Why Cedar Shake Roofing on the North Shore?
Durability
When properly installed, cedar shake roofing lasts 30 years or more with routine maintenance. Cedar is a naturally dense wood with good impact resistance, and when individual shakes split or age unevenly, selective replacement extends the overall roof life without a full tear-off. Top-grade #1 Blue Label cedar, properly installed and maintained, often reaches 40 years on protected rooflines.
Climate Fit
Cedar’s natural insulating properties and stability help it stand up well to the repeated freezing and thawing that North Shore homes experience each winter. Its open cellular structure allows moisture to escape rather than trap and rot the deck, provided the installation includes the right breathable underlayment and ridge ventilation that North Shore winters require. Moisture management is the part that separates a cedar roof that lasts from one that fails early.
Low Noise
Cedar provides noticeably quieter interiors during heavy rain than metal roofing. The wood mass and irregular shake surface absorb rain and hail sound rather than amplifying it. On a North Shore property where summer storms come in fast off the lake, that acoustic difference is real.
Natural Aesthetics
No manufactured material fully replicates the grain variation, shadow depth, and natural weathering of real cedar. On older North Shore homes, particularly Tudor revival and craftsman styles in Highland Park and Winnetka, cedar is often the material the original architect specified. Matching it with a replacement isn’t just a preference; it’s the right call to maintain the neighborhood’s character.
Insulation Value
Cedar provides roughly twice the insulating value of asphalt shingles at the same thickness. In older Lake County homes with limited attic insulation, a cedar roof can help improve the home’s overall thermal performance without opening up interior walls or ceilings.
Long-Term Value
Cedar carries a higher upfront cost than asphalt but a lower cost per year of service when the full lifespan is accounted for. For North Shore homeowners planning to hold their property long-term, the premium over asphalt often works out on a per-decade basis. For homes where the roof is part of the signature look, cedar helps maintain architectural character that buyers and appraisers often recognize.
Cedar Roofing Options We Install
Cedar roofing comes in two main profiles and multiple grades. Here’s how we approach material selection for North Shore homes.
Cedar Shakes (Hand-Split or Sawn)
Cedar shakes have a thicker, irregular profile with a more textured surface. Hand-split shakes emphasize the natural grain and shadow lines that give craftsman and cottage-style homes their character. Proper spacing is especially important with cedar shakes, allowing water to drain efficiently and helping prevent moisture from collecting where the shakes overlap.
Cedar Shingles (Sawn)
Cedar shingles are sawn on both sides for a uniform taper and cleaner surface. They install with tighter butt lines and work well on homes where a refined, traditional appearance is preferred. Shingles are also common on historically sensitive properties where HOA or village guidelines require a specific visual character.
Grade Selection: #1 Blue Label vs. #2 Red Label
We use industry-standard cedar grading on every project. #1 Blue Label is all-heartwood, all-clear, and edge-grain: the highest-grade cedar available and the correct choice for a full replacement on the North Shore, where longevity matters. #2 Red Label is a solid mid-grade option for budget-sensitive projects or partial repairs where matching existing material takes priority over a full upgrade.
Cedar Shake Roof Cost on the North Shore
Cedar is a premium roofing material, and the pricing reflects that. Full replacement in the Chicago area runs $6 to $10 per square foot installed at the standard end, based on Chicago-area market data from 2025 to 2026, with complex or premium-grade work reaching $18 to $20 per square foot in Illinois. Below, the table outlines where different scenarios land.
What Affects Your Cedar Roof Price?
Cedar grade is the biggest variable in the range above. #1 Blue Label all-heartwood costs significantly more per square than #2 Red Label, and the difference adds up on a typical North Shore home. Roof complexity is next: steep pitches, multiple valleys, dormers, and heavy flashings around chimneys all increase labor. Tear-off of existing cedar or asphalt adds cost, and disposal is more involved with wood material. We assess property access during the estimate, including mature trees, dense landscaping, and narrow driveways, so we can plan the project and protect your property.
HX Home Solutions provides free on-site estimates with no obligation. We offer financing for qualified homeowners, and we help clients through the insurance process when storm damage is part of the picture. Read our roof replacement cost guide for a broader breakdown of factors that drive roofing prices.
Cedar vs. Composite Shake Roofing
Composite and synthetic shake products have improved significantly and have come up in almost every cedar conversation on the North Shore. The honest answer is that neither is universally better: cedar wins on authenticity and historic accuracy; composite wins on longevity and maintenance ease. Here’s how the two compare on the factors most homeowners ask about.
If composite shake is on your list, our composite roofing page covers the specific products we install and what they look like on North Shore homes.
North Shore Cedar Roofing, Family-Owned Since 1950
HX Home Solutions has installed exterior systems on the North Shore since 1950. Installing cedar shakes and shingles is more involved than installing standard asphalt roofing. It requires the right underlayment for changing moisture conditions, proper fastener placement to help reduce splitting, and carefully constructed ridge and hip details designed for the wind exposure common near the lake. Our crews handle cedar installations with the same team from start to cleanup. That continuity shows in the finished product.
Homeowners in Highland Park, Northbrook, and Glenview rate us 4.9 stars across 179 Google reviews. Our team is small by design, and you talk to the same people from estimate to final cleanup.
Our Cedar Roofing Process
Here is how a cedar installation goes from first visit to final sweep.
Step 1: On-Site Consultation
We visit the property, inspect the condition of the existing roof deck and flashing, and give you a detailed written estimate. For cedar work we also assess ventilation and drainage because both directly affect how long the new cedar will perform. No sales script, and no pressure.
Step 2: Material Selection
We help you choose a shake or shingle profile and the right cedar grade for your budget and roofline. We can bring samples and reference photos from comparable North Shore projects so you can see how each option ages and weathers in this climate.
Step 3: Deck and Underlayment Prep
Cedar requires a breathable underlayment system, not the standard felt used under asphalt. We prepare the deck with proper skip sheeting or solid sheathing depending on the shake profile, and address any soft spots or damaged decking before the new material goes down. This prep determines whether the cedar lasts.
Step 4: Cedar Installation
Shakes or shingles are installed to manufacturer specifications, with proper exposure spacing and stainless-steel or hot-dip galvanized fasteners that won’t react with the cedar over time. Ridge caps, hip runs, and flashing are finished the same day. We can complete most North Shore cedar replacements in two to three days depending on roof complexity.
Step 5: Final Walkthrough and Inspection
We walk the job with you when it is done. You review the ridge work, flashings, and any areas you want to look at closely. Cleanup includes magnetic sweeps of the yard and driveway for loose fasteners, and all tear-off debris is removed the same day.
Step 6: Maintenance Guidance and Ongoing Support
We provide guidance on the maintenance schedule that keeps your cedar roof performing for its full lifespan: when to clean moss and debris, when to consider a surface treatment, and what to watch for after major storms. If something comes up after the job is done, we are reachable.
Cedar Roofing Across the North Shore
HX Home Solutions installs cedar shake and shingle roofing throughout Lake County and the North Shore suburbs. Find local context and project experience for your area below.
Location Pages
We also install cedar roofing in Highland Park, Winnetka, and Lake Forest. Contact us for project experience and references in those areas.
