Cedar Roofing Alternatives: 5 Modern Materials That Look Like Cedar But Outperform It

I've been replacing cedar shake roofs across the Twin Cities for two decades now. Most of the cedar roofs I tear off in Edina, Wayzata, and Minnetonka were installed in the late '90s and early 2000s — back when cedar was still the default for upscale homes around the lakes. They don't last 30 years up here. Not even close.

If you love the look of cedar shake but you've read the maintenance nightmares — or worse, your insurance carrier just sent you a non-renewal letter because of it — you're not stuck. There are five materials I install today that give you the cedar look without the headaches. I've put every one of them on Twin Cities homes. Here's the honest breakdown. (And if you're still weighing real cedar, my honest guide to what a wood roof actually costs to own in Minnesota is worth reading first.)

Why Homeowners Are Walking Away from Cedar Shake

Before the alternatives, a quick refresher on why cedar is losing ground in Minnesota. I went deeper on this in The Disadvantages of Cedar Siding — the roofing problems overlap, just more expensive.

Fire risk. Cedar shake is wood. Untreated cedar rates Class C at best. You can get to Class A by combining pressure-impregnated treated cedar with an asphalt cap sheet underneath — but that treatment degrades with UV exposure, which is why the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau and the carriers both treat aged treated cedar as a fire risk anyway. Carriers know this.

Insurance refusal. I hear about this one every week. Twin Cities carriers are non-renewing cedar roofs, refusing to write new policies on them, or pricing the premium past the point of reason. Even well-maintained, leak-free cedar roofs are getting flagged just because of the material — and the Minnesota FAIR Plan, the state's last-resort insurer, won't take cedar shake either. A Wayzata homeowner told me last spring she'd been quoted $9,200 a year on her cedar roof — same home with a Class A roof was under $3,000.

Maintenance is real and expensive. Cedar wants attention every 3-5 years. Wash, treat, replace cracked shakes, watch for moss. A proper maintenance visit on a 3,500 sq ft roof runs $1,500-$3,000. Skip it for a decade and you're not maintaining anymore — you're replacing.

Lifespan in Minnesota winters. Freeze-thaw is brutal on wood. We can swing 50 degrees in 24 hours during March. Water gets in, freezes, expands, splits the shake. Most cedar roofs I tear off here are 18-22 years old, not the 30-40 the brochures promised.

So how do you keep the look you fell in love with — that organic, hand-split, character-rich shake aesthetic — without the wood?

Five answers. Ranked by how often I install them.

1. CeDUR Synthetic Shake — The Closest Visual Match to Real Cedar

Hand me a CeDUR shake and a real cedar shake from 10 feet away, I'd have to look twice. From 20 feet on a roof, you can't tell.

CeDUR is a polyurethane shake molded from real cedar masters. Authentic grain. Multiple lengths and thicknesses on the same roof, just like real shake, so you don't get that repeating-pattern look the cheaper synthetics have.

What I tell homeowners about CeDUR:

• Class A fire rating (independently tested)
• 50-Year Limited Lifetime Warranty (per CeDUR)
• Class 4 impact rating, UL 2218 — qualifies for the MN Class 4 insurance discount, typically 10-30 percent off your roof portion
• 170 lbs per square — lighter than asphalt, easier on older decking
• Zero maintenance. No washing, treating, or replacing split shakes
• $15-$22 per square foot installed in the Twin Cities

The honest negative: CeDUR isn't cheap. Three to four times the cost of a premium asphalt install. The math works long-term — you save the maintenance, keep the insurance, don't reroof in 20 years — but the upfront check is real.

For Lake Minnetonka homes where the architecture demands a high-end shake look, this is the one I recommend most.

2. DaVinci Bellaforte Shake (Multi-Width Profile)

DaVinci is the other heavy hitter in synthetic. Most people think DaVinci means slate, and they do make a beautiful slate line — if you came in researching slate specifically, my breakdown of slate roof anatomy covers what's actually under those tiles — but their Bellaforte Shake is the multi-width shake profile you want for the cedar look.

I install a lot of DaVinci in Edina and the western suburbs. The profile staggers different widths to give you the same organic randomness real cedar has — DaVinci publishes 49 colors plus 5 color blends, which is a wider palette than anything else in the synthetic category. More on the value math in Is DaVinci Synthetic Roofing Worth the Cost? — short answer, yes, for the right home.

What separates DaVinci from CeDUR:

• Wider color palette — 49 standard colors plus 5 color blends (DaVinci spec)
• Polymer formulation has been on roofs since 2002, so we have long-field history
• Bellaforte uses an interlocking installation that holds well in our wind events
• 190 lbs per square — still well below asphalt's 240-280
• Same Class A fire, Class 4 impact, Lifetime Limited Material Warranty (DaVinci runs lifetime, not 50-year)

Pricing: $14-$20 per square foot installed.

The honest negative: DaVinci's colors are excellent but they don't weather to silver-grey the way real cedar does. If patina was the selling point for you, the color you pick is the color you'll have in 30 years.

3. Brava Synthetic Shake

Brava is the third major synthetic player. Different manufacturing approach — recycled plastics, made in Iowa. The product is good. I install it less often than CeDUR or DaVinci because Brava's upper-Midwest distribution is smaller and lead times stretch.

The Brava pitch:

• Made from recycled plastics — strongest sustainability story of the three
• Custom color-matching available — they can blend to a sample
• Class A fire, Class 4 impact, 50-year warranty (per Brava)
• Slightly less dimensional grain detail than CeDUR side-by-side

Pricing: $14-$20 per square foot installed.

The honest negative: Lead times. I've had Brava orders take 8-10 weeks when CeDUR or DaVinci would've been 3-4. If you're storm-damaged trying to get covered before winter, plan around it.

4. Stone-Coated Steel Shake

This is the one most homeowners haven't considered, and it's the one I'd most strongly recommend for a few specific situations. Stone-coated steel is a 26-gauge galvanized steel panel, pressed into a shake profile, coated with stone granules. From the ground, it reads as shake. Up close, you can tell — but most people never get up close to a roof.

Why I love stone-coated steel for the right home:

• Class A fire — same as the synthetics
• Class 4 impact — same insurance discount
• 50-year warranty, often with hail and wind riders
• Lighter weight than asphalt (yes, really) — about a third the weight, which matters on older homes with marginal decking
• Won't dent visibly from typical Twin Cities hail
• Materials are essentially permanent — you'd hand this roof to your grandkids

Pricing: DECRA Shake runs $11-$17 per square foot installed, DECRA Shake XD a bit more at $13-$18, Boral steel shake $14-$20. Pricing depends on the panel profile and your decking condition.

The honest negative: It's metal. In heavy rain on certain geometries you can hear it — softer than standing seam because the stone dampens sound, but louder than asphalt. Most homeowners stop noticing in a week. A few never get used to it. I'm straight about that before we sign anything. Also: stone-coated steel doesn't have the deep dimensional grain that synthetic shake has. Fools neighbors at 30 feet, not 15.

5. CertainTeed Presidential Shake TL (The Asphalt Option)

Leaving the premium synthetic tier. If your budget can't stretch to the synthetic shakes but you still want the cedar-shake look, asphalt has gotten genuinely good at faking it — and the gold standard is CertainTeed Presidential Shake TL.

I install a lot of CertainTeed shingles. Presidential Shake TL is their flagship luxury laminate — triple-laminated construction (most asphalt shingles are double-laminated), the deepest shadow lines in the asphalt category, and an asymmetrical tab pattern designed specifically to mimic hand-split cedar. From street level it reads as real shake. Up close, it's the best-looking asphalt roof on the market.

What Presidential Shake TL gives you:

• Triple-laminated construction (the "TL" stands for Triple Laminate) — the heaviest asphalt shingle CertainTeed makes
• Class A fire rating
• Lifetime Limited Warranty against manufacturing defects, with 10-year SureStart Plus full-replacement coverage
• 110 mph wind warranty (up to 130 mph with the proper install)
• CertainTeed StreakFighter algae resistance
• Modex carries CertainTeed ShingleMaster certification — top-tier installer status that unlocks the Integrity Roof System extended warranty

Pricing: roughly $8-$12 per square foot installed (Twin Cities). Less than half the cost of DaVinci synthetic.

The honest negative: Presidential Shake TL is Class 3 impact-rated, not Class 4 — which means it's not a guaranteed automatic insurance discount the way the synthetics and stone-coated steel are. And it's still asphalt: 25-year real-world lifespan in Minnesota, so you'll reroof once in your tenure if you're under 60 today. The shake illusion is the closest you'll get in asphalt, but it does soften up close.

For homeowners who love the cedar look but need realistic pricing, this is my most-recommended option. Also a smart play for storm-damaged cedar where insurance covers replacement but won't stretch to synthetic.

How These Five Stack Up Against Each Other

Pricing ranges are Twin Cities installed costs as of 2026. Your exact number depends on roof complexity, pitch, accessibility, tear-off requirements, and decking condition. The only honest way to price your specific roof is a measurement visit.

Which Cedar Alternative Is Right for Your Home?

I won't give you a one-size answer, because that's not how it works. But here's how I sort it on site visits:

You want the most authentic cedar look possible and budget isn't the limiting factor: CeDUR.

You want the cedar look with the widest color flexibility and 20+ years of field history: DaVinci Bellaforte Shake.

Sustainability and recycled content matter to you, and you can wait on lead times: Brava.

You want a 50-year permanent roof, lower hail and wind risk, and the curb-appeal of shake without the bug bills: Stone-coated steel.

You love the cedar look but the realistic budget is in the asphalt range, or insurance proceeds are setting the ceiling: CertainTeed Presidential Shake TL.

If you're a homeowner who's been told by your carrier that your current cedar shake roof needs to come off, you've got real options. None of them require you to give up the look you bought the house for in the first place.

FAQ

Are synthetic cedar shake roofs as good as the brochures claim?

Mostly yes. CeDUR carries a 50-Year Limited Warranty, DaVinci runs Lifetime Limited on Bellaforte, and Brava is 50-year — and the warranties have been honored on jobs I'm aware of. The Class 4 impact ratings are independently tested under UL 2218 and recognized by MN carriers. Honest caveat: these products have 20-25 years of actual field history, not 50.

Will my insurance carrier give me a discount for switching to a Class 4 alternative?

In Minnesota, yes — typically 10-30 percent off the roof portion for a Class 4 impact-rated material. Carriers like State Farm, American Family, and Chubb all list impact-resistant credits on their MN product filings. Expect a separate underwriting break for moving off cedar entirely. Check with your agent before you commit.

How long does a cedar shake roof actually last in Minnesota?

Real-world, 18-22 years before major problems show up. The freeze-thaw cycle, ice damming, and UV combine to split shakes faster than in the milder climates these products were designed for.

Can synthetic shake be installed on top of my existing cedar roof?

No. All five alternatives require a tear-off to bare decking, deck inspection, ice-and-water shield (MN code), and synthetic underlayment. Layering over cedar compromises every one of those steps.

What's the cheapest way to get the cedar look on a roof replacement?

CertainTeed Presidential Shake TL. $8-$12 per square foot installed. Class A fire, Class 3 impact, 22-25 year lifespan, triple-laminated construction with the closest shake-look you'll get in asphalt.

Does Modern Exterior Systems install all five of these?

Yes. CeDUR, DaVinci, Brava, stone-coated steel, and CertainTeed Presidential Shake TL — all installed on Twin Cities homes. We're a premium roofing replacement contractor with manufacturer certifications for the lines that matter. I'll come out, measure your roof, and give you a line-by-line written quote on whichever materials you want to compare. No high-pressure sales.

Ready to Talk About Your Cedar Replacement?

Call Modern Exterior Systems at 952-206-6339 or request a free quote online. I'll personally come out, walk your roof, look at your existing cedar (or whatever's under it), and give you honest pricing on the alternatives that actually fit your home.

If you want to dig deeper before that conversation, here's my honest contractor ranking of the asphalt shingles that go onto most Twin Cities roofs: Best Shingles for Minnesota Weather.

About Modern Exterior Systems

Modern Exterior Systems is a women-owned, family-operated roofing and exterior contractor based in Eden Prairie, MN, serving Minneapolis and 90+ Twin Cities communities. Owner Joe Dvorak brings 20+ years of hands-on construction experience and Modex carries CertainTeed ShingleMaster, Malarkey Emerald Pro, Atlas Pro+ Silver Select, LP SmartSide, and James Hardie Preferred certifications, plus BBB Accredited A+, NRCA Member (#1016569), and MN License BC762305. Every residential project is backed by a lifetime workmanship warranty for as long as you own the home.