Asphalt Shingles - roofing materials and manufacturers

This roofing guide will be helpful to roofing contractors and do-it-yourself homeowners alike, as it will demonstrate how to properly install asphalt shingles roofing system form start to finish.

In this guide we will cover topics such as:

• Preparing a roof deck – removing old shingles and repairing rotten wood
• Installing roofing underlayment and Ice & Water shield
• Installing roofing shingles (this part)
• Proper roofing shingles nailing
• Installing roof shingles in valleys, and doing different types of valleys
• Installing roof details and flashing, such as valleys, roof to wall connections, skylights, chimneys and other roof penetrations.

This guide will be presented in three parts – roof preparation, shingles installation and advanced roofing techniques. This will be the first part, followed by roof preparation section that will cover roof tear-off and underlayment installation, and then, advance roofing techniques guide, that will cover valleys, flashing and roof penetrations.

Before you start installing your new roof, we recommend that you read all tree parts of this roof installation guide and watch the videos included in these articles. This main part should be read first, so that you decide right away, if it’s something you can tackle yourself or if you should hire a roofing contractor. If you feel confident installing a roof, read / watch the second part of this guide (preparing roof deck and installing roofing underlayment / ice & water shield) and third part – (installing shingles in valleys and installing flashing details). We also recommend that you reau up on benefits and limitations of Ice & Water (I&W) shield in preventing ice dams, which affect most homes in the norther US and Canada, and can cause thousands of dollars in damages, create mold and rot in your roof, and in the walls.

Once you have read all three parts of this roof installation guide, you will need to measure your roof to know the amount of the roofing materials you will need to buy, including all the accessories, flashing, drip-edge, ridge vent, shingles, ridge caps, starter shingles, caulking, etc.

If your roof is more or less simple (gable or hip, rectangular shape roof) you can use roofing materials calculator to estimate amounts and prices for the roofing materials needed to install your roof.

INSTALLING ROOFING SHINGLES

Let’s look at the installation of Timberline shingles – a typical laminated shingle which is smaller and is installed with a four nail pattern. Note that these shingles come in two a different sizes – English and metric sizes. We’re going to use the English size and measurements. When installing metric shingles, use the measurements listed in the application instructions.

Video of how to install roofing shingles:

The first course, after the installation of the starter course, begins with a full shingle laid flush with the starter course at the eave and rake. Move left to right or right to left but not straight up the roof in a rack or staggered formation/placement.

Place the shingles so that it hangs over the eave or drip edge by one quarter-inch to three quarters of an inch. In high wind areas, install a leak barrier along the rakes for additional protection or use a four inch width of asphalt plastic roof cement to cement shingles to each other along the rake edge.

Place the second shingle next to the first then continue across the roof. The timberline series shingles will require four nails unless the local code requires six. Trim six inches from the first shingle of the second course. Place the bud of the shingle at the top of the dragon teeth of the underlying shingle. Five inches of the underlying shingle should be exposed on these English dimension shingles.

Full singles are then placed across the roof to complete the course. The third course starts with the shingle that has had eleven inches trimmed from the rake edge. It is placed over the second course with the bud at the top of the sawtooth of the underlying shingle. For the fourth course, trim seventeen inches off the shingle. On the fifth course the pattern starts over with a whole shingle. Install the next course, course six, the same as course two and continue the staggered pattern up the roof. About every sixth course strike a chalk line to check parallel alignment with the eaves.

The easiest way to get a clean, straight edge is to snap a chalk line along the overhang you want, and cut the shingles to the line. For three tab shingles begin by installing a starter course. You may use starter strip shingles or trim the three-tab shingle to make a starter shingle.

Always make sure that you install the starter course with the self stick strip face up, and on the side closest to the eaves, to seal this edge.

A recommended practice is to stair step the shingles by cutting off one-half tab for each course. This gives you a six course sequence for the three tab shingles. Place the shingles so that it hangs over the eave or drip edge by one quarter-inch to three quarters of an inch. Use a whole shingle to begin the first course starting at the rake.

In some cases, it may be necessary to trim the first shingle so that you don’t end up with a sliver of a tab at the opposite rake.

This is it for roofing shingles installation. Proceed to part 2, to learn about proper roofing shingles nailing, and why you should avoid racking the shingles.