mcharon wrote:
hi have a cedar shake roof that is missing a couple of cedar pieces.
can i use composition shingles to replace the missing pieces, if i
don't care about the look, and if i plan to redo the roof in another 5
years.
if yes, what is the best method--can you give some suggestions (ie,
slip a composition sheet under existing layers and nail the sheet
down)?

thank you

If your shakes are in that bad of a shape, you will likely bust several
more getting to it from the topside getting to the bare spot, especially
if this is an old-style skip sheath roof. I'd either buy a bundle of
shakes and patch with that, or for a quick and dirty temp repair, slide
metal flashing under the row above and try to pin it with a couple of
caulked screws. (Like you sometimes see up in New England on slate
roofs.) Or there is always the Blue Tarp option- many houses down in
Louisiana went a couple years that way, replacing the 100 dollars worth
of tarp every 8-10 months.

I'd move 'new roof' up on your home repair to-do list. If it fails in a
major way, not much else matters.

--
aem sends...