Last reviewed May 2026 by WM Construction, Licensed MA General Contractor
Cedar Shake Siding Cape Cod scope is the licensed installation of white cedar shingles, red cedar shakes, hand-split shakes, sawn shingles, and pre-stained cedar with stainless fasteners and breathable house wrap to Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau trade standards. WM Construction installs Cedar Shake Siding Cape Cod work across 12 Cape Cod and South Shore towns. Cedar shake is the iconic Cape Cod exterior material, with the silver-gray weathered patina developing naturally over 1 to 3 years of coastal exposure on unfinished cedar. Quality cedar shake siding installed correctly on a Cape Cod home lasts 30 to 50 years with periodic sealant schedule on stained installations and minimal maintenance on natural-weathered installations. Cedar shake is the right choice when the homeowner wants authentic Cape Cod aesthetic, when the home sits within a historic district that requires period-appropriate materials, or when long-term resale value benefits from the premium look that defines coastal New England architecture. Licensed Massachusetts General Contractor since 2016, HIC registered, EPA RRP Lead Safe certified, approved Hanscom Air Force Base vendor since 2015, 5.0 rated across 39 verified Google reviews. Call (774) 224-8561 or visit our office at 1550 Falmouth Road, Suite 26, Centerville, MA 02632.
| Cedar Type | Source / Format | Coastal Lifespan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Cedar Shingles | Maine / New Hampshire, sawn 16 to 18 in | 30 to 50 years | Historic Capes, traditional projects |
| Red Cedar Shakes | Western, hand-split or sawn 18 to 24 in | 30 to 50 years | Larger modern designs, wider exposures |
| Hand-Split Shakes | 5/8 in to 3/4 in butt, irregular face | 30 to 50 years | Antique colonials, rustic restorations |
| Pre-Stained Cedar | Factory-applied stain, 5 to 10 yr finish | 30 to 40 years | Consistent color over natural patina |
Hand-split cedar shakes have a textured, irregular face split from the cedar log along the grain (5/8 inch to 3/4 inch butt), producing the most rustic and authentic appearance. Sawn cedar shingles are machine-sawn from cedar logs with smooth, uniform faces and consistent thickness (3/8 inch to 1/2 inch butt). Hand-split best for historic restorations and antique colonials. Sawn best for newer Cape style homes and additions where uniform appearance suits the architectural style.
White cedar is harvested from northern Maine and New Hampshire and is the historic Cape Cod cedar species. Naturally rot-resistant, weathers to silver-gray, available in shorter shingles and shakes. Best for historic homes, traditional Cape style, and homeowners prioritizing regional authenticity.
Western red cedar grows larger than white cedar, allowing wider exposures and larger shake formats. Naturally rot-resistant with deeper red-brown undertones before weathering. Best for larger homes, modern Cape designs, and homeowners wanting larger-scale shake aesthetic.
Pre-stained cedar shakes arrive from the mill with a factory-applied stain that holds color (typically a dark gray, weathered gray, or natural brown) and resists weathering for 5 to 10 years. Stain refresh schedule replaces natural weathering. Best for homeowners wanting consistent color rather than natural patina.
Cedar shake installation requires stainless steel fasteners on every nail and staple, period. Standard galvanized fasteners corrode in coastal exposure inside two years and produce black streaks down the cedar face from the corroded fastener heads. Hot-dipped galvanized is the absolute minimum, stainless is the standard, and there is no acceptable substitute. Coastal-grade fasteners are non-negotiable on Cape Cod cedar.
Each shake length has a maximum exposure (the visible portion below the overlap) defined by Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau trade standards. 18-inch shakes typically expose 7 to 8 inches. 24-inch shakes expose 10 to 11 inches. Over-exposing shakes to save material reduces lifespan and weather protection. Under-exposing wastes material. Proper exposure dimensions are part of trade craft.
Cedar requires breathable house wrap or building paper underneath, not impermeable plastic sheeting. Cedar absorbs and releases moisture seasonally, and the underlayment must allow that moisture to dissipate from the back side. Trapping moisture against cedar with non-breathable wrap produces rot at the back of the shake invisible from the outside until widespread failure.
A real installer matches species (white vs red cedar) and form factor (hand-split vs sawn, shingle vs shake) to the home's architectural style and historic period. White cedar shingles on a 1700s antique colonial. Larger red cedar shakes on a modern Cape design.
Every WM Construction cedar shake installation scope closes with a written one year workmanship warranty on the install work. Manufacturer material warranties on premium pre-stained shakes (typically 5 to 10 years on factory finish) remain separate.
Onsite walkthrough at your Cape Cod home to inspect existing siding condition, identify failure modes, check for moisture infiltration signs, and discuss cedar species (white vs red), form factor (hand-split vs sawn), and finish state (natural-weather vs pre-stained) against home age, architectural style, and historic district status. Material samples reviewed. Pre 1978 lead paint flag raised where applicable.
You select cedar species, form factor, exposure, finish (natural or pre-stained), and trim package. Selections finalized in writing before contract signing. Estimate breaks out tear-off and disposal, sheathing repair contingency, breathable house wrap, flashing, cedar shake material, stainless fasteners, and labor as distinct line items.
Contract signed with milestone schedule. Building permit pulled with the Cape Cod town under 780 CMR (Massachusetts State Building Code). Historic district commission review coordinated where applicable. Insurance certificates delivered before mobilization. Cedar material sourced from established mills, with delivery coordinated to align with installation start.
Existing siding torn off and disposed. Sheathing inspected and rot or soft spots replaced before envelope goes up. EPA RRP containment applied on pre 1978 surfaces. Breathable house wrap installed per manufacturer specifications. Flashing installed at every penetration following code-correct sequencing.
Cedar shakes installed with proper exposure dimensions and stainless fasteners. Trim and finish details completed. Final inspection scheduled with the Cape Cod town. Punch list documented and closed. One year workmanship warranty issued in writing.
Customer Reviews
★★★★★Marcelo and his team did fantastic work. We did a walk through on a Monday, and by Thursday the team was already on the job. They wrapped up the project in only 3 days. They completed a full bathroom remodeling, plus drywall, painting, flooring installation and baseboard in 2 rooms. The finished result is excellent and pricing was very fair!
★★★★★This is the 2nd project Marcelo and his team completed for me. Once again, they did an excellent job! Highly recommended! Very good communication, showed up on time, and expert workmanship.
Yes. Every Cape Cod town requires a building permit for full cedar shake replacement under 780 CMR (Massachusetts State Building Code). Permits in historic districts are subject to commission review, which is more common with cedar work because cedar is the period-appropriate material historic districts preserve. Pre 1978 homes also require EPA RRP Lead Safe protocols on tear-off scope. WM Construction handles all permits, historic commission coordination, and inspections.
Quality cedar shake siding installed correctly on a Cape Cod home lasts 30 to 50 years with periodic sealant schedule on stained installations and minimal maintenance on natural-weathered installations. Stainless fasteners and breathable house wrap are the two specification choices that determine whether the siding hits the higher or lower end of that range.
That depends on the look you want. Natural-weathered cedar develops the iconic silver-gray Cape Cod patina over 1 to 3 years and requires no ongoing finish maintenance. Stained cedar holds a chosen color (gray, brown, or pre-weathered tones) for 5 to 10 years and requires restaining on a schedule. Most Cape Cod historic homes are natural-weathered. Modern designs often run pre-stained.
White cedar is the historic Cape Cod species, harvested from northern Maine and New Hampshire, weathering to silver-gray, available in shorter shingles and shakes. Western red cedar grows larger, allows wider exposures and larger shake formats, and has deeper red-brown undertones before weathering.
Most Cape Cod historic districts require period-appropriate exterior cladding, which typically means cedar shake or wood clapboard rather than vinyl or fiber cement. Specific requirements vary by district. WM Construction verifies historic commission requirements during the site visit and coordinates approvals as part of the contract scope.
Choosing cedar shake siding on a Cape Cod home is the most authentic regional cladding decision available, and the species, form factor, and finish-state choices determine whether the finished envelope reads as historically accurate or generic. When you call (774) 224-8561 or request a site visit, Jackeline or Marcelo will walk through your home, review species and form factor options against architectural style, and tell you honestly which combination fits your project. Our office at 1550 Falmouth Road, Suite 26, Centerville, MA 02632 has served as the base for WM Construction cedar shake siding projects across Cape Cod since 2016. Call or contact us when you are ready.
