Cedar shake & shingle roofing
Warmth, texture and a roof that breathes
Nothing settles a house into its lot like cedar. Laid properly on a ventilated system, hand-split Western Red Cedar silvers beautifully and lasts half a century in Ontario. Laid badly, it rots out in fifteen. We only do the first kind.
Overview
Only #1 Blue Label, only on battens
We install Certi-Split hand-split and resawn shakes and Certi-Grade #1 Blue Label shingles from Western Red Cedar, the highest grade the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau recognises: 100% edge grain, 100% clear, 100% heartwood. Every bundle is inspected before it goes up.
Cedar's lifespan in Toronto depends entirely on how quickly it dries. Laid flat on felt, it stays wet through spring and rots from below. We install it on a ventilated batten and counter-batten system over a breathable membrane, so air moves under every course and the wood dries within hours of rain or snowmelt.
Toronto fit
Cedar in a lake-effect climate
Ventilated drying
Battens create a continuous air channel under the shakes. In Toronto's humid summers and wet springs that is the difference between 50 years and 15.
Fire & preservative treatment
Pressure-impregnated preservative (CCA or copper azole) and Class A fire-retardant treatment where required by Ontario Building Code or insurers.
Snow & ice
Ice-and-water membrane at eaves and valleys, copper or stainless fasteners, and a minimum 4:12 pitch keep snowmelt moving off the roof, not into it.
Scope
What a Ross the Roofer cedar roof includes
- Certi-Split #1 Blue Label Western Red Cedar shakes or Certi-Grade shingles, 24" or 18"
- Breathable synthetic underlayment with high-temperature ice-and-water at eaves, valleys and penetrations
- Cedar or composite batten and counter-batten ventilation system
- Stainless-steel ring-shank fasteners; copper flashings and valleys
- Woven or open copper valleys to suit the architecture
- Hip and ridge caps hand-fitted; copper ridge vent where ventilation demands
- Optional preservative and Class A fire treatment; optional moss and algae inhibitor
- Five-year maintenance plan included: cleaning, treatment and inspection
Questions
Cedar, answered
How does cedar age in Toronto?
Untreated cedar weathers from warm amber to silver-grey within two to three years. Preservative-treated cedar greys more slowly and evenly. Either way, it should be cleaned every three to five years to remove debris and organic growth that hold moisture.
Is cedar allowed under Ontario fire codes?
Yes. Class A fire-rated treated shakes meet Ontario Building Code for residential roofing. Some insurers ask for the treatment certificate, which we supply with your warranty package.
Shakes or shingles?
Shakes are thicker and hand-split for a rugged, textured roof suited to Craftsman and lakefront homes. Shingles are sawn smooth and lie flat, suited to Cape Cod, colonial and coastal styles. We bring samples of both to the consultation.
Begin
Let's talk about your roof
A consultation with a project director is complimentary and without obligation. We'll walk the property, survey the roof by drone and tell you honestly what it needs.