Cedar shake roofs still show up on older colonials and farmhouses around Newtown Square, Edgemont, and Gradyville, especially where owners want the look that asphalt cannot match. Delaware County’s humid subtropical pattern—sticky summers that drive moisture into the wood, then cold winters that freeze it—means shakes have to be detailed for ventilation and drip edges or they cup and split. We work from 3475 West Chester Pike and schedule Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 9am–2pm so crews can stage around tree cover near Tyler Arboretum and the Newtown Square Corporate Campus without blocking Pike traffic.
Installation here is not a straight overlay. Many roofs in Media, Broomall, and Wayne sit on mixed sheathing from mid-century additions; we open sections to confirm solid decking before hanging shakes. Felt or synthetic underlayment has to breathe, and we add ice-and-water shield at eaves because freeze-thaw on north slopes toward Gradyville will back up ice. Fasteners must be stainless or hot-dipped; cheap nails stain cedar and fail in our humidity. Flashings at chimneys and dormers get extra care because wind-driven rain off the rolling terrain finds every gap.
We do not pretend cedar is maintenance-free. After a hot summer, shakes can check; after a cold snap they can lift if they were nailed too tight. Homeowners sometimes ask us to match existing shakes on a partial reroof—grain, thickness, and weathering have to line up or the patch looks like a bandage. Code in Delaware County still expects proper ice barriers and ventilation; we follow that without claiming extra credentials. If the deck is rotten, we say so before a single shake goes on, because covering bad plywood is how jobs fail two winters later.
Compared with asphalt, cedar costs more up front and needs more air space at the ridge. That extra venting matters on tight lots near the Corporate Campus where attics run hot. We also see moss on north faces after wet springs; a proper install includes a clean, dry deck and spacing that lets shakes dry. Skip that and you are buying another roof sooner than you should.
Technician insight
In Newtown Square, the thing that catches most people out with cedar shake roof installation is nailing too tight on a humid summer day—then winter freeze-thaw on those Edgemont and Gradyville north slopes cups the shakes. Older mixed-sheathing additions from Media and Broomall also hide soft plywood that only shows once you tear off. We open a few bays first so you are not surprised after the shakes are already on.
Cupped shakes after a freeze on a Gradyville north slope
A homeowner near Gradyville called after shakes cupped and leaked following a cold snap. We found overdriven nails and missing ice barrier at the eave, plus a soft plywood patch from an old addition. We replaced the bad decking, added ice-and-water, and rehung shakes with proper exposure and stainless nails. The roof dried out and the drip line stayed off the siding through the next thaw.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Services We Offer
✓Full Cedar Shake Tear-Off and Install
Complete removal of old roofing and new cedar shakes on Newtown Square and Edgemont homes, with decking repairs as needed.
✓Cedar Shake Overlay on Sound Decking
New shakes over existing sheathing when the deck is solid, common on well-kept Gradyville properties.
✓Hip and Ridge Cedar Cap Installation
Custom-cut ridge and hip caps that match field shakes and shed Delaware County freeze-thaw ice.
✓Cedar Shake Valley and Flashing Work
Open or woven valleys plus step flashing so wind-driven rain near Tyler Arboretum does not leak.
✓Partial Cedar Shake Replacement
Matching new shakes to weathered ones on dormers or additions typical of Media and Broomall stock.
✓Ice and Water Shield for Cedar Roofs
Eave and valley membrane under shakes to fight ice dams on cold north slopes in Wayne and Newtown Square.
Cedar Shake Roof Installation Cost in Newtown Square, PA
| Service | Typical Range | What Affects It |
|---|---|---|
| Full cedar shake reroof (typical house) | $18,000–$35,000 | Size, pitch, layers to tear off, and decking repairs move the range. |
| Partial shake replacement / matching | $2,500–$8,000 | How well new shakes must match weathered stock and access. |
| Decking repair (per sheet area) | $400–$1,200 | Rot from humidity and ice dams; amount of plywood. |
| Ice-and-water and extra flashing | $800–$2,500 | Valley count, chimney complexity, north-slope exposure. |
| On-site inspection and quote | Free | Mon–Fri 8am–6pm or Sat 9am–2pm from West Chester Pike. |
Ranges are typical for Newtown Square, PA and confirmed with an exact written quote before any work starts.
How it works
- 1
On-Site Roof And Deck Check
We inspect sheathing, ventilation, and existing shakes from the Pike shop, noting ice-dam history and tree shade before quoting.
- 2
Tear-Off And Decking Repair
Old material comes off; we replace rotten plywood so cedar has a dry, even base through humid summers.
- 3
Underlayment And Ice Barrier
Breathable underlayment plus ice-and-water at eaves and valleys for freeze-thaw on Delaware County roofs.
- 4
Shake Hang And Flash
Shakes go on with proper exposure and stainless fasteners; valleys, chimneys, and ridges get detailed flashing.
- 5
Cleanup And Walkthrough
Magnets pull nails; we walk the roof with you so you can inspect workmanship before we leave.
Pricing
Cedar shake work in Newtown Square typically runs higher than asphalt because of material and labor; price follows roof size, pitch, decking repairs, and how much matching to existing shakes is required. We give upfront quotes—no invented warranties or ratings.