Wood Shake & Cedar Shingles

The terms "shake" and "shingle" are often used interchangeably but refer to distinct products:

Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces — they taper from thick to thin and have a smoother surface. They install in a more regular, overlapping pattern and produce a flatter, more uniform appearance than shake. Cedar shingles are more commonly used on walls and lower-pitch roofs.

Cedar shake is split (hand-split or machine-split) on one or both faces, producing an irregular, textured surface with natural variations in thickness. The rough face faces outward, creating the characteristic shadow depth and rustic texture associated with traditional American roofing. Hand-split-and-resawn shake has one rough split face and one sawn face — a common middle ground between full hand-split and sawn shingles.

For roofing applications, hand-split-and-resawn shake (Grade #1) is the standard specification. It should be Western Red Cedar — the industry-standard species for durability and rot resistance. Avoid lesser species sold as "cedar shake" unless sourced from a reputable manufacturer with documented species verification.

Western Red Cedar performs best in the Pacific Northwest — cool, moist, moderate-UV climate where the wood dries between rain events and temperatures don't drive accelerated biological activity. Mississippi's climate is almost the opposite: hot, high humidity, intense UV, and a biological environment that strongly favors fungal and algal growth.

The honest reality for Mississippi homeowners: a wood shake roof that would last 30-40 years in Oregon or Montana will likely last 20-25 years in Northeast Mississippi with diligent maintenance — and as few as 12-15 years with minimal maintenance. The humidity keeps the wood perpetually damp, which promotes fungal degradation. The UV intensity bleaches and oxidizes the surface. Moss and algae establish quickly on north-facing slopes and shaded sections.

This doesn't make wood shake impossible in Mississippi, but it changes the calculus significantly. Homeowners considering wood roofing in this climate should enter the decision knowing the maintenance burden is real and the lifespan expectations are lower than what marketing materials from Pacific Northwest manufacturers tend to project.

Raw cedar shake carries a Class C fire rating under ASTM E108 — meaning it provides some fire resistance but will eventually ignite and support combustion. Many Mississippi municipalities and insurers require Class A roofing materials, which raw shake does not meet.

Fire-Retardant Cedar Shake (FRSC) is factory-treated with borate compounds or pressure-impregnated fire retardants that elevate the rating to Class A. FRSC is the only specification that should be used on new installations in most Mississippi jurisdictions. The treatment also provides some resistance to fungal decay, which helps longevity in humid climates.

Alternatively, some homeowners specify synthetic shake products — polymer or composite materials that replicate the wood look with Class A fire ratings and better biological resistance. If you want the wood aesthetic without the maintenance burden, synthetic shake from manufacturers like Brava or DaVinci is worth pricing. The cost is similar to real shake but the maintenance requirements are dramatically lower.

Wood shake roofing in Mississippi requires more active maintenance than any other roofing material. If you're not prepared to invest in this, another material is a better choice.

Annual cleaning: Remove accumulated debris, leaves, and biological growth. Pressure washing at low PSI (no more than 1,500 PSI from distance) or hand-washing with a diluted cleaning solution. Aggressive pressure washing damages the surface — use a soft-wash approach.

Algae and moss control: Apply a zinc sulfate or copper sulfate solution to prevent biological establishment. Zinc strips at the ridge release zinc oxide with every rain, creating a mild biocide that runs down the slope. Replace strips every 10-15 years.

Preservative treatment: Apply a water-repellent wood preservative (containing a mildewcide) every 3-5 years to maintain the wood's moisture resistance. Products from TWP (Total Wood Preservative) or Defy are appropriate. This is the single most impactful maintenance action for extending service life.

Individual replacement: Replace split, cupped, or severely degraded individual shakes as found during annual inspection. Spot repairs are straightforward for experienced contractors but require sourcing matching material — harder as the roof ages and the original shakes weather to a distinctive gray patina.

Wood shake installation has specific requirements that differ from asphalt installation. A proper installation includes:

Spaced sheathing (skip sheathing): Traditional shake installation uses spaced 1×4 or 1×6 boards spaced 1.5" apart to allow air circulation beneath the shake courses, helping the wood dry after rain. Modern installations often use solid sheathing with a ventilated underlayment system instead.

Interlayment felt: 18" wide strips of 30-lb felt are woven between shake courses on solid sheathing installations, providing a redundant water management layer between courses.

Exposure and pitch requirements: Shake requires a minimum 4:12 roof pitch for standard exposure. Lower pitches require reduced exposure and special underlayment systems.

Fastening: Hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel nails are required — electro-galvanized and common nails corrode from the tannic acid in cedar and cause premature failure. This is a common installation shortcut that dramatically shortens service life.

The quality of the installation matters enormously for wood roofing. An improperly installed shake roof fails years ahead of a correctly installed one. Verify that any contractor quoting wood shake uses the proper interlayment, fastener specification, and sheathing system.

Wood shake makes the most sense in a specific set of conditions:

It makes sense when: The architectural style genuinely calls for it (Craftsman bungalows, Arts and Crafts homes, New England-style capes), the homeowner is committed to the maintenance routine, the installation is in a relatively open, sun-exposed location that promotes drying, and the budget supports periodic professional cleaning and treatment.

It doesn't make sense when: The primary driver is cost (comparable or more expensive than impact-resistant asphalt or synthetic shake), the home has significant tree canopy coverage that keeps the roof shaded and damp, the owner wants a low-maintenance material, or fire code requires Class A roofing that would necessitate FRSC-treated shake anyway (at which point synthetic shake becomes a direct comparison).

For most Mississippi homeowners replacing an aging wood shake roof, the honest recommendation is to evaluate synthetic shake alternatives seriously before committing to wood again. The aesthetic is close, the fire rating is Class A without treatment, the maintenance burden is minimal, and the lifespan is 40-50 years versus 20-25 in this climate. Contact Smart Roof Pricing and we'll walk you through the trade-offs for your specific home and situation.