is rated for cedar. Cedar is a renewable material, which is part of why green roofing buyers still ask for it.

What's Included

We strip the failed shakes and any buckled or blistered courses down to the sheathing, so new material sits on a sound deck.

We install a self-adhered ice-and-water shield along the eaves and valleys, where freeze-thaw water does the most damage.

We cut and set new cedar shake and wood shake by hand, alternating widths so the courses stay tight and shed water.

We replace rusted aluminum drip edge and repair the fascia, soffit, and rake trim so runoff leaves the building.

We re-flash chimney flashing, pipe boot penetrations, and skylight curbs with new copper or painted metal.

We fit a ridge vent and clear the soffit vent path, because attic ventilation keeps the deck from cooking in July.

We clean and re-pitch gutters and downspouts, then haul every load of debris to the dumpster before we leave.

Where full cedar is out of budget, we set a dimensional, laminated composite or fiberglass shake that keeps the same look.

Our Cedar Shake Roofing Process

How We Take On a Cedar Shake Roof, Step by Step

We start with a roof inspection from the ladder and the rooftop, checking roof pitch, decking, and moisture content before we price anything.
We tarp the landscaping, set the dumpster, and stage materials so the crew can work from scaffold or a safety harness.
Tear-off comes next: a roofing shovel and pry bar strip the shakes, and we inspect every truss, rafter, joist, and ridge beam for rot or sag.
Damaged sheathing is swapped out, plywood where strength matters and OSB on solid areas, both fastened down to a dry substrate.
The substrate gets synthetic underlayment, a vapor barrier up the sidewalls, and ice-and-water shield at the eave, valley, and parapet.
Flashing goes in before shakes: apron flashing, boot flashing, step flashing, counter-flashing, and a scupper or coping detail at flat tie-ins.
Starter course and field course shake are laid in staggered courses, back-nailed and face-nailed with a nail gun and air compressor.
We finish with a ridge cap, snow guard anchors above the walkways, and a mastic or roof cement seal at every hand-sealed joint.

Free Inspection

We assess your roof with a thorough inspection and provide a detailed photo report — no cost, no obligation.

Clear Estimate

You get an itemized scope with materials, labor, and timeline. No hidden fees. We discuss insurance and financing options.

Expert Work

Licensed crews arrive on schedule, protect your property, complete the work, and clean up thoroughly.

Final Walkthrough

You inspect with us. We document everything with before/after photos. Warranty registered and paperwork delivered.

Signs You Need Cedar Shake Roofing

Signs Your Cedar Shake Roof Needs Attention

Shakes that feel spongy or crumble at the edge, which usually means rot has reached the roof deck.
Algae-stained or gray-black shakes that stay wet long after a summer thunderstorm has passed.
Blistered, buckled, or curled shingles on south-facing slopes where UV degradation runs fastest.
Granule loss and bare patches where the felt or underlayment shows through between courses.
Rust streaks under copper or aluminum flashing, a sign water is sitting where it should drain.
Cracked or missing caulk and sealant at pipe flashing and vent boots after a freeze-thaw winter.
Brown ceiling stains, which point to water that has wicked past the ice-and-water shield.
Loose nails backing out of the rake and verge boards, or a roofline that has started to sag.

Cedar Shake Roofing — Frequently Asked Questions

Does cedar shake roofing cost more than asphalt shingles?

Cedar shake roofing costs more up front than three-tab or architectural asphalt shingle, mostly because cedar is heavier and the labor is slower. It also lasts longer and takes a stain, so the yearly cost can land near a laminated asphalt roof. We put both numbers side by side in one estimate.

How long does a cedar roof replacement take?

Cedar shake roofing on a typical Paterson rowhome or cape cod runs several days, weather permitting. Tear-off is usually one day, decking repairs add another when we find rot, and the shake work fills the rest. Rain pushes the schedule, and we tarp the open deck every night.

Can you repair cedar shakes instead of replacing the whole roof?

Cedar shake roofing can be mended when the damage is isolated. Cracked or missing shakes, a failed pipe boot, or one leaking valley can be fixed without tearing off a slope. Once the underlayment is gone across a full plane, patch work just moves the leak around.

Does a cedar roof hold up to Paterson ice dams?

Cedar shake roofing handles ice when the eave is protected. An ice dam forms when snow melts over a warm attic and refreezes at the gutter line, pushing meltwater under the shakes. Paterson gets roughly 27 to 29 inches of snow a year, so we add ice-and-water shield and improve attic insulation and ventilation rather than chip the ice loose. Ice dam removal by hand takes patience; steam ice tools and hammers crack shakes.

Will insurance pay for storm damage on a cedar roof?

Cedar shake roofing claims depend on the cause and your policy language. We photograph wind uplift, hail damage, and water intrusion, then hand you a written scope for the adjuster. We assist with insurance claims paperwork, and you keep the final say on the work.

Do you install other roof types besides cedar?

Cedar shake roofing is one of several systems we handle for residential roofing. We also work in slate, clay tile, concrete tile, corrugated panel, metal panel, and standing-seam panel, plus flat sections in TPO, EPDM, and PVC membrane. We install GAF, Owens Corning, and CertainTeed shingle lines, including granulated architectural products, when asphalt makes more sense. Commercial roofing gets the same crew and the same standard.

Don't just take our word for it — hear from our satisfied customers.

"Our 1920s house in Hillcrest had shakes flaking off the south slope after two hard winters. The crew hand-cut new cedar, reset the step flashing, and swept the yard for nails twice before they left." — Diane R., Hillcrest

"We called three roofers near us about a leak over the back bedroom. This was the only roofing company that climbed into the attic, found the rot in the sheathing, and wrote it into the estimate instead of guessing." — Marcus T., Eastside Park Historic District

"Cedar on a Lakeview cape cod is not a simple job, and our roofing contractor explained the flashing and gutter work before we signed anything. No surprises on the final bill." — Helena P., Lakeview