The owner of a gracious Tudor home in Far Hills, NJ contacted Alte Exteriors to evaluate the home’s cedar shake roof and offer recommendations. The scenic borough of Far Hills is located in the northern part of Somerset County and is filled with stately Victorian and Tudor homes on generous 10-acre wooded lots. Far Hills is also home to the United States Golf Association and the Leonard J. Buck Garden, a beautiful public botanical garden.
Cedar shake is one of the most durable roofing materials. When installed correctly, this type of roofing system can withstand very high winds and can last for up to 50 years. We reviewed the home’s existing cedar shake roof and did not find any evidence of leaks, but there were several signs of aging. As cedar shakes age, they tend to curl at the edges. This type of warping is sometimes referred to as cupping. When the warping becomes severe it can leave the underlayment of the roof exposed and this can eventually lead to roof leaks. Weather can affect cedar shake in other ways as well. We noticed several split shakes on the Far Hills roof. Splitting can occur after many years of exposure to varied weather conditions. Small splits will often hold dampness, resulting in moss growth and eventually shingle rot.
Our experienced roofing crew removed and disposed of the old cedar shakes, taking exceptional care to protect the property and landscaping. The crew applied two layers of underlayment to the roof, installed the new cedar shakes individually by hand and added new flashing to all of the roof valleys and around the chimney areas. While replacing the cedar shake roof, we also installed Velux skylights. A cedar shake roof provides excellent insulation, keeping a home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Cedar roofs also insulate against sound, blocking out excess noise from hail and heavy rain better than other roofing materials.
Below are before and after photos of the Far Hills, NJ cedar shake roof replacement.
Before:
After:
