# Common Roof-Deck Problems on Century-Old Everett Homes | Roofing Everett WA

> Why original skip-sheathing decking is common under old cedar shake on Everett's pre-1939 homes, and what it means for a modern repair or re-roof.

URL: https://roofingeverettwa.com/guide/century-home-roof-deck-problems-riverside/

Homes built before roughly 1939 in Riverside, Bayside, and North Everett often have skip-sheathing — boards spaced apart with gaps, rather than solid plywood decking — installed originally to ventilate wood shake roofing. Most modern roofing materials need a solid deck, which can mean adding a layer before installing new material.

Everett's Riverside neighborhood has one of the highest concentrations of pre-1939 housing of any neighborhood in the country — more than 61% of its residential stock predates 1939. Bayside and North Everett carry their own dense pockets of similar-era construction. That means a specific, recurring roof-deck condition shows up here far more than in newer-construction markets.

## What skip-sheathing is

Original construction on many of these homes used **skip-sheathing** — individual boards nailed to the rafters with visible gaps between them, rather than a continuous solid deck. This wasn't a shortcut; it was the correct method at the time for ventilating wood shake roofing, which needs airflow underneath to dry out properly and resist rot.

## Why it matters for a modern re-roof

Most modern roofing materials — asphalt shingle in particular — are engineered to be fastened to a continuous solid deck, typically plywood or OSB. Installing modern shingle directly over skip-sheathing risks poor fastener hold and an uneven surface. The standard approach is to add a layer of solid decking over the existing skip-sheathing before installing new material.

This is a **real, separately-priced line item** — not something that should get buried inside a bigger number. We assess deck type and condition at the inspection and quote it honestly as its own cost, since it genuinely changes the scope of the job compared to a newer home with existing solid decking.

## What this means if you're keeping cedar shake

If you're restoring or replacing an original cedar shake roof rather than switching materials, the skip-sheathing can often stay as-is, since shake still benefits from that ventilation. See our [cedar shake restore vs. replace guide](/guide/cedar-shake-restore-vs-replace-older-homes/) for how we make that call.

## Other common findings on century-old decks

- **Sistered or doubled-up rafters** from a prior repair, which can affect how new material is fastened
- **Localized rot** near chimneys or valleys where moisture has concentrated over decades
- **Non-standard rafter spacing** compared to modern framing conventions, which occasionally requires adjusted fastening patterns

## The bottom line

If you own a pre-1939 home in Riverside, Bayside, or North Everett, budget for a deck assessment as a real part of any re-roof conversation — not an afterthought. We check it at the free inspection and price it as its own line, so you know exactly what you're paying for and why.

## FAQ

**How do I know if my home has skip-sheathing?**

It's usually visible from the attic side — spaced boards with visible gaps rather than a continuous solid surface. We check this at the free inspection before quoting any re-roof.

**Can I install asphalt shingle directly over skip-sheathing?**

Usually not — most modern shingle systems require a solid substrate. A layer of solid decking (typically plywood or OSB) is added over the skip-sheathing first, which is a real cost line we price separately rather than folding invisibly into the total.

**Does this affect insurance or resale?**

It can come up in a pre-listing inspection, since an inspector may flag the original decking type. Addressing it during a planned re-roof, rather than reactively during a sale, is usually the more cost-effective timing.