Cedar Shake Roof Question

[r&r]

I'm about to purchase a new home that has a cedar shake roof on it. Shake roofs aren't very common in this part of the country and I don't know the first thing about them. I hoping some of you guys own houses with them or know how to keep them up.
From the pics you can tell some need to be replaced. Is there any kind of yearly maintenance you need to do? I've read about some sprays for sale on the internet.
I've also heard that the shakes are just there for looks and the only protection from the water comes from the tar paper underneath.
I've checked out the attic and its dry as a bone but i've been afraid to walk on the roof from fear of cracking more shakes although I'll have to do it at some point.


<a href="http://s1090.photobucket.com/albums/i373/redcard1236/?action=view&amp;current=2011-07-22102415.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i373/redcard1236/2011-07-22102415.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s1090.photobucket.com/albums/i373/redcard1236/?action=view&amp;current=2011-07-22103708.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i373/redcard1236/2011-07-22103708.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Thanks

 

[sawinredneck]

That place needs roofed NOW!! I'd put in the contract to have the seller roof it or walk! Not sure on that new of a house, but the older ones I've worked on didn't have any decking or sheathing under the shakes, so roofing was incredibly expensive!
That roof is also old and dried up, it poses a real threat as a fire hazard!
Does it have to be roofed in shake? If not, I'd sure go another way if it were me! If it does, I'd look into the new composite materials they have out that look like shake, just lots better!

 

[r&r]

That place needs roofed NOW!! I'd put in the contract to have the seller roof it or walk! Not sure on that new of a house, but the older ones I've worked on didn't have any decking or sheathing under the shakes, so roofing was incredibly expensive!
That roof is also old and dried up, it poses a real threat as a fire hazard!
Does it have to be roofed in shake? If not, I'd sure go another way if it were me! If it does, I'd look into the new composite materials they have out that look like shake, just lots better!

Do you have a shake roof or work with them? I agree with replacing it I was really surprised when I checked out the attic and didn't find any water damage. I'm gonna try to get some more years out of it before replacement this house is a foreclosure and still a steal even with a new roof.
I don't have to go with shake next time I'll go with asphalt most likely.
This house is def. a red rock as far as fire hazard goes.

 

[sawinredneck]

I've repaired several and roofed several gazebo's, after the last one the next one will cost $25k, period! When they tell me they can get a new one built for less than that, I'll tell them that is my point!
I've never done a whole house, most are too steep for me and I'm not equipped to safely do them. Gravity is not my friend either!
The roof in the pics isn't that steep so it shouldn't be that bad to do. When you where in the attic did you notice if it was sheathed or just had slats? If it was sheathed (OSB or plywood) the tar paper is the saving grace right now, but that is a short term help.
As you can probably tell, I am not a big fan of shake roofs, they look great, but sure don't seem to be worth the cost and hassle to replace and keep up.

 

[HDShinn]

Actually the shakes look to be in pretty good shape other than loss in several places. There doesn't appear to be much if any moss or other debris accumulated which is the downfall of most shingle and composite roofs. And you're right, the shake liner or tar paper as you refer to it is actually what provides the main protection from rain. The shakes or shingles serve to protect it from environmental deteriorating.

We had a hand split shake roof on our house that was installed probably 40 years ago. I mistakenly thought it needed replacing but found once we started tearing it off that there were only a few places where the top surface of the shakes had become spongy from leaves and other stuff that had been left for too long and promoted some rot. I ended up salvaging the greater part of those old shakes to use as siding for my new shop. But that's another story.

Good quality western red cedar shakes are hard to find even here in WA state where a great deal of them are produced. And they're expensive when you can find them. If your existing roofing is applied over spaced battens, that's how it should be replaced. The air space under the shakes allows them to breath and prolongs their life. Not everyone will agree I admit but I personally do not recommend applying shakes over solid plywood sheathing.

You might want to compare the cost of a standing seam metal roof like what you have over the bay window. A quality metal roof is a once in a lifetime expense and adds a lot of value to the house.

I'm not a roofing contractor, I'm a retired architect.

 

[r&r]

Thanks for the input HD. This roof has plywood sheathing it was built in '92. Theres about half a cube of shakes left over that I can make some repairs with. I know shake roofs are suppose to last at least as long as asphalt or longer but I worry about the climate here shorting that.
I've put on a lot of metal roofs mostly on warehouses and new steel buildings I also like the looks and think popularity is growing.