Cedar shake roofing for Wasatch Front homes
Cedar shake gives a house the warmth of real wood, and Utah's dry sun, hail and winters work on it every year. We repair and replace wood shake roofs across Davis County and the Wasatch Front, and we'll tell you plainly what yours needs.
Free wood shake estimate
Repair or replace: we'll get on the roof, photograph what we find and give you a written estimate.
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What Utah does to a cedar roof
Wood swells when it's wet, shrinks as it dries and weathers in the sun. Here's what Wasatch Front weather does to it, and what we look for.
Sun and dry air
Altitude sun and dry air pull the oils and moisture out of cedar. Shakes cup, curl and check along the grain, then split through. A split that lines up with the gap in the course below lets water reach the felt underneath, and that's where shake roofs start to leak.
Hail on older shakes
Dried, weathered shakes have lost their give, so hail splits them along the grain instead of denting them. A fresh split shows bright wood inside the crack, which sets storm damage apart from old wear. We photograph each one, so the record is clear if you file a claim.
Snow, ice dams and the ice barrier
Snow melting over a warm attic refreezes at the cold eave as an ice dam, and meltwater backs up under the lowest courses. Shakes rely on overlap and the felt between courses, not a seal, which is why the code calls for an ice barrier where ice dams are a known problem.
Wildfire maps come first
Before we quote shake, we check your city's wildfire (WUI) map. Bountiful requires fire-resistant roofing for re-roofs in its WUI area, and Holladay bans wood shake in WUI zones for new builds and major remodels. On a foothill lot, the rules may call for a Class A assembly or rule out wood altogether.
Repair a section or replace the roof
If most of the roof is sound, split or missing shakes can be cut out and replaced, or a damaged section rebuilt. When splits, cupping and soft spots run across every slope, patching just chases leaks, and we'll say so before you spend money on it.
Other ways to get the look
If upkeep, hail or a wildfire map rules cedar out, composite shake is molded to look like wood, architectural shingle gives a dimensional look, and standing seam metal sheds snow with no wood to split.
What the code asks of a shake roof
Utah builds homes to the 2021 International Residential Code, with state amendments. Three of its rules shape every wood shake re-roof:
- Slope. Wood shakes go only on roofs pitched 3:12 or steeper (R905.8.2). A flatter section needs a different material; for a low porch or addition, see flat and TPO roofing.
- Felt between courses. Each course is interlaid with an 18-inch-wide strip of at least No. 30 felt, and the starter course at the eaves is doubled (R905.8.7).
- Ice barrier. Where your area's climate table (Table R301.2) shows a history of ice dams, an ice barrier runs from the eave to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, and at least 36 inches up the slope on roofs 8:12 or steeper (R905.1.2).
Your building department has the final word. It confirms which rules apply at your address, including local amendments and wildfire-zone requirements.
Cedar, composite, or something else?
People choose cedar for the warmth of real wood. The trade-off: shake needs more care than the alternatives, older shakes split in hail, and some foothill lots can't use wood at all.
- Cedar shake: real wood, regular upkeep, wildfire-zone limits
- Composite shake: the shake look, with ratings that vary by product
- Architectural shingle: a dimensional look at a lower cost
- Standing seam metal: sheds snow, with no wood to split or rot
Compare our composite, shingle and standing seam pages, or book a free inspection and start with what your roof needs now.
Reviews from Wasatch Front homeowners
"Our house needed so much work they came and fixed the roof made a huge difference it looked beautiful thank you so much definitely recommended"
"Roof looks great, quality materials, fast service, fair price. Would use them again."
Wood shake FAQ
Can a few split shakes be swapped out without a new roof?
Usually, if the rest of the roof is sound: split, cupped or missing shakes can be cut out and replaced. New cedar starts out light tan and weathers toward gray, so a repair stands out for a while. If the damage runs across every slope, we'll tell you a patch won't hold.
Does homeowners insurance pay for hail on weathered cedar?
That depends on your policy. Some pay less on an older roof or treat wear differently, so ask your agent. We document every split, note fresh damage apart from old wear, and meet your adjuster if you file.
How a roof claim works →Is wood shake allowed where I live?
It depends on whether your lot sits inside a mapped wildland-urban interface (WUI) zone. Bountiful requires fire-resistant roofing for re-roofs in its WUI area. Holladay bans wood shake in WUI zones for new builds and major remodels. In unincorporated Utah County, the wildland-urban interface code allows no wood roof coverings; Provo and Orem have their own rules. Your building department confirms what applies to your address.
How does shake compare with composite and metal?
Cedar is real wood, with the upkeep and wildfire-zone limits that come with it. Composite shake is molded to look like cedar and has no wood to rot or split; its ratings vary by product. Standing seam metal sheds snow and has a different look. We can price them side by side at your estimate.
See composite roofing →How do I make a shake roof last in Utah sun?
Let it dry out: keep needles and leaves off the roof and out of the valleys and gutters, trim branches back, and replace split shakes early. A free inspection every couple of years, and after any hailstorm, catches small fixes while they're small.
Book a free inspection →Are there fire-rated wood shakes?
Yes. Pressure-treated, fire-retardant shakes carry a Class B or Class C rating depending on the treatment, and a Class A rating takes a tested assembly of treated shakes over a specified fire-resistant layer. Whether wood is allowed on your lot at all is a question for your city's wildfire (WUI) rules, so that's the first thing to check.
Get your free wood shake estimate
Repair or replacement: we'll get on the roof, photograph what we find, check the local wildfire map, and give you a written estimate. Weighing composite or metal too? We can price them side by side.
Request your estimate
We use your details only to set up your inspection. Privacy policy