How to Remove Cedar Shake Roofing

Cedar shake roofing lends character to your country home and gives your place that rustic yet relaxed ambiance. As a rugged waterproof covering, cedar shakes are durable but like any types of roofing materials, they need to be removed and replaced from time to time. Removing cedar shake roofing is a simple task that you can do on your own. With the right tools and materials, you can do the job like a pro in just a matter of hours. To help you remove cedar shake roofing, follow these steps.

Step 1 – Check the Surface of Your Roof

Check the surface of your cedar shake roof for any signs of damage and note the number of shakes that you will need to remove from different sections of your roof. After taking an inventory of damaged shakes, take your tools and materials to the roof and get to work.

Step 2 – Loosen Up the Shakes

Your cedar shakes are installed in such a way that the top portions of the shakes overlap with the next course of shakes. As it is, you need to loose up the nails that are holding the two shakes that are located directly on top of the damaged shake. Use the nail remover on your hammer to do this job. You objective here is to create space for you to reach and remove the nails that are retaining the damaged shakes.

Step 3 – Remove the Damaged Shakes

To remove the damaged shakes, wedge a flat bar right under the area closest to the nails that are holding the shakes in place then gently prey the shakes loose. If the nails holding the shakes are rusty, it may take a bit more force to get them out so you may heave a little more. Just be careful not to exert too much force and disturb or damage the roofing felt located underneath the cedar shakes.

Put all the shakes and nails you remove inside the utility box.

Step 4 –Deal with Stubborn Nails

If the shakes split and leave the nails standing on the roof, you will need to use a crowbar to get the nails out. If the nail a nail is stuck in place and it is impossible for you to get it out without damaging your roof, you can just hammer the nail until its body is completely buried into the wood.

Step 5 – Clean Up the Area

After removing the damaged shakes, clean these areas carefully before you start to install new cedar shake roofing.

Step 6 –Install the Replacement Shakes

To install the new cedar shakes, place the shakes into the areas where you removed the damaged shakes. If the new shakes do not fit into the area, you may cut the shakes to size. After cutting the shakes, lay the shakes on the roof, leaving small spaces of approximately 5/8 of an inch in between the shakes to give room for material expansion. Nail the shakes in place using a nail gun.