Cedar Shake Installation in Arlington VA
Arlington Roofing provides cedar shake installation in Arlington for homeowners who want a natural, rustic roof with real staying power. A well-installed cedar shake roof can last 30 to 50 years, more than double what most asphalt roofs offer, while giving a home a warmth and texture that manufactured materials struggle to match.
We handle cedar shake roof installation across Clarendon, Ballston, and Rosslyn. Both historic homes and newer builds throughout the area benefit from cedar’s natural insulation and distinctive look, though it’s a material that comes with real trade-offs worth understanding upfront.
What a Real Cedar Shake Installation Requires
Cedar shakes can’t go over an existing roof the way some shingle systems can. A full tear-off is required first, since proper airflow underneath the shakes is essential to how the material performs. Most cedar roofs use spaced sheathing, individual boards with small gaps, rather than solid plywood decking, specifically to let moisture escape from underneath rather than getting trapped.
Skipping this step is one of the most common mistakes we see on poorly installed cedar roofs. Trapped moisture underneath cedar shakes leads to rot, mold, and a roof that fails years before it should, regardless of how good the shakes themselves are.
What Cedar Shake Installation Costs
Cedar shake roof installation typically runs $6 to $12 per square foot, or roughly $12,000 to $24,000 for a 2,000 square foot home. Traditional hand-split shakes cost more to install than machine-sawn versions, since the irregular shapes take more time and skill to fit properly. Roof complexity matters too. Homes with multiple hips, valleys, dormers, or skylights can add 15 to 30 percent to the total cost, since each intersection needs custom fitting rather than a straight run of material.
Fire Retardant Treatment Matters
Untreated cedar carries a Class C fire rating, the lowest available. Fire retardant treatment brings that up to Class A or B, and many municipalities and insurance companies require it before they’ll approve or cover a cedar roof. This treatment does wear off over time and needs reapplication, which is part of the ongoing maintenance cedar demands.
Before committing to cedar, it’s worth checking with your insurance provider directly. Some companies charge higher premiums for cedar roofs, and a few decline coverage altogether depending on your specific policy and location.
Ongoing Maintenance You Should Expect
Cedar is the most maintenance-intensive roofing material we install. Annual inspections, debris removal, and reapplying wood preservatives every three to five years are part of owning a cedar roof, not optional extras. Skipping this maintenance is the single biggest reason cedar roofs fail to reach their expected lifespan.
Our Cedar Shake Installation Process
We start with a full tear-off of any existing roofing, since cedar shakes require a clean, properly prepared surface. From there, we install spaced sheathing or a breathable underlayment designed specifically for wood roofing, followed by the shakes themselves, fitted and fastened according to manufacturer spacing to allow for natural expansion and contraction. Fire retardant treatment gets applied before the project wraps, and we walk every homeowner through the maintenance schedule their new roof will need going forward.
Is Cedar the Right Choice for Your Home?
Cedar isn’t the right fit for every homeowner, and that’s worth being honest about upfront. If you want a similar rustic, natural look with far less maintenance and better fire resistance, our composite shingles service offers a synthetic alternative that mimics cedar’s texture without the ongoing upkeep or fire concerns.
Decades of Experience With Natural Roofing Materials
Arlington Roofing has installed cedar shake and other roofing materials across Northern Virginia for more than 20 years. We’re licensed, insured, and based at 901 N Frederick St, and we’ll always give you an honest picture of what a material actually requires before you commit to it.
Cedar shake rewards proper installation and honest maintenance guidance. Call Arlington Roofing at (877) 304-3171 for cedar shake installation in Arlington, VA.