FAQ
Cedar shake vs cedar shingle: what's the difference?
A shake is split from the log (hand-split, or taper-sawn on one face), so it is thick, irregular and textured. A shingle is sawn smooth on both faces, so it is thinner, flatter and uniform. Most of the Hamptons' older houses carry shingles, which read quieter; shakes are common on larger, newer houses. Shakes cost more (general cedar runs $900–1,620 per square on Long Island; premium hand-split shake with a breathable underlayment $1,600–2,800) and both last 20–40 years with the same maintenance: clean every 3–5 years, re-treat every 5–7.
Last updated · Reviewed by Sag Harbor Roofing Co.
Shake
Split along the grain, by hand or by machine, then sometimes sawn on the back face ("taper-sawn") so it lies flatter. Thick, with a deep shadow line and an irregular surface. Because the surface is rough and the pieces are thick, shakes are usually installed over a breathable underlayment or spaced sheathing with an interlayment of felt between courses. Heavier, more rustic, more expensive.
Shingle
Sawn on both faces. Thinner, smoother, more uniform, laid tighter. This is what most of the Hamptons' shingle-style houses, the village Capes and the older estates actually carry; "cedar shake" has become the casual name for both. Shingles weather to the silver-gray the area is known for a little more evenly than shakes.
Cost and life
- General cedar (mostly shingles), Long Island 2026: $900–1,620 per square
- Premium hand-split shake with breathable underlayment: $1,600–2,800 per square
- Both: 20–40 years, 30–40 typical per the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, longer with maintenance
How they go on differently
Shingles lay flat and tight and can go over a breathable underlayment on solid sheathing like any other roof. Shakes are thick and irregular, so installers run a strip of felt interlayment between every course to stop wind-driven rain working through the gaps, and they need more exposure (the part of each piece left showing) to be set correctly. That extra labor and material is a good part of the price difference. Both want stainless nails and copper or stainless flashing, and both must be able to dry from below.
How they age
Shingles weather to the silver-gray the South Fork is known for a little more evenly; shakes hold their texture and shadow line longer but can look shaggier as they split. Neither should be power-washed. The maintenance cadence is the same: annual inspection, professional cleaning every 3–5 years, re-treatment every 5–7.
Which one
Match the house. A village Cape or a shingle-style house wants shingles; a large new house on open land can carry shakes. On the beach, either needs wind-rated fastening and stainless nails. In the Village of East Hampton's historic districts a new wood-shingle roof is exempt from design review; in the Sag Harbor historic district any visible change needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.
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