The Cedar Shake Roof Cost Calculator adds the material cost of the shakes to the labour to lay them, applies it to your roof area, and adds removal of the old roof. Using This Old House's 2026 figures, hand-split shake material runs about $3.50 to $6.50 per square foot and taper-sawn $4.50 to $8.50, with labour adding $2 to $5, for an installed range of roughly $5.50 to $13.50 per square foot. A cedar roof commonly lasts 25 to 35 years when it is kept clean and allowed to dry, so the calculator compares its cost per year with architectural asphalt on the same roof. Check wildfire-zone rules and your insurer before choosing untreated wood.
A cedar shake roof is priced as the shakes plus the labour to lay them course by course. Using This Old House's 2026 figures, the installed range is roughly $5.50 to $13.50 per square foot.
| Shake | Material / sq ft | Labour / sq ft | Installed / sq ft | 2,000 sq ft roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-split cedar shakes | $3.50 – $6.50 | $2 – $5 | $5.50 – $11.50 | $11,000 – $23,000 |
| Taper-sawn cedar shakes | $4.50 – $8.50 | $2 – $5 | $6.50 – $13.50 | $13,000 – $27,000 |
Cedar fails from moisture. Kept clean, trimmed back from trees and allowed to dry, a shake roof reaches the upper end of its commonly quoted 25 to 35 year life.
About $5.50–$13.50 per sq ft installed. Materials run $3.50–$6.50 per sq ft for hand-split shakes and $4.50–$8.50 for taper-sawn, and labour adds roughly $2–$5 per sq ft (This Old House, 2026).
Roughly $11,000–$23,000 in hand-split shakes or $13,000–$27,000 in taper-sawn, before removing the old roof, permits or deck repairs.
Commonly 25–35 years, and the upkeep decides which end you get: keep it clear of debris and moss, let it dry out, and replace split shakes promptly.
No. Untreated wood roofing is restricted in many wildfire areas, and some insurers price it higher. Check your local code and your insurer before you commit — fire-retardant-treated shakes or a synthetic shake may be the only option.
Shakes are split (hand-split) or split then sawn on the back (taper-sawn), so they are thicker and rougher. Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, thinner and more uniform. Shakes cost more and give the heavier shadow line.