Western red cedar is the default cedar, the species most Highland Park shake and shingle roofs are made of, prized for its grain, workability, and natural weather resistance.
When someone says cedar roof in Highland Park, they usually mean western red: hand-split shakes for texture or sawn shingles for a tailored line. Grade matters enormously (premium heartwood grades earn their price in service life), and so does the air beneath: cedar breathes, and roofs that trap moisture under it age in fast-forward.
We install and service western red cedar shake across Highland Park and the surrounding DFW communities. The work comes with free written estimates, documented inspections, and honest guidance on whether this system actually fits your home and budget.
The Highland Park specifics
What Western Red Cedar Shake costs and returns in Highland Park depends on the houses it goes onto. The neighborhoods skew established: multiple roof generations behind them, big tree canopies overhead, and original decking that deserves inspection before anything new goes on. Cedar suits the right house there, but it asks for attention this climate does not forgive skipping.
Like the rest of Dallas County, Highland Park wants roofing work documented, with permits where required and inspections passed. That paperwork is included, not extra. When the next core drops through Dallas County, shakes split on impact and every carrier knows it. Documentation before and after storms is a cedar owner’s best friend. The same crews run Dallas, Irving, and Garland, so comparable local installs are usually close enough to go look at. Before you commit to anything, we put the whole thing in writing: findings, grade, price, warranty.
THE SYSTEM
Western Red Cedar Shake, up close.
Cedar shake. Hand-split shakes across a complex roofline, with character that earns its maintenance.
PUBLIC RECORD
The local record behind Western Red Cedar Shake in Highland Park
How a roof system holds up in Highland Park depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
11
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
4
Golf-ball-size hail days
2.75 in.
Largest stone on record
1977
Median year homes built
Hail near Highland Park
Reported hail is less frequent around Highland Park: NOAA lists 11 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 4 miles. Fewer reports can also reflect fewer storm spotters in smaller communities, so a quiet record is not a guarantee. Hail that size was reported in 8 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 2.75 inches (baseball size) on June 13, 2012. The most recent report: 1.25-inch hail on June 11, 2023.
June 13, 2012: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
May 24, 2011: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
July 8, 2009: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
April 13, 2007: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
June 1, 2019: 1.5-inch hail (walnut size)
How old Highland Park homes are
The median home in Highland Park was built in 1977, and 51% of the city's 3,667 housing units predate 1980. Many of these houses are likely on their second roof or nearing the point where they need one.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 4 miles of Highland Park); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about western red cedar shake in Highland Park
Shake or shingle: what is the difference?
Shakes are split, thicker, and textured; shingles are sawn, thinner, and tailored. Same species, different character: shakes read rustic, shingles read refined.
What cedar grade should I buy in Highland Park?
Premium heartwood grades. The price difference buys decay resistance and service life. Economy cedar grades in a DFW climate are a false saving.
Can you match the premium materials common in Highland Park?
That's our premium catalog's home turf: tile, standing seam, stone-coated steel, and composite slate and shake, installed to manufacturer specification with the documentation the home's value deserves.
How often does hail hit Highland Park?
NOAA lists 11 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 4 miles of Highland Park. Smaller communities have fewer storm spotters, so reports tend to undercount what actually falls. The most recent report was 1.25-inch hail on June 11, 2023.
How old are most homes in Highland Park?
The median home in Highland Park was built in 1977, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 51% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 14% were built in 2010 or later. Most homes here are well past the life of their original roof.
