Benefits of Metal Shake Roofing: Why Steel Outperforms Cedar in Every Practical Measure
Cedar shake roofing has genuine curb appeal — the dimensional texture, the natural color variation, the classic character it adds to a home's exterior. But the performance story behind real cedar shake is a difficult one: high maintenance requirements, vulnerability to moisture and pests, fire risk, and a lifespan that rarely exceeds 20 to 30 years in most climates. Metal shake roofing delivers everything homeowners love about the cedar aesthetic while eliminating every one of its performance drawbacks.
The cedar shake look you love.
1. Authentic Shake Appearance Without the Wood Drawbacks
Modern steel shake roofing profiles closely replicate the dimensional texture, depth, and natural color variation of real cedar shake — including high-definition color options that capture the subtle variation of aged wood from typical street-level viewing distances. For homeowners who have chosen a craftsman, farmhouse, rustic, or mountain architectural style, steel shake delivers the aesthetic they want without conceding anything on performance.
2. Non-Combustible — Class A Fire Resistance
Real cedar shake roofing is inherently combustible — and in wildfire-prone regions, it carries genuine fire risk. Many jurisdictions now restrict or prohibit wood shake roofing specifically because of this risk. Steel shake roofing is non-combustible, earning a Class A fire resistance rating — the highest available — with no special treatment or coating required. The material itself cannot catch fire, which provides real safety value and can positively affect homeowner's insurance terms in fire-exposed markets.
3. Maximum Impact and Hail Protection
Real cedar shake cracks and splits under impact from hail and airborne debris — particularly in older, dryer material that has lost its natural moisture content. ABC Seamless steel shake roofing carries a Class 4 UL 2218 impact rating, the highest classification available in residential roofing. It is specifically tested to withstand severe hail conditions — the same conditions that routinely damage cedar shake and asphalt shingle roofs across the Midwest and Plains states.
4. Dramatically Lighter Than Natural Slate
Many homeowners who want a premium architectural roofing profile consider natural slate — but natural slate weighs 700 to 1,500 pounds per roofing square (100 square feet), requiring significant structural reinforcement and limiting it to a narrow range of home structures. ABC Seamless steel shake profiles weigh 100 to 150 pounds per square — lighter than the asphalt shingles most homes are already built to support — making them appropriate for virtually any residential structure without structural modification.
5. Zero Maintenance
Real cedar shake requires regular maintenance to perform: staining or sealing every 2 to 5 years, periodic moss and algae treatment, annual inspection for splitting and checking, and eventual re-roofing. Steel shake requires essentially none of this. The Kynar® PVDF factory-applied color finish resists fading, chalking, and UV breakdown for decades without recoating. There's no staining, no sealing, no moss treatment, and no gradual color shift as the material weathers.
6. Superior Wind Resistance
Cedar shake is vulnerable to wind uplift — particularly in aging material where fasteners have loosened or panels have checked and warped. ABC Seamless steel shake roofing is engineered for 160 MPH wind resistance, anchored with a screw-secured installation that maintains full fastening capacity even in severe storm conditions.
7. Non-Prorated Transferable Lifetime Warranty
Unlike real cedar shake — which carries no warranty and depreciates steadily from the day it's installed — ABC Seamless steel shake roofing is backed by a non-prorated, transferable lifetime warranty. That coverage doesn't diminish over time and transfers to new owners if you sell, adding genuine, documentable value to your home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Metal Shake Roofing
How realistic does metal shake look compared to real cedar?
Modern steel shake profiles deliver impressive replication of natural cedar — particularly in high-definition color options that capture the variation and texture of real wood. From street-level viewing distances, the visual similarity is striking. Up close, steel shake is clearly a manufactured product — but its curb appeal at normal distances is comparable to real cedar.
Is steel shake roofing appropriate for a wildfire-prone area?
Yes — and it's one of the strongest arguments for choosing steel shake over real cedar in those markets. Steel is non-combustible and carries a Class A fire rating. In areas where wood shake roofing is restricted or prohibited due to fire risk, steel shake provides the aesthetic without the restriction.