Comprehensive Guide On How To Install Cedar Shake Shingles Siding

Installing cedar shake shingle siding requires meticulous attention to weatherproofing, precise vertical alignment, and proper fastening techniques to ensure decades of architectural durability. By maintaining strict fastening tolerances, utilizing quality corrosion-resistant fasteners, and incorporating a dedicated rainscreen drainage plane, builders can prevent moisture intrusion and achieve a classic, weather-resistant exterior facade.

Material Sourcing and Jobsite Preparation

Executing a professional-grade cedar shake siding installation demands specialized tools, accurate material calculations, and adherence to industry best practices. Before the first shingle is staged on the scaffold, the building envelope must be fully prepared with a weather-resistive barrier (WRB) and an integrated drainage mat or rainscreen system.

• Essential Tools and Hardware: Stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized ring-shank nails (minimum 3D for shakes, 5D for shingles), roofing hammer, chalk line, stainless steel stapler, utility knife with hook blades, heavy-duty siding gauge, tin snips, block plane, and a circular saw with a fine-tooth carbide blade.
• Materials and Specifications: Grade A Western Red Cedar or Atlantic White Cedar shakes (typically 16-inch, 18-inch, or 24-inch lengths), breather-type house wrap, corrosion-resistant flashing, and woven corner strips.
• Prerequisites and Timelines: Exterior sheathing must be clean, dry, and structurally sound. Allow cedar shakes to acclimate to local humidity conditions for 48 to 72 hours prior to installation to minimize post-installation shrinkage.

Step-by-Step Installation Workflow

Step 1: Installing the Weather-Resistive Barrier and Starter Course

Begin by installing two layers of approved weather-resistive house wrap over the exterior wood or OSB sheathing to create a secondary drainage plane. Snap a horizontal chalk line around the perimeter of the structure to establish the bottom edge of the starter course, ensuring it extends at least one inch below the sill plate to shed water clear of the foundation. Install a heavy starter course of shakes or an inverted row of wood shingles to elevate the first visible course and provide the correct structural pitch. Leave a 1/4-inch gap between individual starter units to allow for expansion.

Warning: Never allow cedar shakes to make direct contact with concrete foundations, masonry, or soil, as capillary action will draw ground moisture up into the wood grain and accelerate decay.

Step 2: Laying Out Course Lines and Staging Shingles

To keep courses level across large wall elevations, snap chalk lines every few courses (typically matching the exposure height multiplied by the number of courses). For a standard 16-inch shake exposed at 7-1/2 inches, snap lines every two to three courses. Sort your cedar shakes by width before nailing; mix narrow, medium, and wide pieces across each course to create a balanced, visually appealing aesthetic and distribute natural grain variations evenly across the elevation.

Step 3: Fastening Shingles with Proper Expansion Gaps

Position each shake according to your chalk line, leaving a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch expansion gap between adjacent shingles to accommodate swelling during wet weather. Drive two ring-shank nails per shingle, placing them approximately 3/4 inch in from each edge and 1 inch above the exposure line. Ensure nail heads are driven flush with the surface of the wood without sinking deeply into the fibers, which can split the cedar or create pockets for standing water.

Pro-Tip: Use a dedicated siding gauge or a story pole marked with your target exposure to quickly verify course heights and maintain razor-sharp horizontal alignment over long wall runs.

Step 4: Constructing Interlocking Inside and Outside Corners

At building corners, alternate the overlap of shakes from course to course to create a woven, weather-tight joint. For outside corners, run the shakes of one wall past the corner edge by the thickness of the shingle, then trim the overlapping edge flush with a block plane or saw. Alternatively, install a nominal 2-inch cedar corner board first, bringing the shake courses tight to the sides of the board with a flexible polyurethane sealant bead.

Step 5: Flashing Penetrations and Managing Top Caps

Flash all windows, doors, and utility penetrations with self-adhering flashing tape integrated shingle-style beneath the house wrap and over the drip caps. As you approach the roofline or soffit, rip the final course to width and secure it with face nails, setting the nail heads flush and applying a dab of matching exterior-grade wood sealer over the exposed metal or nail heads if required by local architectural guidelines.

Technical Specifications and Material Comparison

Troubleshooting Common Installation Failures

• Root Cause: Shingles splitting vertically years after installation.
  
  
  • Actionable Fix: The installer likely used standard steel box nails or drove fasteners too deep, crushing the wood grain. Remove cracked shakes using a shingle ripper tool and replace them with new units fastened with stainless steel ring-shank nails driven flush.
• Root Cause: Premature rotting along the bottom starter course.
  
  
  • Actionable Fix: Insufficient clearance above grade or lack of a starter cant strip. Trim the affected bottom edges back, install a galvanized metal drip edge, and ensure a minimum 6-inch clearance from finished grade or landscaping mulch.
• Root Cause: Efflorescence or dark staining bleeding through the wood face.
  
  
  • Actionable Fix: Incompatible fasteners reacting with natural cedar extractives. If standard electro-galvanized nails were used, tannin bleed and rust streaks will occur. Countersink offending fasteners, seal the spots with a stain-blocking exterior primer, and apply an alkyd-based solid or semi-transparent finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the recommended exposure for cedar shakes and shingles?

The exposure depends on the length of the shingle and the roof or wall pitch. For standard 16-inch wall shakes, a 7-1/2 inch exposure is standard for single-course application. For 18-inch shakes, use an 8-1/2 inch exposure, and for 24-inch shakes, use an 11-1/2 inch exposure to ensure adequate double-coverage overlap.

Do I need to treat or seal cedar shake siding?

Untreated cedar naturally weathers to a sophisticated silver-gray patina over time due to UV exposure. However, applying a breathable, penetrating oil-based semi-transparent stain or UV-inhibiting sealer extends the service life, prevents excessive checking, and preserves the warm golden-brown color of the wood.

Should I install a vapor barrier behind cedar shake siding?

Yes, a high-quality weather-resistive barrier (WRB) is mandatory behind cedar siding to protect the structural sheathing. Furthermore, incorporating a drainage mat or rainscreen creates a vital air gap that allows any wind-driven moisture that passes through the shakes to drain quickly and dry out via gravity and airflow.

Can cedar shakes be installed directly over old siding?

While installation over rigid foam or old wood siding is occasionally performed during renovations, it is generally discouraged. Stripping down to bare sheathing allows you to inspect for rot, install a modern weather-resistive barrier, and ensure that fasteners achieve adequate withdrawal resistance in the structural framing.

Transform your property's exterior with authentic wood craftsmanship by scheduling a professional consultation with our cedar siding specialists today. Contact our team to request a customized material estimate and secure your project timeline.