Burnsville, Minnesota
Certified Cedar Shake Roofing in Burnsville, MN
The long, low pitched roofs on 1970s and 1980s ramblers across Burnsville ask more of a cedar roof than a steep one does. Water moves slowly on a shallow plane, and wind off the Minnesota River valley gets under the eaves of anything that runs flat and long. Both are solvable. Both have to be planned before the first course goes down.
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Cedar on a shallow roof asks for more
Cedar has a floor for pitch. Below it, water sits between the courses instead of running off. Most Burnsville ramblers and split levels land at the shallow end, so the fix is exposure and interlayment: less shake showing per course, and a layer of felt woven between courses so any water that creeps sideways lands on top of it rather than on the deck. That takes more shakes and more hours than a steep roof of the same size, and it is the main thing driving the number on the estimate. The wind matters at the edges. Along the bluff above the river the eaves and rakes take the lift, so starter courses get doubled and hand nailed. Where a roof is too flat to do properly, we will quote asphalt roofing instead and walk you through the pitch math.
Cedar Shake Roofing in Burnsville
Detailing cedar for a shallow roof
Reduced exposure on shallow planes
On a low pitch roof we lay less of each shake to the weather, so more of the roof is doubled and tripled. It uses more material and it is the reason cedar holds on a rambler at all.
Interlayment between every course
Felt woven between the courses gives water that tracks sideways somewhere to go. On a shallow Burnsville roof that layer is not optional, and leaving it out is how a two year old cedar roof leaks.
Edges built for river valley wind
Wind runs the open corridor above the Minnesota River and lifts where the roof stops. Doubled starter courses, tight rake detail and stainless nails driven flush keep the first row from becoming the failure point.
Simple gable roofs run clean
Few dormers and almost no cross gables on these plans means long straight courses and very little flashing. On a Burnsville rambler the cedar is only as good as the eaves and the pitch, not the details in between.
Deck and skip sheathing checked
Tearing off decades of layers on a 1980s house often uncovers skip sheathing or a deck patched over the years. Cedar needs air under it, so we sort out the boards before any shake goes down.
Replacement work, not new builds
Burnsville filled in by the late 1990s, so nearly every cedar job here is going onto a house someone lives in. That means occupied driveways, mature yards and a tear off planned around your week.
What we bring to a Burnsville rambler
Free estimate with the pitch measured
We put a pitch gauge on the roof before quoting cedar, because the pitch decides the exposure, the material count and whether the job should happen at all. No charge for that visit.
Hand nailing where it counts
Guns overdrive nails into soft cedar and break the shake. On wind exposed eaves and rakes we set fasteners by hand so each one sits flush and holds.
Storm damage written up for you
After a hard blow off the river we photograph lifted courses and missing shakes, write it up plainly and handle the insurance side while you stay off the ladder.
Siding and gutters looked at too
While we are on a Burnsville rambler we check the fascia, the gutter line and the siding under the eaves, because wind driven rain gets behind all three on a low roof.
We match the shake to the roof
Heavier shakes lie flatter and take wind better; thinner ones look finer but move. On an exposed Burnsville plane we steer you toward the heavier stock and explain why.
What people near Burnsville say
We live in Eden Prairie. Orange did an excellent job on our siding replacement and provided great customer service all the way through.
Thomas DeSutterSiding replacement, Eden Prairie, MN Fantastic guys to work with, did an excellent job of fixing our siding. You can tell it’s a high integrity company. Definitely recommend.
Carolyn MillerSiding repair The crew arrived early and spread tarps all around the house to capture every bit of debris. By 3:00 PM, my entire roof was completely finished.
Hazel JamesRoof replacement, Minneapolis, MN
Cedar on low pitch Burnsville roofs
What people in Burnsville ask us about this work. If yours is not covered, call and ask.
My Burnsville rambler has a shallow roof. Is it too flat for cedar shakes?
Maybe. Cedar needs pitch to shed, and below roughly a four in twelve slope it has to be laid with reduced exposure and felt interlayment, if it can be laid at all. We measure the pitch on each plane, since many split levels here mix a shallow main roof with steeper sections.
Will wind off the river valley pull shakes off?
It can, and it always starts at an edge. Wind gets under the first course at the eave or the rake, works a shake loose and then peels along the row. That is why the starter courses are doubled and hand nailed and why the rake boards get tight cedar with no overhang to grab.
Do you find original cedar under old roofs in Burnsville?
Now and then. Houses from the 1970s and early 1980s sometimes still have the original spaced sheathing under later layers, and once in a while the first cedar roof is under there too. It is worth a look before we order material, because sound spaced boards save work and are exactly what cedar wants.
Have your Burnsville roof pitch checked
We will measure the pitch on every plane, look at the eaves and the deck, and tell you whether cedar belongs on your rambler or split level. The estimate costs nothing.
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Tell us what is going on with your roof, siding, windows, or gutters. We will take a look and give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that you can wait.
- Phone(612) 600-8529
- Emailadmin@orange-exteriors.com
- Office6600 City West Pkwy Suite 375, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
- HoursOpen 24 hours, Sunday to Saturday
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