Western red cedar is the default cedar, the species most Westlake shake and shingle roofs are made of, prized for its grain, workability, and natural weather resistance.
When someone says cedar roof in Westlake, 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 Westlake 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.
On the ground in Westlake
In Westlake, the Western Red Cedar Shake conversation usually starts with the roof that is already up there. Much of the housing here has already been through a roof cycle or two: mature trees, settled framing, and decking that has absorbed decades of North Texas heat. That stock wears cedar handsomely when it is maintained and expensively when it is not; the difference is a treatment cycle most owners have never been told about.
Permit-wise, this work in Westlake runs through the city’s building department, and the filing is our job, not yours. North Texas sits in the country’s most active hail belt, where shakes split on impact and every carrier knows it, so documentation before and after storms is a cedar owner’s best friend. Crews rotate through Fort Worth, Arlington, and Mansfield on the same routes, which keeps Westlake scheduling flexible. Once we have looked at the actual roof, everything above gets specific and goes in writing.
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 Westlake
How a roof system holds up in Westlake depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
21
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
8
Golf-ball-size hail days
4.25 in.
Largest stone on record
2010
Median year homes built
Hail near Westlake
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 21 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 4 miles of Westlake. On 8 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 4.25 inches (grapefruit size) on May 24, 2011. The most recent report: 1.25-inch hail on April 28, 2026.
May 24, 2011: 4.25-inch hail (grapefruit size)
April 28, 2021: 3.25-inch hail (teacup size)
March 14, 2024: 3-inch hail (teacup size)
March 30, 2009: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
June 11, 2023: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
How old Westlake homes are
Westlake is young by roofing standards: the median home was built in 2010, and 51% of its 567 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 4 miles of Westlake); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about western red cedar shake in Westlake
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 Westlake?
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 Westlake?
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 Westlake?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 21 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 4 miles of Westlake, including 8 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 1.25-inch hail on April 28, 2026.
How old are most homes in Westlake?
The median home in Westlake was built in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 3% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 51% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
