Cedar Roofing near you

Both come from the same wood, but they are made differently and give a roof a different character. Ask your roofer which one suits the style of the house and the slope of the roof, and which grade of wood they propose, since quality varies with the part of the log the pieces are cut from.

Wood was an everyday roof covering on many early Canadian houses, barns and churches, and cedar is still found on heritage homes, in old village cores and on buildings where the roof is part of what makes them historic. Owners of these homes often replace like for like to keep the original look, sometimes because heritage rules require it.

Cedar is also popular at cottages and on country and lakeside homes, where it blends in with the trees, and on newer houses designed with a traditional look. Those settings bring their own challenges: shade and damp from nearby trees, needles that pile up between the pieces and, in some regions, wildfire risk. Keep them in mind when choosing cedar for a wooded lot.

Cedar lasts when it can dry out after every rain. A wood roof laid tight against a solid deck with no air space, or over an attic that doesn't vent, stays damp underneath, which invites cupping, rot and moss. Ask the roofer to explain how air will move both under the cedar and through the attic.

A cedar roof rewards attention. Needles, leaves and seeds caught between the pieces hold moisture against the wood, and moss takes root wherever there is shade. From the ground, watch for green patches, dark streaks and debris piling up in valleys and behind the chimney, and have a roofer or roof cleaning crew clear them rather than going up yourself; a wet wood roof is especially slippery.

Cleaning should be gentle. A high-pressure jet tears up the soft surface of the wood and leaves it rough and fuzzy, so it soaks up more water. Some owners also have a specialist apply a preservative treatment after cleaning. Whether it's worthwhile depends on the product, the roof's exposure and its condition, so ask what the treatment does, whether the wood can keep drying, how runoff will be handled and whether it affects a fire-retardant treatment or warranty on the cedar.

Wood burns, and that shapes where a cedar roof can go. Some municipalities restrict or prohibit wood roof coverings, or accept only fire-retardant treated products, for instance in dense neighbourhoods or in certain zones. Check your municipal by-laws before choosing cedar, and tell your insurer what your roof is made of, since it can matter to them.

In wildfire-prone areas, the danger comes from wind-blown embers that can land on a roof and ignite the wood or the dry debris lodged in it. Look up the FireSmart guidance for your region, which addresses roof coverings and roof debris, and ask your roofer about treated products and how to keep the roof and gutters clear. On a wooded lot, that care is part of owning a cedar roof, not an extra.

Cedar can be repaired piece by piece: a roofer slips out split or missing pieces and slides new ones in, which look lighter at first and weather to match. Replacement becomes the better choice when wear is spread across the roof rather than confined to a few spots, and a roofer can confirm which case you're in.

On a heritage home, even a like-for-like cedar roof may need approval. The Quebec government's page on heritage work states that a classified property or site needs the Ministry of Culture's authorization before it is altered, restored or repaired, and that controls on cited properties and sites fall to the municipality. Replacing cedar with another material on such a building is exactly the kind of change those rules review, so get an answer before signing a contract. Outside Quebec, ask your municipality whether your home is designated or in a heritage district.

In Quebec, a contractor doing roofing work must hold an RBQ licence with specialized subclass 7.0, which covers insulation, waterproofing, roofing and siding. For cedar, also ask to see wood roofs the crew has installed or restored, ideally ones that have been through a few winters.