Western red cedar is the default cedar, the species most Northlake shake and shingle roofs are made of, prized for its grain, workability, and natural weather resistance.
When someone says cedar roof in Northlake, 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 Northlake 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.
Western Red Cedar Shake in Northlake, specifically
Western Red Cedar Shake behaves differently on Northlake roofs than the brochure version suggests. Most of the housing went up in the last two decades, which means first-generation roofs aging out on the same schedule, block after block. Cedar on those houses is a commitment with a maintenance schedule attached, so honest owners budget for the care cycle or choose something that does not need one.
Northlake handles roofing permits the way most Denton County cities do: required where structure or full replacement is involved, quick when the paperwork is right. We file it. Hail is the tax every DFW roof eventually pays. Shakes split on impact and every carrier knows it, which makes documentation before and after storms a cedar owner’s best friend. We work this system in Denton and Lewisville as well. Ask and we will point you at nearby examples with a few years of weather on them. The next step costs nothing: a documented inspection and a straight answer on whether this system fits.
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 Northlake
How a roof system holds up in Northlake depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
24
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
10
Golf-ball-size hail days
3.4 in.
Largest stone on record
2015
Median year homes built
Hail near Northlake
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 24 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 6 miles of Northlake. On 10 of those days, the stones were golf ball size or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 12 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 3.4 inches (teacup size) on April 1, 2024. The most recent report: 1.5-inch hail on November 24, 2025.
April 1, 2024: 3.4-inch hail (teacup size)
March 14, 2024: 3-inch hail (teacup size)
June 11, 2023: 3-inch hail (teacup size)
March 26, 2017: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
March 24, 2021: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
How old Northlake homes are
Northlake is young by roofing standards: the median home was built in 2015, and 74% of its 2,889 housing units date to 2010 or later. Many of those homes still have the roof the builder installed, now working through its first hail seasons.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 6 miles of Northlake); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about western red cedar shake in Northlake
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 Northlake?
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 Northlake?
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 Northlake?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 24 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 6 miles of Northlake, including 10 days with golf ball size stones or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 12 of the last 20 years. The most recent report was 1.5-inch hail on November 24, 2025.
How old are most homes in Northlake?
The median home in Northlake was built in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 3% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 74% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
