Western red cedar is the default cedar, the species most McKinney shake and shingle roofs are made of, prized for its grain, workability, and natural weather resistance.
Say cedar roof in McKinney and most people picture western red: hand-split shakes for texture or sawn shingles for a cleaner, tailored line. Grade matters a great deal, with premium heartwood grades earning their price in service life. So does the air underneath. Cedar needs to breathe, and a roof that traps moisture below it ages far faster than it should.
Cedar Crest provides free written estimates and photo-documented inspections. Deductibles are never waived under Texas law, and we are not a public adjuster.
Red Cedar Shakes on McKinney Homes
Of McKinney’s housing, 52 percent was built between 1980 and 2009 and another 40 percent in 2010 or later. Many of those attics were framed and vented for a builder-grade shingle, so moving to shakes means confirming the ventilation can carry moisture away before a single bundle goes up. Getting that right is most of what separates a shake roof that lasts from one that curls and rots early.
The storm side is blunt. The heaviest stone recorded near the city measured 4.5 inches on March 24, 2019, and golf-ball hail or larger has fallen on 18 days since 2006 within 8 miles. Heartwood grades hold up better than lower grades, but no shake is immune, which is why we photograph the roof when it goes on and again after major storms. We run the same shake work in Fairview and Lucas.
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 McKinney
How a roof system holds up in McKinney depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
39
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
18
Golf-ball-size hail days
4.5 in.
Largest stone on record
2007
Median year homes built
Hail near McKinney
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 39 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 8 miles of McKinney. On 18 of those days, the stones were golf ball size or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 16 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 4.5 inches (softball size) on March 24, 2019. The most recent report: 1-inch hail on March 29, 2025.
March 24, 2019: 4.5-inch hail (softball size)
May 28, 2024: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
April 21, 2017: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
May 19, 2023: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
June 15, 2023: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
How old McKinney homes are
The median home in McKinney was built in 2007. A large share of the city's 77,617 housing units are now old enough that original roofs are coming due, while 40% were built in 2010 or later.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 8 miles of McKinney); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about western red cedar shake in McKinney
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 McKinney?
Premium heartwood grades. The price difference buys decay resistance and service life. Economy cedar grades in a DFW climate are a false saving.
Is upgrading from builder-grade shingles worth it in McKinney?
Usually at the first replacement or claim: Class 4 impact-rated systems earn many Texas carriers' premium discounts, and newer communities' HOA standards generally approve them easily. The math works hardest on homes facing decades of DFW hail.
How often does hail hit McKinney?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 39 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 8 miles of McKinney, including 18 days with golf ball size stones or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 16 of the last 20 years. The most recent report was 1-inch hail on March 29, 2025.
How old are most homes in McKinney?
The median home in McKinney was built in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 8% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 40% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
