Cedar needs maintenance
Real cedar must be kept clean and treated, or it cups, splits, and grows moss. Neglected, it fails early. A shake roof is a commitment to upkeep, and we are upfront about that.
Roofing
Shake Roofing in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas & Missouri
Cedar shake and shake-look roofing for character homes, plus the synthetic options that hold up better here.
5.0 · 2,164+ Google reviewsFree InspectionsLicensed & InsuredGAF Master Elite
A cedar shake roof gives a home a warmth and texture nothing else matches, which is why it still suits certain craftsman and lodge-style homes around our communities. Real cedar is a beautiful roof, but it is also the most maintenance-dependent roof we work on, and in our climate that is worth being honest about up front.
For homeowners who love the shake look but not the upkeep, synthetic shake, a molded composite, carries the texture with far better resistance to hail, fire, and rot, and a much longer maintenance-free life. We install and maintain real cedar, and we install synthetic shake, and we will tell you straight which one fits how you want to live with your roof.
What a shake roof includes
- Natural cedar shake or synthetic shake
- Breathable underlayment system
- Proper spacing and keyway detailing
- Corrosion-resistant fastening
- Valley and penetration flashing
- A maintenance plan for natural cedar
What to know about shake
Hail and fire
Cedar is more vulnerable to hail and fire than other materials. In hail country, synthetic shake or an impact-resistant alternative often makes more sense.
Installation detail
Shake relies on proper spacing, a breathable underlayment, and keyways that let it dry. Installed tight or wrong, wood shake rots from underneath.
Our Method
How we approach shake
- 01Help you choose between natural cedar and synthetic shake for your home and upkeep tolerance.
- 02Install a breathable underlayment that lets a wood roof dry.
- 03Set shake with proper spacing, keyways, and corrosion-resistant fasteners.
- 04Detail valleys and penetrations so water cannot sit against the wood.
- 05Recommend a maintenance plan for natural cedar to reach its full life.
Straight Pricing
What shake roofing costs
Natural cedar shake typically runs $18,000 to $40,000 on a home, plus ongoing maintenance to reach its rated life. Synthetic shake is comparable up front but eliminates most of the upkeep and resists hail and fire far better, which often makes it the better value in our climate.
We give you both numbers and an honest read on the maintenance each one asks of you, so the look you want fits the way you want to live with your roof.
Shake Roofing from every office
We provide shake roofing across Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. Each city has its own page with local storm context and the office that serves it:
Straight Answers
Shake Roofing questions, answered.
Yes, more than any other roof we install. Natural cedar needs periodic cleaning and treatment to prevent cupping, splitting, and moss. If you love the look but not the upkeep, synthetic shake gives you the texture with almost none of the maintenance.
Natural cedar is more vulnerable to hail than most materials. In a high-hail area, we usually steer homeowners toward synthetic shake or an impact-resistant alternative that carries the look without the fragility.
Real cedar if you want the genuine article and accept the maintenance; synthetic if you want the look with better hail and fire resistance and far less upkeep. We will walk you through both for your specific home.
Free Inspection
Storm rolled through? Let's take a look.
Free, photo-documented inspections from any of our six offices. Same-day response when the weather turns.