Cedar shake roof treatment

Jun 14, 2007 4 Replies

I have a cedar shake roof and a company has suggested that they treat it with a chemical to extend its life. They will give me a 10 year warranty. Although I don't trust the warranty, I would like to know your opinions of this procedure. Is there such a thing as extending the life of a cedar roof by applying a chemical to it? Thanks.


Find out exactly what they are going to put on it. Brand name, etc, and do a little research. There are oils used for furniture exposed to the weather, so there may be some products for a roof. Most are only for a year or two, not 10.

There is such a thing as a cedar roof treatment. Some of my old employers way back when had sold this to homeowners. I was never involved in this process, however. How old is the roof now, and how does it look? If you see splits developing that align directly above any keyways ( normal spacing between individual shakes), this treatment will not slow down the degradation of the underlying felt when exposed to UV and water. These must be flashed with metal. Copper or aluminum, preferably. Tom

Cedar does dry and rot away, treating it is a good idea. It will soak up alot of oil.

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