Cedar Shakes vs Cedar Shingles: What's the Difference?

Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, so they are usually thinner, smoother, and more uniform. Cedar shakes are generally split on one or both faces, creating a thicker, more textured profile—but tapersawn shakes are sawn on both faces and are still shakes.

That difference helps you choose an appearance, not an entire roof specification. A defensible decision also identifies the species, product type, grade, treatment, tested fire assembly, installation details, and local approval requirements. “Cedar shake” or “cedar shingle” by itself is not enough information for a quote.

Cedar shakes vs. cedar shingles at a glance

Decision point	Cedar shingles	Cedar shakes
Manufacturing and profile	Sawn on both faces; generally thinner, smoother, and more uniform	Usually split on one or both faces; generally thicker and more textured. Tapersawn shakes are sawn on both faces
Common roofing labels	Certigrade products; Grade 1 is the top CSSB shingle grade	Certi-Split handsplit and resawn, Certi-Sawn tapersawn, and other profiles; Premium is the top CSSB shake grade, with Number 1 also sold
Installation implications	Uniform dimensions help with regular coursing; felt is not interlaid between shingle courses	Thickness variation affects spacing and exposure; shake systems commonly require interlayment between courses
Fire status	Untreated products are unrated; treated Class B and C products are available; Class A depends on a tested component assembly	Same: the product treatment and complete tested assembly determine the classification, not the shake label alone
Maintenance exposure	Still natural wood: drainage, drying, debris, flashing, ventilation, and installation quality affect condition	Same core risks; the heavier, more varied profile makes shake-specific spacing, keyways, and interlayment details important
Best buyer fit	A clean, tailored roof plane and consistent shadow lines	A heavier, rustic profile with deeper texture; tapersawn shakes offer a middle ground

The table is a starting point. The Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau (CSSB) product FAQ emphasizes that shakes and shingles are separate products, not interchangeable names.

Manufacturing defines the product

CSSB describes a shingle as sawn on both sides and generally thinner at the butt than a shake. The sawn faces and regular taper produce the orderly lines associated with cedar-shingle roofs.

Shakes require more precise naming:

• Handsplit and resawn shakes have a split face and sawn back.
• Straight-split shakes are split on both faces and have a more irregular profile.
• Tapersplit shakes are split by hand on a taper and are now a specialty product.
• Tapersawn shakes are the important exception to the simple “split versus sawn” rule. They are sawn on both faces like shingles but have heavier shake dimensions.

That exception is why a proposal should name the product instead of relying on a photo or the word “shake.” CSSB’s August 2026 shakes-versus-shingles comparison also distinguishes the smooth, tailored look of shingles from the stronger texture and shadow lines of shakes.

Compare grade separately from product type

“Shake” and “shingle” describe product categories. Grade describes the quality and permitted characteristics within a category. Treatment is another separate specification.

Under CSSB terminology, Grade 1 is the highest shingle grade, while Premium is the highest shake grade. CSSB’s FAQ explains that Premium shake bundles contain no flat-grain shakes, while Number 1 shake bundles can contain up to 20% flat grain. Length, thickness, species, and manufacturing profile also belong in the specification.

Ask the contractor to provide a photo or sample of the bundle label before ordering. A complete label review should identify:

• Product category and manufacturing profile
• Species, length, and grade
• Manufacturer or grading agency
• Applicable standards or research report
• A separate treatment label when fire-retardant or preservative treatment is specified

Do not accept “premium cedar” as a substitute for those details. It is marketing language unless the proposal ties it to a recognized grade and labeled product.

Installation is an assembly decision

Wood roofing is not installed from one universal detail. The 2024 IRC Chapter 9 addresses wood shingles in Section R905.7 and wood shakes in Section R905.8. CSSB’s building-code guidance notes that these sections cover grading, installation, fasteners, and underlayment.

One practical difference is interlayment. IBHS guidance says shake installations commonly place permeable interlayment between courses, while felt should not be interlaid with shingles. Exposure, spacing, fasteners, sheathing, underlayment, flashing, slope, wind design, and ventilation can also vary with the exact product and roof.

Do not turn a general comparison into job-site instructions. The contractor should reconcile four controlling documents before work begins:

1. The code edition and amendments adopted locally
2. The product and treatment listing
3. The manufacturer’s current installation instructions
4. Written direction or permit approval from the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)

That review matters for both products. A well-graded cedar shingle installed in the wrong assembly is not a better roof than a correctly specified shake.

Fire rating: product treatment is not the whole answer

The most important safety correction is simple: untreated cedar shakes and shingles are unrated, meaning they do not meet Class C. The IBHS cedar-roof guide distinguishes Class A, B, C, and unrated roof coverings and assemblies.

CSSB’s pressure-impregnated treated-product guidance identifies Class B products with a red treatment label and Class C products with a blue treatment label. It also explains that a Class A wood roof is achieved with a component system. In other words, a contractor should not describe an individual cedar product as “Class A out of the box” without the tested assembly that earns that classification.

Before selecting either shakes or shingles, request:

• The mill label and fire-treatment label
• The test standard and evaluation or research number
• The complete Class A, B, or C assembly instructions, when a rating is required
• Confirmation that the proposed deck, underlayment, interlayment, fasteners, and accessories match the listing
• Permit/AHJ approval and written confirmation of insurance eligibility

Fire-retardant and preservative treatments solve different problems. CSSB says treated products are available as fire-retardant or preservative-treated, not as one combined treatment. Do not infer fire performance from a preservative label.

Appearance, upkeep, lifespan, and cost

Choose shingles when you want a smoother roof plane, regular coursing, and restrained shadow lines. Choose handsplit or straight-split shakes when pronounced texture is central to the design. Consider tapersawn shakes when you want a heavier profile with more uniform sawn faces.

Both products are natural wood and weather toward gray unless a compatible finish changes that process. Their real-world performance depends on grade, installation, moisture exposure, drying, ventilation, tree cover, foot traffic, and maintenance. A product-category comparison cannot responsibly promise a fixed lifespan or a maintenance interval.

Use the dedicated guides for those decisions:

• Compare complete bids with the cedar shake roof cost guide.
• Evaluate age, exposure, and present condition with the cedar shake roof lifespan guide.
• Plan safe observation, debris control, cleaning, treatment, and repairs with the cedar shake roof maintenance checklist.

Cedar roof quote and specification checklist

Give every bidder the same questions so you can compare matched scopes:

1. Product type: Shingle, handsplit and resawn shake, tapersawn shake, or another named profile?
2. Species and grade: What exact label, length, thickness, and grade will arrive on site?
3. Treatment: Untreated, pressure-impregnated fire-retardant, or preservative-treated? Where is the treatment label?
4. Fire assembly: If a rating is required, what tested assembly and listing covers every component?
5. Roof design: What deck, underlayment or interlayment, ventilation, exposure, spacing, fasteners, and flashing are specified?
6. Local approval: Which adopted code, permit requirements, and AHJ decisions apply?
7. Installer experience: Who on the crew regularly installs this exact cedar product and assembly?
8. Insurance eligibility: Has the carrier accepted the proposed product, rating, and assembly in writing?
9. Matched quote scope: Do all bids include the same tear-off, deck repair, ventilation, flashing, access, cleanup, warranty, and maintenance assumptions?

The bottom line

The best cedar roof is not automatically a shake or a shingle. Shingles favor uniformity; shakes favor thickness and texture; tapersawn shakes bridge the visual gap. The better buy is the labeled product and complete assembly that deliver the look you want while satisfying local code, manufacturer instructions, fire requirements, installer capability, maintenance expectations, and insurance rules.