Case study · Brentwood, TN · Oct 30, 2025
A 1968 Annandale ranch came to us with the original hand-split cedar shake roof — beautiful, but past its useful life at 57 years and shedding shake fragments after every storm. The homeowner wanted to keep the visual character without paying for a new cedar install (~$60k). We tore off the cedar, replaced 60 sq ft of rotten 1×6 plank decking, and installed GAF Timberline HDZ in Weathered Wood — a color that reads almost identically to weathered cedar from street view, with a 50-year warranty and one-tenth the maintenance.
Squares
31 sq (3,100 sq ft) single-story ranch
Pitch
6/12 main, 4/12 rear addition
Access
Walkable, mature tree canopy
Tear-off
Hand-split cedar shake direct to 1×6 plank deck (no plywood)
GAF
GAF's flagship architectural shingle. Weathered Wood is the closest available color match to aged cedar — uneven taupe-and-gray blend that reads as natural wood from 15+ feet away. 50-year limited transferable warranty.
GAF
Synthetic underlayment over the entire deck (not felt). Better tear resistance, walkable, and won't sag in heat.
GAF
Full coverage at all valleys, eaves (3 ft up), sidewalls, and around the brick chimney. Brentwood's mature tree canopy means more debris in valleys — the extra I&W coverage backstops debris dams.
Tennessee Plywood
1968 ranches in Annandale used 1×6 plank decking, not plywood. We replaced 60 sq ft (approximately one full sheet) of rotten plank with CDX plywood — pre-quoted by the linear foot, no surprise upgrade. The rest of the original plank was sound.
Inspection + ARC submission
Free inspection within 48 hours. Color samples (Weathered Wood + Charcoal + Williamsburg Slate) pre-submitted to Annandale HOA architectural review committee.
ARC approval
Annandale ARC approved Weathered Wood within 4 business days. No conditions, no revisions.
Tear-off + decking + dry-in
Cedar shake tear-off is slower than asphalt tear-off (each shake is hand-nailed). Half-day for tear-off, half-day for deck inspection + 60 sq ft repair, full second day for I&W shield and underlayment.
Install + ridge + flashings
Full architectural install in the 6-nail pattern. Step flashing at chimney rebuilt (the original cedar install used face-nailed counter-flashing that had failed). Cobra ridge vent installed.
Final walk + warranty handoff
Magnetic sweep, debris haul-off, final walk with homeowner. ARC photo submitted for compliance close-out. Warranty packets handed off.
System Plus extends the standard GAF Limited Warranty when the full GAF system (shingle, starter, underlayment, ridge cap) is installed by a Master Elite contractor. Coverage on every component, not just the shingle.
For as long as the original purchaser owns the home — any install-related issue, we fix free. Transferable once.
On file with the Annandale architectural review committee. Future replacements on this address can reference the approved Weathered Wood spec without re-submission.
Outcome
Insurance + warranty + sign-off.
Three-day install on schedule. ARC compliance certificate issued same week. Homeowner saved $42k vs. a new cedar install while keeping the architectural character. Color-match holds at 12-month review.
Cedar shake conversions are 80% of the look at 25% of the cost — and a fraction of the maintenance. The Weathered Wood color in GAF Timberline HDZ is the closest commodity asphalt color to aged cedar; from the curb, no one can tell the difference.
Homeowner voices
We don’t pay for reviews and we don’t buy leads. These are Middle TN homeowners whose roofs we’ve put hands on in the last 90 days. Full Google reviews linked from each.
Hail took out half my roof in the March storm. Ironclad had a tarp on it the same afternoon and walked the adjuster through every shingle. Full scope, zero out-of-pocket beyond my deductible. Roof was done in two days.
Holly N.
Got three estimates. The other two said 'full replacement, $22k.' Tyrone climbed up, took twenty photos, and said the soft spot was a single sheet of decking. $850 repair. Honest people are rare.
James W.
Used Ironclad for our last house in Brentwood and they were the first call when we bought the new one. Derek remembered my name eight years later. That's not customer service — that's how a family business runs.
Priya R.
Storm damage? Call us first.
We do roofs like this every week across Brentwood and the surrounding Williamson County. Free 48-hour inspection — no obligation, no high-pressure sales.
(615) 555-0167
