Cedar Shake to Metal Roof Conversion in Anderson Mill

The Project

This Anderson Mill home had an aging cedar shake roof that was splitting, drying out, and creating a fire risk in the summer. The homeowners had been patching individual shakes for years, but the cost of maintaining cedar was adding up, and the insurance company was threatening to non-renew if the roof wasn't replaced.

What We Found

• Splitting and drying cedar shakes across the entire roof
• Gaps between shakes where wind-driven rain could get in
• Fire risk from dried-out cedar during summer months
• Insurance non-renewal notice requiring roof replacement

What We Did

We removed the old cedar shake and inspected the deck underneath. Cedar shake roofs require solid decking or skip sheathing, and this home had skip sheathing - boards with gaps between them. We installed solid OSB decking over the skip sheathing to create a proper substrate for the metal panels.

Then we installed 24-gauge standing-seam metal panels with hidden fasteners. The panels were custom-cut to the exact roof length, so there are no horizontal seams. The Kynar finish carries a 40-year warranty and reflects UV to keep the attic cooler.

We flashed every transition - valleys, chimney, skylights, and wall tie-ins - with new metal designed for standing-seam installations. The drip edge and ridge caps were custom-formed to match the panel profile.

The Result

The conversion took three days. The homeowners now have a roof that is fire-resistant, hail-resistant, and requires zero maintenance. The insurance non-renewal was withdrawn, and the homeowners actually received a premium discount for upgrading to a Class A fire-rated metal roof. The 40-year finish warranty means this is likely the last roof they'll ever put on the house.