What Is a Metal Shake Roof?
Quick answer
A metal shake roof is made of aluminum or steel shingles stamped to look like split cedar shakes — replicating the deep grain, thickness, and rugged texture of real wood. It delivers the rustic cedar look without wood's rot, fire risk, insects, or constant upkeep, and lasts 50+ years. Interlock's aluminum shake profile is one example.
What is a metal shake roof, and what does it look like?
A metal shake roof is made of individual aluminum (or steel) shingles stamped to reproduce the look of hand-split cedar shakes — the deep grain, the varied thickness, the rugged shadow lines. Installed in staggered courses like real shakes, it delivers the warm, rustic character of a cedar roof from the ground, but with metal underneath. Interlock's aluminum shake profile is a leading example, capturing the split-cedar look while bringing rust-proof, lifetime aluminum and Class A fire resistance that real wood cannot offer.
What metal roof looks like a wood shake?
Purpose-made metal shake profiles do. Manufacturers cast their stamping dies from real cedar shakes, so the metal shingle picks up authentic wood grain and texture rather than a flat imitation, then finish it in warm, variegated wood tones. Aluminum shake profiles like Interlock's are the closest match for homeowners who love the cedar look but not its upkeep — you get the hand-split appearance with none of the wood's vulnerabilities.
How is metal shake different from real cedar shake?
They look alike and behave nothing alike. Real cedar shakes rot, grow moss and mold, split and curl, attract insects, and — critically — burn, so they need regular treating and typically last only 20 to 30 years, and many insurers restrict or surcharge them. Metal shake has none of those problems: it cannot rot, mold, or burn (aluminum is non-combustible and Class A fire-rated), resists hail, needs virtually no maintenance, and lasts 50+ years. Our metal-versus-cedar-shake guide compares them in full.
Why choose a metal shake roof?
Because it gives you the rustic cedar character with metal's durability and safety. It is ideal for cabins, lodges, craftsman, and mountain homes that want the warm wood-shake look, and especially for wildfire-prone areas where a real cedar roof is a genuine hazard — metal shake is non-combustible and Class A fire-rated. Add its light weight, freedom from maintenance, hail resistance, and a transferable lifetime warranty, and it delivers the look homeowners want without the liabilities that come with real wood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a metal shake roof really look like wood?
From the ground, yes — a quality metal shake roof is stamped from real cedar-shake molds and finished in warm wood tones, so it convincingly reads as split cedar at normal viewing distance. Up close it is clearly metal, but the rustic character of a shake roof comes through.
How long does a metal shake roof last?
A metal shake roof lasts 50 years or more, often a lifetime, versus roughly 20 to 30 years for real cedar shake. It never rots or burns, and a factory finish holds its color for decades, which is why it carries a transferable lifetime warranty.
Is a metal shake roof good for wildfire areas?
Excellent — it is one of the best choices. Aluminum metal shake is non-combustible and Class A fire-rated, the opposite of real cedar shake, which is a fire hazard. In wildfire country, metal shake gives the coveted wood look with genuine fire safety, and can help with insurance where wood shakes are restricted.
Sources
- The Aluminum Association — Aluminum roofing and stamped profiles
- Metal Construction Association — Metal shake and wood-look roofing
Explore Interlock Metal Roofing
Last reviewed 2026-07-12 · Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing