How to Install Roof Shingles

New shingles can improve the look of your roof and help protect your home against the elements. You can easily install roof shingles just like the pros by following a few simple guidelines.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shingles
• Roofing nails
• Roofing felt
• Roof cement
• Staple gun
• Chalk

1. Check the roof for any limbs, nails, or debris that may be sticking out.

2. Staple the felt to the roof using with your staple gun. Be sure to overlap the edges by at least two inches in order to ensure sufficient weather protection.

3. Mark the center of your roof with chalk and draw a line from this point to each edge of the roof.

4. Lay down a starter strip of shingles along each edge of the roof. Be sure to leave about 5/8 inch hanging beyond the edge. This starter strip going around the perimeter will serve as a guide for laying the remaining shingles.

5. Beginning with the center point that you chalked out, place shingles on the starter strip.

6. Secure each shingle with your roofing nails in an orderly fashion until you've covered the whole roof. Be sure to bump each new shingle against the one you previously laid. The goal is to follow the same pattern from the starter strip to each edge.

7. Seal the ridgings, flashings and edgings with roof cement.

Tips & Warnings

• Multiply the length by the width of each area you are going to shingle in order to best determine how many shingles you need to purchase.
• Buy some extra shingles to use for good measure.
• Hot galvanized roofing nails are recommended but not required.
• For maximum safety, work with a partner or let someone else know you are working on the roof.