Bloomington, Minnesota
Careful Cedar Shake Roofing in Bloomington, MN
The honest answer on a lot of the ramblers in Bloomington is that cedar does not belong on them. Shakes need pitch to shed and air to dry, and a long low plane that holds snow for weeks gives them neither. On the split levels and the steeper entry roofs it is a different conversation, and worth having.
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Pitch decides this before anything else does
Most Oxboro and West Bloomington roofs run shallow, somewhere around three or four in twelve, over long unbroken planes with almost nothing to break the snow up. Snow sits there into March. Cedar under standing snow stays saturated, the butts curl, and fasteners work loose in a few winters instead of a few decades. So the first thing our estimator does is put a pitch gauge on the plane. Above six in twelve we will talk about shakes. Below that we will not, and we would rather lose the job than roof a house twice. There is usually a second surprise waiting too: many of these roofs have been layered over twice, so tear off is bigger than expected and the deck underneath needs work. Where cedar is out, the same care goes into asphalt roofing and the flashings that actually keep water out.
Cedar Shake Roofing in Bloomington
Where shakes belong on a low slope house
A pitch reading, not a guess
Every plane gets measured before we quote. Split level uppers, garage roofs and entry gables often pitch steeper than the main run, and those are the places where shakes make sense on these houses.
Snow load taken seriously
A plane that holds snow instead of shedding it loads valleys and fasteners for months. We size the fastening and the valley metal for that, and we will not put a wood roof where the snow never leaves.
Two layers off, deck exposed
Plenty of these roofs were shingled over twice. Everything comes off to bare deck for a cedar job, and you will hear about rotten sheathing or bad nailers before we replace them, not after.
Straight courses over a long run
A rambler shows one uninterrupted plane from the street, so any wander in the coursing is obvious from the sidewalk. We snap lines and keep the exposure consistent the whole way across.
Cedar where it actually suits
Shakes on the steep front gable, the entry roof or a dormer face give a Penn American District split level the look without putting wood on the shallow run behind it.
Fasteners chosen for wet wood
Cedar tannin eats ordinary nails. On roofs that stay damp long into spring we use stainless, set to the right depth, because a shake that loosens at the fastener lifts in the next wind.
Why homeowners here call us for wood roofs
We quote the tear off honestly
Nobody likes hearing there are two layers up there. We would rather write it into the quote than discover it on day one and hand you a change order.
We show you the deck
Once the layers are off you get pictures of the sheathing before anything covers it again. Rotten boards on a rambler are common and you should see them yourself.
The walkthrough is free
The walkthrough and the written quote are free and carry no obligation. Plenty of them end with us telling a homeowner their roof has several years left in it.
One crew, one trade order
Roofing, siding, windows and gutters run through the same office, so a cedar job that turns into fascia and soffit work does not need a second contractor scheduled.
A second opinion you can check
If another contractor told you a rambler takes shakes, ask for the pitch on each plane in writing. Ours goes on the quote, so you can hold the two readings next to each other and see who actually measured.
What people near Bloomington say
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 Orange Exteriors fixed a minor leak that involved replacing flashing and a few shingles blown off our roof. Timely, quality work. Great ideas to keep our roof going long term.
Jim ThomasStorm damage repair
Cedar questions we hear in Bloomington
What people in Bloomington ask us about this work. If yours is not covered, call and ask.
Can I put cedar shakes on a Bloomington rambler?
Often not, and the reason is pitch. Below about four in twelve, water and snow linger on a wood roof long enough to keep it wet, and a shake roof that stays wet fails early. If your rambler has a steeper garage roof or front gable, cedar can go there while the main plane gets something built for low slope.
How much bigger is tear off if my Bloomington roof has been done twice?
Enough that it changes the schedule and the dumpster. Two layers of asphalt plus underlayment is a lot of weight to move, and once it is off we usually find some sheathing that needs replacing. We check with a probe at the estimate and put a decking allowance in writing so the scope does not shift under you.
Are there many original cedar roofs left in Bloomington?
Far fewer than in the older Minneapolis neighborhoods. Most housing here went up in the 1950s and 1960s when asphalt was already standard, so the cedar you see is usually a later choice by an owner who wanted the look. That matters because there is rarely spaced sheathing underneath, and a wood roof needs a way to breathe from below.
Find out if cedar fits your roof
We will measure the pitch, probe the deck and tell you straight whether shakes are a good idea on your street. Free estimate, no obligation, and no pressure either way.
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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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