Cedar shake, done right, where it is still allowed.
Shake and shingle installation, repair, and replacement, plus straight guidance on wildfire codes, insurance, and the synthetic alternatives that keep the look.
Cedar is beautiful. The rules around it have changed.
Colorado's statewide Wildfire Resiliency Code requires Class A roof coverings in designated wildland-urban interface areas, and several mountain jurisdictions, including Aspen, Summit County, and Boulder, already prohibit natural wood shakes. Many insurers surcharge or decline wood roofs. We still install cedar where it is permitted and we will tell you plainly when it is not, and what to put up instead.
- Fire-retardant treated shakes. Pressure-impregnated, Class B or Class A rated with the required underlayment assembly, where code allows wood at all.
- Hand-split shakes and sawn shingles. Number 1 Blue Label grade, installed over spaced or solid sheathing with breathable interlayment the way the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau specifies.
- Proper ventilation and drainage. Cedar needs to dry from both sides. We detail the deck, interlayment, and ridge so it does.
- Shake repair and replacement. Replacing split, cupped, and wind-lifted shakes and rebuilding failed valleys and flashings on existing roofs.
- Synthetic shake alternative. Class A, Class 4 polymer shakes that look like cedar, weigh less, and satisfy wildfire codes and most insurers.
- Code and HOA navigation. We check your jurisdiction, WUI zoning, and HOA guidelines before we quote, so there are no surprises at permit.
Shake and shingle services
New Cedar Installation
Treated shakes and shingles on homes outside restricted zones, installed per CSSB standards with stainless or hot-dipped fasteners, copper or coated flashings, and ridge details that shed water.
Cedar Roof Repair
Individual shake replacement, flashing repair, and moss and debris treatment to extend a roof that is not ready for replacement.
Cedar to Class A Conversion
Tearing off wood and installing Class A, Class 4 synthetic shake, stone-coated steel, or metal shingle systems that keep the shake profile and satisfy code and insurance.
Wildfire Code Assessment
We identify whether your address falls in a WUI zone under the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code or a stricter local ordinance, and what that means for repair versus replacement.
Insurance Documentation
Product listings and Class A assembly documentation for your carrier, which can be the difference between keeping and losing coverage on a wood roof.
Mountain Home Specification
Snow load, ice dam, and wind uplift detailing for shake and shake-look roofs in Estes Park, Winter Park, Steamboat, and the Vail Valley.
The honest tradeoffs
Natural cedar in Colorado's dry, high-UV climate typically lasts 20 to 30 years with maintenance, less than it does in the Pacific Northwest. It is combustible, the fire-retardant treatment degrades over time, and insurers know it. In WUI zones the code may not allow it at all, and replacing more than a quarter of an existing roof can trigger Class A requirements for the whole covering. If you love the look, synthetic shake gives you 50-year warranties, Class A and Class 4 ratings, and no insurance fight. If you have an existing cedar roof in good shape, we will help you keep it as long as it makes sense.
Documented like a construction project
Every specialty roof starts with a walk-on inspection and a written scope: materials by manufacturer and model, underlayment, flashings, ventilation, snow retention, and schedule. You get photos of what we found, what we fixed, and what we installed, including the parts you will never see again.
- Free inspection and written scope. No pressure, no door knockers, no deposit before materials are ordered.
- Permits pulled and inspections passed. Closeout includes the approved inspection record.
- Insurance documentation. Class 4 and Class A product listings for your carrier.
- Warranty from people who answer the phone. Manufacturer and workmanship warranties in writing.
Compare your options
See where we work, from Loveland and Fort Collins to the mountain towns.
Cedar Shake Roofing questions
Can I still get a cedar shake roof in Colorado?
In many Front Range neighborhoods, yes, with fire-retardant-treated shakes. In designated wildland-urban interface zones and in jurisdictions like Aspen, Summit County, and Boulder, natural wood roofs are prohibited or restricted. We check your address before we quote.
Will my insurance cover a wood shake roof?
Some carriers surcharge wood roofs, some write them with cosmetic or age limits, and some decline them outright. Ask your agent before you commit. A Class A synthetic shake usually resolves the problem.
How long does a cedar roof last here?
Plan on 20 to 30 years for a well-installed, treated, maintained cedar roof in Colorado. Sun and dryness split and cup the wood faster than in wetter climates.
What replaces cedar and still looks like it?
Polymer synthetic shakes from manufacturers such as DaVinci, Brava, and CeDUR, and stone-coated steel shake profiles. All are Class A, most are Class 4, and they are lighter than real cedar.
Can you repair my cedar roof instead of replacing it?
Often, yes. Individual shakes, flashings, and ridge can be repaired. If your jurisdiction's code triggers full replacement at a certain percentage, we tell you where that line is before any work starts.
Have a shake roof?
Find out what your zoning and insurer allow before you spend a dollar.