A lot of Clark County, WA homes built in the 1970s and ’80s went up with cedar shake roofs. Forty years later, those roofs are aging out, and homeowners are asking the same question: do I replace shake with shake, or switch to composition shingles? Here’s how we walk customers through that decision at Quality Master Roofing & Remodel.
Lifespan in PNW conditions
Cedar shake: 20-30 years in the Pacific Northwest with good ventilation and routine moss treatment. Without those, 15-20.
Composition (architectural asphalt): 22-30 years in the same conditions. Premium lines like Malarkey Legacy or CertainTeed Landmark Pro stretch toward 35.
On paper they look close. The difference is that composition is more forgiving when ventilation is imperfect or shade is heavy - both common in Clark County. Cedar punishes poor ventilation by rotting; composition just ages a little faster.
Cost - roughly 2x for shake
For a typical 2,500 sq ft Clark County home:
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Composition shingle replacement: $14,000–$22,000 installed, depending on tear-off, pitch, and material grade.
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Cedar shake replacement: $30,000–$50,000+ installed. The material itself is more expensive, the labor is slower (no nail guns - shake is hand-nailed), and the underlayment system is different.
If the budget can stretch and the home calls for shake (Tudor Revival, certain custom homes, neighborhoods where shake is the prevailing aesthetic), it’s worth it. Otherwise, that price gap is hard to justify.
Fire rating matters more than it used to
Untreated cedar shake is Class C - the lowest fire rating allowed by code. Treated cedar can hit Class B. Composition shingles are Class A across the board, the highest rating available. With wildfire risk creeping westward in the PNW, more insurers are charging higher premiums on Class C roofs or refusing to write the policy at all. Check with your insurance before you commit to cedar; a Class A composition roof can pay for itself in premium savings within a few years.
Moss and the PNW reality
Both materials grow moss in our climate. The difference: composition shingles tolerate moss treatment (zinc strips, copper sulfate, soft-wash cleaning) better than cedar does. Aggressive moss treatment on cedar accelerates the wood’s degradation. So on a heavily shaded lot - common in Felida, Hockinson, and the wooded parts of Vancouver - cedar costs more to maintain, not just to install.
When cedar still makes sense
We do still install cedar shake roofs in Clark County. The right candidates:
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Historic homes where the aesthetic is non-negotiable
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HOA-controlled neighborhoods that require shake or shake-look
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High-end custom builds where the buyer specifically wants natural cedar’s look and is comfortable with the maintenance
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Lots with full sun exposure (less moss, longer cedar lifespan)
The “shake look” without the cost
Modern composition shingles can mimic shake convincingly. CertainTeed Presidential Shake, GAF Grand Canyon, and Malarkey Vista AR have multi-dimensional profiles that get most of the visual appeal at half the cost and double the lifespan. From the street, most people can’t tell. Up close, you’ll know the difference - but you’ll also know your roof is Class A fire rated and warrantied for 30 years.
What we’d do on your roof
If you call Quality Master Roofing & Remodel for a free inspection, we’ll look at the home’s architecture, the lot’s exposure, the existing roof’s failure pattern, and your budget. For most Clark County customers replacing aged cedar, we recommend an architectural composition shingle in a profile that fits the home - usually CertainTeed Landmark or Malarkey Vista for value, Presidential Shake or Vista AR for the closer-to-shake look. We’ll quote both options if you want to compare side by side, no pressure to pick the more expensive one.
Free comparison estimate
Curious what your specific home would cost in each material? Quality Master Roofing & Remodel does cedar and composition roof replacement with free side-by-side estimates across Clark County, WA - Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, La Center, and all of Clark County. We’ll measure, write you a clean comparison, and let you decide.