Wood Roof Installation by ARCM Roofing
Hand-split shakes and sawn shingles in Western Red Cedar — the only roof that breathes, insulates, and silvers into the architecture around it.
5 Highlights on Wood Roof Installation
The Roof That Breathes
Cedar is a living assembly: spaced sheathing, woven interlayment, and stainless fastening — installed by crews trained to Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau standards, with fire-treatment and WUI code questions answered before we quote.
Shakes and Shingles Both
Hand-split cedar shakes for rustic texture, sawn shingles for tailored uniformity — both in Western Red Cedar graded for roofing.
The Breathing Assembly
Spaced sheathing and felt interlayment let cedar dry between storms — the ventilation detail that decides whether wood lasts 30 years or 50.
Fire-Retardant Treatment Options
Pressure-impregnated Class B and C treated cedar for WUI addresses — and we verify your jurisdiction's wood-roofing code before quoting.
Natural Insulation
Cedar insulates roughly twice as well as asphalt, moderating attic temperatures through Colorado's swings.
Silvering Character
New cedar's amber tones weather to a silver-gray patina that mountain and craftsman architecture is designed around.
Thirty to fifty Colorado years — maintenance decides which.
Why Choose Us
CSSB Standards, Colorado Codes
Wood roofing is a specialist assembly. Our crews train to Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau installation standards — exposure by pitch, two-nail fastening, offset joints, and the spaced-sheathing details that let cedar dry between storms.
We're straight about fire code: some Colorado WUI jurisdictions restrict untreated wood roofing. We install pressure-impregnated Class B and C treated cedar where required, verify your jurisdiction's rules before quoting, and put the code citation in your estimate.
Stainless and hot-dipped fasteners only — electro-galvanized nails streak and fail in cedar's tannins — plus our 10-year workmanship warranty alongside 20-to-50-year material coverage by grade and treatment.
New amber or weathered silver? We bring aged samples so you choose the roof you'll own in year ten, not just year one.
When It Makes Sense
Signs Wood Roofing Is the Right Fit
Mountain, Craftsman, or Historic Architecture
Cedar completes the architecture other materials imitate. Shake texture on mountain contemporaries and sawn shingles on craftsman bungalows carry authenticity that composite lookalikes approximate but never match at the ridge line.
Your Existing Wood Roof Is Aging
Cupping, splitting, and moss growth on 25-plus-year cedar signal end of service. We assess whether treatment renewal and selective replacement buys another decade, or whether full replacement is the honest call.
You Value Breathability Over Everything
Wood assemblies dry from both faces — the reason cedar handles Colorado's freeze-thaw and dry summers so well. No other steep-slope material self-regulates moisture the way a spaced-sheathing cedar roof does.
HOA or Historic District Requirements
Many established Denver-area neighborhoods require wood roofing or its approved fire-treated equivalents. We navigate HOA specs, historic review, and WUI overlays regularly, and handle the documentation.
You Want Insulation You Can See
Cedar's cellular structure delivers roughly twice asphalt's insulation value. Attics under wood run cooler in July and warmer in January, and utility bills show it.
HOA specs or WUI questions? We navigate them weekly.
How We Work
Our Wood Roof Installation Process
01
Assessment and Code Check
We inspect your structure, confirm your jurisdiction's wood-roofing and WUI requirements, and scope treated product where code demands it.
02
Species, Cut, and Grade Selection
Shakes or shingles, Premium or Number 1 grade, natural or fire-retardant-treated — decided with samples in hand.
03
Tear-Off and Sheathing Prep
Old roofing stripped; spaced sheathing installed or solid decking prepared per the assembly your cedar needs to breathe.
04
Interlayment and Underlayment
Felt interlayment woven between courses on shake roofs; premium underlayment at eaves, valleys, and penetrations.
05
Cedar Installation
Courses laid to exposure spec, fastened with stainless or hot-dipped nails two per shake, joints offset between courses.
06
Flashing, Ridge, and Final Walk
Copper or stainless flashing at every penetration, ridge caps set, finished roof inspected and photographed with you.
Most wood roof installations complete in four to eight days.
Brands We Use
Cedar Mills and Materials We Trust
Waldun Group
Premium Western Red Cedar shakes and shingles
Watkins Sawmills
Certi-label cedar products
G&R Cedar
Hand-split and resawn shakes
Teal Cedar
Sawn cedar shingles
Anbrook Industries
Fire-treated cedar systems
Chemco
Pressure-impregnated fire-retardant treatment
Grace
Ice & Water Shield at eaves and valleys
Maze Nails
Stainless and hot-dipped cedar fasteners
Copper flashing
16 oz valley and penetration metal
Cedar Breather
Ventilating underlayment for solid-deck installs
Cedar bundles staged dry and covered, OSHA fall protection on every pitch, and job sites left broom-clean with all offcuts hauled — wood rewards craft at every step.
FAQs
FAQs About Wood Roof Installation
›What is wood roof installation?
Wood roof installation is the process of laying cedar shakes or shingles over spaced or solid sheathing with interlayment felt between courses. The wood sheds water while the assembly breathes, which is what gives a wood roof its long service life.
›What's the difference between shakes and shingles?
Shakes are split from cedar blocks, thicker with a rustic textured face. Shingles are sawn smooth on both sides for a tailored, uniform look. Shakes typically last longer; shingles cost less and suit lower-profile architecture.
›How long does a wood roof last?
Properly installed and maintained cedar lasts 30 to 50 years in Colorado's dry climate. Regular maintenance — debris removal, treatment renewal — is what separates a 30-year wood roof from a 50-year one.
›Is wood roofing allowed in wildfire zones?
It depends on your jurisdiction. Some Colorado WUI communities restrict untreated wood roofing. We install pressure-impregnated fire-retardant-treated cedar rated Class B or Class C, and we verify your local code before quoting.
›How much does wood roof installation cost?
Cedar costs more than asphalt and less than slate or clay tile, with shakes above shingles. Final pricing depends on grade, treatment, and roof complexity. We provide free itemized estimates.
›Does ARCM Roofing warranty wood roof installation?
Yes. Our 10-year workmanship warranty covers the installation, and premium cedar carries manufacturer warranties of 20 to 50 years depending on grade and treatment.
Related Services
Cedar That Silvers, Never Surrenders.
Shakes & shingles · Fire-treated options · WUI code verified