The Cedar Shake Roof That Doesn't Rot, Burn, or Need Maintenance
Compression-molded composite tiles. Class 4 impact. Class A fire. 50-year warranty. 12 colors. Here's the full breakdown.
Why We Install Brava
Real cedar shake looks incredible for about 5 years. Then it starts. Moss. Rot. Curling. Chemical treatments every 2-3 years to keep it alive. Fire codes in half the country that won't let you install it at all. And after all that maintenance, you're looking at a 15-20 year lifespan.
Brava costs more than asphalt. That's the honest part. But it also costs less than real cedar, lasts 50 years, and you never touch it again. No chemical treatments. No fire risk. No rot. The tiles are compression-molded from recycled plastic using molds cast from actual cedar shakes, so the texture and shadow lines are dead-on accurate.
We looked at a few synthetic shake products before settling on Brava. Most of them are thin — stamped, not molded — and they look like plastic from 40 feet. Brava tiles vary in thickness from 3/8" to 7/8" and come in three widths, which creates the kind of irregular shadow pattern you only see on hand-split cedar. That's what sold us.
Brava Cedar Shake
Hand-split cedar appearance with composite durability. Compression-molded from recycled materials. The highest impact and fire ratings available, with a 50-year warranty that actually means something.
Brava Cedar Shake tiles are compression-molded — not extruded, not stamped. The molds are cast from real cedar shakes, which is why the grain patterns, surface textures, and edge profiles look authentic instead of repetitive. Each tile varies slightly because the manufacturing process introduces natural variation in both color and texture.
The tiles come in 5-inch, 7-inch, and 12-inch widths. Installing all three together creates the staggered, irregular look of a hand-split cedar roof. Most synthetic alternatives only come in one width, which is why they look uniform and obviously fake from the street.
At 321 lbs per square, Brava is heavier than asphalt but lighter than real cedar or concrete tile. Most existing roof structures handle it without modification.
Choose Your Color
7 standard colors and 5 premium blends. Every tile is colored throughout using Brava's Colorcast mineral pigment process — not just painted on the surface. Custom colors are also available.
Standard Colors
Aged CedarRich, deep shades of old-growth cedar. Dark browns layered with charcoal undertones.
AspenMuted brown-gray tones. Cool, crisp, and calming — inspired by the aspen tree's natural palette.
BeechwoodSmoky browns and earthy charcoals. A rustic blend that works with both classic and modern homes.
Canyon GrayGray base with deeper brown and black tones woven throughout. Balanced and versatile.
Lake ForestMatches the color of natural cedar. Works against lakeside greens and deep blue water tones.
Natural CedarLighter browns paired with charcoal. The classic cedar look, straightforward and clean.
WeatheredThe look of cedar that has naturally aged and revealed new layers — without the actual decay.Premium Blend Colors
Premium blends are available as an upcharge from standard pricing.
ArendaleDark charcoal and gray. Inspired by the coastal city Arendal — bold and dramatic.
Light ArendaleA more muted version of Arendale. More gray tones for a lighter, softer palette.
New CedarThe lighter, fresher shades of a cedar tree. Classic look with a brighter twist.
OnyxDeep, luxurious black. Named after the stone. Makes a statement on modern architecture.
WhitePure and luminous. Clean lines, modern feel. Reflects heat in warmer climates.The Technology Behind the Tile
Colorcast Mineral Pigments
Brava uses mineral-based pigments — the same kind used in Renaissance paintings and ancient pottery. Unlike chemical dyes that break down under UV exposure, mineral pigments are inherently stable. The color goes all the way through the tile, not just on the surface. Warranted for 10 years against fading beyond 4 Hunter units.
Compression Molding
Each tile is formed under extreme pressure in molds cast from actual cedar shakes. This creates authentic grain patterns and variable thickness (3/8" to 7/8") that you can't get from extrusion or stamping. The compression process also eliminates air pockets, which is why the tiles don't crack or break during installation or under foot traffic.
Recycled & Recyclable
Made from compressed recycled plastics and other sustainable materials. At the end of its 50+ year life, the entire roof can be recycled again instead of going to a landfill. No old-growth trees harvested. No chemical treatments required. No toxic runoff.
Freeze/Thaw Resistant
The compression-molded polymer composition doesn't absorb water, so there's nothing to freeze and expand. Real cedar and concrete tiles crack when trapped moisture freezes — that's a real problem in North Idaho where we cycle above and below freezing dozens of times per winter.
Class A Fire / WUI Approved
Class A fire rating — the highest available. Approved for Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) zones where real cedar shake is banned. No chemical fire retardant treatments needed. The material itself is inherently fire resistant. In North Idaho's wildfire-prone areas, that matters.
Multi-Width System
Three tile widths — 5", 7", and 12" — installed together to create the natural randomness of a hand-split cedar roof. Factory-collated color and width blending means every pallet arrives ready to install without sorting. Low waste factor compared to real cedar.
Brava Composite vs. Real Cedar Shake
| Feature | Brava Composite | Natural Cedar |
|---|---|---|
| Authentic Look | Yes — molds cast from real cedar | Yes |
| Fire Rating | Class A (no treatments needed) | Varies — requires chemical treatments |
| Impact Rating | Class 4 | Not rated |
| Wind Resistance | 110+ mph (up to 211 with screws) | Varies |
| Freeze/Thaw | Resistant | Not resistant |
| Maintenance | None | Chemical treatments every 2-3 years |
| Color Retention | Mineral pigments — warranted 10 years | Fades and grays naturally |
| Hail Warranty | Yes — up to 1.5" diameter | No |
| Lifespan | 50-year warranty | 15-20 years with maintenance |
| Prohibited Jurisdictions | None | Many — banned in fire-prone areas |
| Waste Factor | Low | High |
| Material Source | Recycled & recyclable | Old-growth timber (limited supply) |
Specifications & Dimensions
| Component | Dimensions | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Field Tile — 5" width | 5" x 22" | 1.2 lbs |
| Field Tile — 7" width | 7" x 22" | 1.6 lbs |
| Field Tile — 12" width | 12" x 22" | 2.8 lbs |
| Starter | 12" x 12" | 1.6 lbs |
| Hip & Ridge | 5.75" x 6" x 14" | 2.0 lbs |
| Solid Shake Accessory | 12" x 22" | 4.7 lbs |
Weight per square: 321.1 lbs/sq — heavier than asphalt but lighter than concrete tile. Most existing roof structures handle it without reinforcement.
Wind ratings: Tested and approved for wind speeds up to 188 mph with standard nail installation and up to 211 mph with high-wind screw installation.
Thickness: Varies from 3/8" to 7/8" per tile, creating authentic shadow lines that mimic hand-split cedar.
Installation: No special tools needed. Cuts and nails like standard roofing. Walkable. Complete accessory line available (starters, hip/ridge, solid tiles).
What the 50-Year Warranty Actually Covers
Brava offers a 50-year limited lifetime warranty on all Cedar Shake tiles. Here's what that means in plain language — not the legal version.
For the first 10 years, Brava covers full replacement cost — materials and labor — for manufacturing defects. After 10 years, coverage shifts to a prorated refund based on the remaining warranty period. The formula is straightforward: remaining months divided by 600, times the original purchase price.
The warranty is transferable once, to the first subsequent owner, within the first 25 years. The new owner has to submit a transfer form within 30 days of purchase. That transferability adds real resale value if you ever sell the house.
Hail coverage: Brava's Class 4 impact rating means the tiles are warranted against hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter as measured by the National Weather Service. That covers the vast majority of hail events in North Idaho.
Wind coverage: Warranted for winds up to 90, 110, or 130 mph depending on the installation method used. The coverage applies for the first 15 years and requires that the tiles haven't been previously exposed to winds exceeding the rated threshold.
Color fade: Warranted for 10 years against fading beyond 4 Hunter units. Brava's mineral pigments are designed to last far longer than that, but the warranty puts a floor under it.
What's not covered: damage from foot traffic, improper installation, hail larger than 1.5 inches, wind events above the rated threshold, fire, earthquake, inadequate ventilation, or modifications after installation. The warranty requires that the roof was installed per Brava's specifications — which is part of why we follow their manual exactly.
Common Questions About Brava Cedar Shake
Brava looks nearly identical from the street — the tiles are molded from actual cedar shakes, so the grain, texture, and shadow lines match. The performance isn't close though. Brava carries a Class 4 impact rating (cedar has none), Class A fire rating (cedar requires chemical treatments and is banned in many areas), and a 50-year warranty versus cedar's 15-20 year lifespan. Cedar needs chemical treatments every 2-3 years. Brava needs nothing. The only real advantage of natural cedar is that it smells like cedar when you stand on the roof. That wears off after about 6 months.
Yes. Class A fire rating — the highest available — without any chemical fire retardant treatments. The material itself is inherently fire-resistant. It's also approved for Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) zones, which is where many North Idaho homes are located. Real cedar shake is banned in many of these zones precisely because of fire risk. Brava has zero prohibited jurisdictions.
12 colors total. 7 standard colors: Aged Cedar, Aspen, Beechwood, Canyon Gray, Lake Forest, Natural Cedar, and Weathered. 5 premium blend colors available at an upcharge: Arendale, Light Arendale, New Cedar, Onyx, and White. Brava can also manufacture custom colors if you need something specific to match your home. Cool Roof (Title 24) colors are available as well for energy-efficiency requirements.
50-year limited warranty. The tiles are made from recycled polymer that doesn't rot, crack, split, or absorb water. There's no organic material to decompose. In practice, these roofs should outlast the warranty period by a wide margin — the material simply doesn't have the failure modes that limit the lifespan of wood, asphalt, or concrete roofing. Zero maintenance required over the entire lifespan.
Yes, and arguably better than most alternatives. The compression-molded polymer doesn't absorb water, so freeze-thaw cycling — the thing that destroys concrete tiles and deteriorates cedar — has no effect. Real cedar absorbs moisture, freezes, expands, and eventually cracks. Concrete tiles do the same. Brava doesn't absorb moisture in the first place, so the freeze-thaw cycle is irrelevant. We've installed these in Sandpoint, Coeur d'Alene, and Post Falls without any cold-weather issues.
Very likely. Brava carries a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating — the highest available. Most Idaho insurance carriers offer a premium discount for Class 4 impact-rated roofing, typically 10-28% depending on your carrier. On a $2,000/year premium, even a 15% discount saves $300 annually. Over 30 years, that's $9,000 in insurance savings alone. Call your agent before choosing a material and ask what discount they offer for Class 4 roofing.