CeDUR makes solid synthetic shakes molded to look like hand-split cedar. Per CeDUR's install guide and spec, they're about 23 inches long, 3/4 inch thick at the butt tapering to 1/8 inch, in 5 1/4, 7 1/4 and 12 1/4-inch widths, with no hollow cavity on the back.

Is CeDUR Class 4 and Class A?

Per CeDUR, yes: UL 2218 Class 4 impact rated, and Class A fire rated under ASTM E108 / UL 790 without a special fire-resistant underlayment.

Can real cedar shakes be Class A?

Not by themselves. The Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau says fire-retardant pressure-treated Certi-Guard shakes are labeled Class B or Class C, and a Class A wood roof takes a component system. Check with the treatment company for the details.

Does the CeDUR warranty cover hail?

No. CeDUR's 50-year limited material warranty excludes hail, and it says damage from insurable risks must go through your insurance first. It covers manufacturing defects that directly cause leaks: fully for the first 10 years (including install costs up to $200 per square), then prorated.

Can CeDUR go on a low-pitch roof?

CeDUR lists 4:12 as the minimum slope. Below 4:12 it calls the application decorative and says to consult CeDUR.

CeDUR Synthetic Cedar Shake vs. Real Cedar for Trophy Club Homes: Fire, Hail, Weight and the Warranty Fine Print

Q: Hail hit my Trophy Club roof. What now?

Get it inspected and photographed before repairs. In Texas you generally have 1 year from the date of loss to file an insurance claim, but check your policy.

Trophy Club has a lot of homes that were built for the look of a cedar shake roof. After a few North Texas summers and hailstorms, many owners ask the same thing: replace with real cedar again, or go synthetic? CeDUR is one of the synthetic shakes that comes up most often for this.

I’m Blake Snow, and I’ve been roofing for 30 years. We install synthetic shake to manufacturer specs, using certified installers. Here’s how CeDUR compares with natural cedar, using CeDUR’s own documents and the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau’s.

CeDUR vs. natural cedar at a glance

	CeDUR synthetic shake	Natural cedar shake
Material	Solid molded polymer. The ARCAT spec says 100% virgin polyurethanes, no recycled content	Western red cedar
Impact	UL 2218 Class 4	Not covered in the CSSB sources cited here
Fire	Class A standalone (ASTM E108 / UL 790), no special underlayment	Untreated: none. Fire-retardant-treated Certi-Guard: Class B or C. Class A needs a component system
Weight	About 170 lbs per square (install guide) to 180 lbs per square (CeDUR site)	Varies by grade and thickness
Size	About 23” long; ¾” butt tapering to ⅛”; 5¼”, 7¼” and 12¼” widths	Varies by grade
Standard exposure	10” (9” for staggered installs)	Per CSSB manual
Minimum slope	4:12	Per CSSB manual
Wind	115 mph rating at 10” exposure (ASTM E330, UL 1897); warranted to 90 mph	Per installation
Color	Colored all the way through. Shifts in the sun, then settles at a weathered-wood color	Weathers to gray
Warranty	50-year limited material warranty (fine print below)	CSSB member-manufacturer lifetime limited warranty; check terms

Sources: CeDUR’s Installation Recommendations, features page, ARCAT specification and sample warranty. For cedar: the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau’s treated products page.

Fire: the biggest difference

CeDUR says its shakes are Class A fire rated without a special fire-resistant underlayment. That’s the highest rating available.

Natural cedar can’t reach Class A on its own. Per the CSSB, fire-retardant pressure-treated shakes carry a red Certi-Guard label for Class B or a blue one for Class C. A Class A wood roof can only be reached with a “component system,” and the treatment company supplies those details. If your insurer, HOA or builder asks for Class A, check that before you price real cedar.

Hail: Class 4, but read the warranty

CeDUR is rated UL 2218 Class 4. The ARCAT spec describes the test as two drops of a 2-inch steel ball from 20 feet. That rating may help with a premium credit, so ask your insurer.

The rating is not hail coverage, though. CeDUR’s warranty excludes hail and says damage from an insurable risk must go through your homeowner’s insurance first, with notice to CeDUR within 60 days of filing. Hail on any roof is an insurance matter.

The CeDUR warranty, in plain English

From CeDUR’s sample 50-year limited material warranty:

What it covers: manufacturing defects that directly cause leaks.
First 10 years: replacement product, plus install costs reimbursed at local rates up to $200 per square.
After year 10: prorated. The payment is the months left until year 50, divided by 600, times the original product cost.
Wind: covered during the first 10 years for gusts under 90 mph. CeDUR says any exposure to winds over 90 mph ends its obligations under the warranty.
Transfer: allowed once, within the first 5 years. CeDUR must be notified within 30 days, with a $75 fee.
Excluded: hail, tornado (regardless of wind speed), ice damming, foot traffic, blown-in debris and more.
Matching: CeDUR warns that replacement product may not match the original because of weathering, and if a product is discontinued it will supply the closest substitute.

Read the full warranty before you choose. We put the manufacturer and workmanship warranties in writing on your quote.

Install details that separate a good CeDUR roof from a bad one

From CeDUR’s installation recommendations:

4:12 minimum slope. Below that, CeDUR calls it decorative.
Underlayment depends on pitch. At 6:12 and up, CeDUR calls for a No. 30 base sheet (or a shingle-grade synthetic underlayment) over the whole deck, with a modified bitumen sheet in the valleys. Between 4:12 and 6:12, it adds an extra layer at the eave and an 18-inch felt interlay over each course, kept hidden from view.
Nails: ring-shank roofing nails, at least 11 gauge with a 5/16-inch head.
Coverage: at a 10-inch exposure with a 3/8-inch keyway, 168 pieces (8 bundles) cover a square.
Color shift is normal. CeDUR says the shakes change color in the sun and then stabilize at a weathered-wood tone. Plan HOA color submittals around the weathered color, not the fresh one.

Which is right for a Trophy Club home?

Pick CeDUR if you want the cedar look with Class A fire and Class 4 impact ratings, light weight, and no rot or insect worries.
Pick natural cedar if real wood is non-negotiable, and plan for treatment, maintenance and a component system if you need Class A.
Compare it with Enviroshake. We’re certified with Enviroshake, and it’s the other composite shake we install often around Trophy Club and Westlake. See our Enviroshake vs. cedar post and Enviroshake in Trophy Club.
HOA first. Trophy Club neighborhoods often need design approval before a material change. Our HOA approval guide walks through the packet.

What we do on a Trophy Club shake roof

Full tear-off, deck repair, and pitch-correct underlayment, interlay and valley membranes
New flashings at walls, chimneys and valleys, with hips and ridges from the manufacturer’s matching accessories
A free digital photo report, and a workmanship warranty from 10 years up to lifetime, depending on the job

After a storm

Get the roof inspected and documented before anyone patches it. In Texas you generally have 1 year from the date of loss to file a claim, but check your policy. Our storm damage page explains the process.

Talk to us about shake in Trophy Club

We roof in Trophy Club, Roanoke, Westlake, Southlake and Keller. We’re certified with GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Tropical Roofing Products, Mule-Hide and Enviroshake, and many other roof manufacturers. We’re BBB A+ rated, with 5.0 stars on Google at all three offices: Bridgeport, Decatur and Rhome. Request a free inspection or call (817) 733-9228.

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