Is cedar shake right for your home?
Cedar shake is the curb-appeal play. Few materials weather as beautifully — new cedar starts warm-toned and naturally silvers into a coastal-classic gray over 3–5 years. It's the right roof for Cape Cods, Craftsman bungalows, and traditional New England saltboxes where asphalt feels like a downgrade. The trade-offs are real, though: cedar requires periodic maintenance, has a Class C fire rating without pressure-treatment, and underperforms in humid climates without aggressive ventilation. Done right, it lasts 30+ years and adds documented value to architecturally appropriate homes.
- Beautiful, distinctive aesthetic — weathers into a silvery patina
- Natural, renewable material from western red cedar
- Excellent insulation properties — slightly better R-value than asphalt
- Increases curb appeal on architecture-appropriate homes
- Lifespan beats asphalt by 50–100% when properly maintained
- Maintenance-intensive: stain/treat every 5–10 years
- Class C fire rating only — must be pressure-treated for Class A (added cost)
- Susceptible to moss/mildew without proper ventilation and sun exposure
- More expensive than asphalt without metal’s lifespan advantage
- Hail can split shakes — repairs needed after major storms
- Cape Cod, Craftsman, ranch-style homes
- Mid-Atlantic and New England aesthetic
- Homes where curb appeal is the primary driver
- Wildfire-zone homes (Class C only without pressure-treatment)
- High-humidity climates without proper ventilation (mold/rot risk)
- Owners who don’t want any maintenance
Installation notes
Specialty install requiring proper ventilation, spaced sheathing (not solid plywood), and stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanised nails. Cedar must be installed with adequate exposure (the “5-inch rule” varies by shake length). Class A fire treatment is a separate processing step that significantly raises material cost — required by code in many WUI zones.
Maintenance & lifespan
Highest-maintenance mainstream material. Plan for restain or preservative treatment every 5–10 years depending on UV exposure. Annual inspection for split or curled shakes. Clean moss/algae immediately when spotted. With good maintenance, 50-year lifespans are achievable; with no maintenance, 20-year is more realistic.
Resale value impact
Strong premium on architecture-appropriate homes (Cape Cod, Craftsman). On modern or ranch architecture, cedar can read as a styling mismatch. Returns 70–85% of cost in resale on the right home.