If you own a cedar shake home in Southlake, you already know the trade-off. Nothing looks quite like a good shake roof, and nothing on a North Texas roof asks for more attention. After a few hail seasons, a lot of owners start asking the same question: is there a way to keep the look and stop worrying about the wood?
I’m Blake Snow. I’ve been roofing for 30 years and I’m certified with Enviroshake, so this is a product I know from the deck up. Here’s the honest comparison I give homeowners in Southlake, Westlake, Colleyville and Trophy Club.
What Enviroshake actually is
Enviroshake is a composite shake, not wood. The manufacturer describes it as a blend of polymers reinforced with natural fibers and elastomers, made from about 95% recycled material, and molded from real cedar shakes so it carries the grain and shadow lines of a taper-sawn shake. It comes in colors including Aged Cedar, Silvered Cedar, Tropical Silver, Onyx Black and Terracotta, and Enviroshake says it can make custom colors.
The photo above is one of ours: an Enviroshake roof we installed on a large ranch estate in Clay County. You can see more of that job on our Enviroshake and standing seam project page.
Side by side: the numbers that come from the manufacturer
Here’s what Enviroshake publishes, next to what’s true of natural cedar. I’m only listing Enviroshake figures that come from Enviroshake itself.
| Enviroshake | Natural cedar shake | |
|---|---|---|
| Impact rating | UL 2218 Class 4 | No manufacturer rating; wood can split in hail |
| Fire rating | Class A ASTM E108 assemblies available | Combustible unless treated |
| Wind | Tested to 180 mph (ASTM D3161 and Miami-Dade) | Depends on age and install |
| Expected life | Enviroshake says 50+ years | Shorter, and depends heavily on upkeep |
| Upkeep | No preservatives or coatings needed | Cleaning, treatments and replacing split shakes |
| Warranty | Fully transferable limited lifetime | Wood itself carries no manufacturer warranty |
Two of those rows matter most in Southlake: impact and upkeep.
Hail is the real reason people switch
Cedar is a natural material, and as it ages and dries it gets more brittle. Hail that a younger shake might shrug off can split an older one, and every split is a path for water. On an inspection, hail damage to cedar is often a judgment call shake by shake, which can make claims slower and messier.
Enviroshake lists a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating, and the manufacturer says the product isn’t damaged by hail, falling debris or foot traffic. No roof is hail-proof, and I won’t tell you otherwise, but Class 4 is the top rating in that test. Some insurers offer discounts for Class 4 roofs; ask your own agent, since that varies by company and policy.
Upkeep: what cedar really asks of you
A cedar roof in Texas wants regular cleaning, treatments to slow rot and keep fire treatment up, and periodic replacement of cupped, split or missing shakes. Heat and sun bake the oils out of the wood; rain and shade hold moisture against it. Skip a few years and the roof shows it.
Enviroshake doesn’t need preservatives, pretreatments or coatings. Beyond keeping valleys and gutters clear and checking flashings, there isn’t a maintenance schedule. On a big estate roof, that difference adds up over the years.
Will it pass your HOA?
In many Southlake, Westlake and Colleyville neighborhoods, the architectural committee cares mostly about the look from the street: shake profile, thickness at the butt, color and how the hips and ridges are finished. Enviroshake makes custom-formed hip and ridge pieces, which helps the roof read as a true shake roof instead of a shingle trying to look like one.
What gets approvals is showing the committee real material. We bring full-size samples, the manufacturer’s product sheets and color options, and we can lay a few pieces against your stone or brick so the board sees it in daylight. Every HOA is different, so check your own deed restrictions before you pick a color.
Install details that protect the warranty
This is where a premium product can be wasted by a cheap install. Enviroshake says its roof must be installed by a factory-trained installer for the warranty to be valid. Its Gold-Level warranty also requires Enviroshield underlayment. Enviroshake sells stainless steel nails and screws for the system, and the hips and ridges are custom formed for slopes from 2/12 to 20/12.
Tearing off cedar also gives us a look at the deck. Many older shake roofs were installed over spaced boards, so the deck may need to be sheathed solid before the new roof goes on. We check that and put it on the quote in writing, so there are no surprises halfway through the job.
When cedar is still the right call
I’m not here to talk anyone out of real wood. If you want the roof to age and silver naturally, if your home has historic character you want to keep exactly, or if you simply love the real thing and don’t mind the upkeep, cedar is a legitimate choice, and we’ll install or repair it properly. If your cedar roof has a few damaged areas but is otherwise sound, a repair can make more sense than a full replacement.
Hail-damaged cedar roof? Start with documentation
If your shake roof took hail, get it inspected before you decide between repair, cedar or Enviroshake. We document damage piece by piece and every inspection comes with a free digital photo report. Our storm damage page explains how inspections and claims work.
In Texas you generally have one year from the date of loss to file a claim, but check your own policy, since some differ. Get the roof inspected first, and file only if the inspection finds real damage.
Related pages
See our Enviroshake roofing page, our synthetic cedar shake overview, and our synthetic roofing options. If you’re weighing metal instead, I wrote about standing seam for luxury homes and HOA review in Southlake.
Get a real comparison on your roof
We’re certified with Enviroshake, GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Atlas, Johns Manville, Carlisle, Tropical and Mule-Hide, and we’re A+ rated with the BBB. If you’re in Southlake or nearby and want to see Enviroshake and cedar side by side on your own home, request a free inspection or call (817) 733-9228.
