I am scheduled to put some cedar shakes on a small 10×12 storage shed next week. The roof is all papered and ready to go. All I need to do is install the shakes. I’ve never installed cedar shake roofing before. Any advice/tips would be much appreciated. Here are are a few questions I have:
1) What kind of nails should I use? Should I use an air gun or do it the old fashoned way?
2) Is there any particular pattern or strategy in shake placement and overlap?
3) How far should the shingles overhang the roof?
4) What can I expect in terms of an installation time?
5) Do I need Korkers for this?
Thanks in advance for all your input and advice,
–Andy
Replies
what's the spec on your "shakes" ? are they hand-splits or sawn backs ? how long are they ?
are they really shingles ? if they're shingles , what is the spec ? R&R red cedar ?
white cedar ? 16".... 18".... 24" ?
what is the roof pitch ?
and ... where are you ?
answer those and your questions can be answered
When someone says "shakes," I think of the first cedar roof I ever did, for which I followed these specs:
http://www.cedarbureau.org/installation/roof-manual.htm
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Skip-sheathed, woven felt, copper nails, shop-made ridge caps, the little thing was a masterpiece. I did it working solo in 1981, and it's still on, weathered all gray.
The shakes came unsquared, so I needed to hatchet-joint them, and ended up with a large pile of long cedar jackstraws on the ground, when done.
Edited 7/27/2006 7:05 am ET by Gene_Davis
we may never know if it's shakes or shinglesMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Right. Some of these new posters are in and out like a drive-by shooting.
Not sure I'd want anybody doing a shake roof for me that had questions like that.
Gene--Thanks for your helpful link. I don't know the answers to most of the questions posted. I haven't actually seen the shed or the jobsite yet. I do know that it is a kit shed. Also the shakes are hand splits, and this is in the Seattle area. Is the skip sheathing really necessary? It makes a lot of sense, but this is just a kit shed. Also, I've noticed that many cedar shake roofs around here are fastened with galvanized staples, rather than copper nails. Is there and advantage/disadvantage to that? You all will have to bear with some pretty basic questions here. As I stated before, I've never done this before. But what better way to learn than on a small kit shed in somebody's back yard?--Andy
You are probably being asked to do this by an owner that cares more for looks than quality and durability.
In almost any temperate climate, an asphalt shingled roof will outlast a WRC shake roof if the cedar is simply placed atop roofing felt and stapled down.
So what is going on here? Are they dressing their place up for a quick sale? Do they just gotta have shakes because they look great? Do they care at all about quality?
Download the specs from the cedar-dot-org site and show it to them, and tell them it is the only way to do it right, but you are willing to do it wrong if they so direct.
My guess is they'll say go ahead and do it on the cheap, you'll get paid, they'll be happy, and the kit shed won't outlast the crummy shake roof its got on its top.
Is the skip sheathing really necessary? Yes. It is like, "is it really necessary that they use galvanized sheet steel when making my car's body panels?" Yes, if you want it to last.
gene... that cut-sheet is ok for a starter.. but it is olde and outdated
notice they don't spec a drip edge at the eave.. and they are using a moulding on the rake
with hand splits, i'd be using copper f-style drip on both the eave & rake
also .. AAA.. why copper nails ?
a hot dipped galv. ring shank siding nail about 2 1/2"would do fine.. or the same in SS, you want a narrow shank with a headMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I was gonna argue with you about the skip sheathing necessity, or cold roof over , but since this is in a wet climate you are probably right
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Piffen-
Was talking with one of the guys working for me in NY. He said the just finished a big house in the Hamptons with a wood roof and the roofers were using a rolled underlayment underneath it, not furring. He described it as about 3/4" thick, spongy, like ridge vent. The installer said they've been using this stuff for at least 3 years.
Any thoughts?
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
That's "Cedar Breather".
Are we there, yet?
http://grantlogan.net/
Like CU said, it's caledcedar breather. I've used it too under perfections. Good stuff
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
The reason for the cadar shakes is precicesly because of looks. The house has a cedar shake roof, and they want the little storage shed to have a matching roof as well. Yeah, they definately want to do it on the cheap...the kit sheds aren't exactly going to win any awards for quality or longevity. My goal is to put up a decent looking roof that doesn't leak and learn a liitle on the way. --Andy
the only problem with your original post is using the terms shakes and shingles interchangeably. They are not the same product and not the same install procedure. Use the methoid in Gene's attachment . OK to do same over sheathing instread of the skip sheathing.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
The worst thing about shaking is to install cedar without allowing it to breathe. Tight to felt, or the 2nd gen of housewrap is going to shorten its life dramatically. Moisture will migrate though the cedar and be trapped. I see 10 year old cedar resides because of this type of installation. I have also seen cedar last 100 years. A rainscreen over felt is the only way. You can deck the roof with plywood and then felt. You then need to lath but allow the ends to be open. The roof on my parents house last over 40 years, and the demise was due to corrosion to the fasteners and an idiot in-law who painted (sealed) the roof, not oiled or stained as it should have been. I also lived in an under a cedar roof, with bark stripped cedar rafters. In dry weather I could see light. I was skeptical about bringing my stereo equipment into this space, But as soon as the moisture level rose the roof would close up. Unfortunately I believe code has changed to eliminate cedar over lathe as the only form of roof. A shed mut be an exception.