Natural cedar
Real western red cedar shakes, with the grain and irregularity that gives cedar its character.
4.9
Across 1,100+ Google reviews
★★★★★ 4.9 on Google, 1,100+ reviews
Virginia / Materials
Cedar Shake Roofing in Virginia
Cedar gives a house a texture and warmth no manufactured product quite matches, in natural wood or a composite that needs far less looking after.
Natural cedar shake
Composite cedar shake
Ventilation
Maintenance
2
Offices, Springfield and Fredericksburg
Free
Inspections, no pressure
270 lb
CertainTeed Landmark Pro standard
Overview
Cedar shake is a character roof. It suits older homes, lodge and craftsman styles, and anything where a flat manufactured surface would look wrong on the house.
Natural cedar needs maintenance and the right ventilation beneath it to reach its full life. Composite cedar gets most of the look with none of the upkeep, which is why more of our cedar work is now composite.
Composite cedar
Synthetic shakes with cedar texture, longer warranties, and no treating or maintenance cycle.
Ventilation matters
Natural cedar has to breathe from below. Poor ventilation is what rots cedar roofs early.
Detail
Natural and composite cedar
Both look right on the house. The real decision is whether you want to maintain a natural roof or would rather never think about it again.
- Natural cedar shakeReal western red cedar. Thirty to forty years with maintenance, and a look no manufactured product fully reproduces.
- Composite cedar shakePolymer shakes with molded cedar grain, fifty year warranties, no treating and no rot.
- VentilationNatural cedar is installed over a ventilated assembly so the underside can dry. Skipping this is the most common cause of early failure.
- MaintenanceNatural cedar benefits from periodic cleaning and treatment. Composite needs none of it.
Compare
Which roof is right for your house?
Tell us what matters most and the list reorders. There is no single best material, only the one that fits what you care about.
Why us
The part other crews skip
Inspected first
We get on the roof and photograph what we find before we quote. You see the same evidence we do.
Roofing and gutters together
One crew for the roof, the siding and the gutters, so nobody is blaming the other trade.
Licensed and insured
Virginia license 2705155080, CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified, fully insured on every job.
Every job documented
Photos and video through the whole install on CompanyCam, stored indefinitely, with a link that is yours to keep.
Reviews
What Virginia homeowners say
Questions
Cedar Shake Roofing questions we get asked
How long does a cedar roof last?
Natural cedar runs thirty to forty years in Virginia when it is ventilated properly and maintained. Neglected, it can fail in half that. Composite cedar typically carries a fifty year warranty and needs no upkeep.
Does cedar need treating?
Natural cedar benefits from periodic cleaning and a preservative treatment, roughly every few years depending on exposure and tree cover. Composite does not.
Is cedar a fire risk?
Untreated cedar is combustible. Fire treated natural shakes are available and rated, and composite cedar products generally carry a Class A fire rating. We will tell you what any given product is rated before you choose.
Which should I choose?
If you want genuine wood and accept the maintenance, natural. If you want the look with none of the upkeep and a longer warranty, composite. On most Virginia homes we end up recommending composite.
By town
Cedar Roofing Near You
Local pages for the towns we cover.
Protect the roof
A roof is only as good as the gutter below it.
Clogged gutters back water up under the first course of shingles, rot the fascia and feed ice dams. Keep them clean on a schedule and the roof edge stays dry. Ask about adding the Annual Gutter Cleaning Plan to your roof project.
Book your free inspection
We look at the whole system, show you photos of what we find, and give you a straight answer. No charge and no pressure, whether you hire us or not.
- Free inspection, no pressure
- Photos of everything we find, yours to keep
- Licensed and insured, VA 2705155080
- CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified
Request your free inspection
Tell us what you are seeing and we will get back to you to set a time.