eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.

How To

How to Install Roofing Shingles

Member
By housebuilder
User-Submitted Article
(5 Ratings)
roofing shingles
roofing shingles

Here is a step-by-step guide for how to install roofing shingles.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • tar paper
  • shingles
  • hammer
  • shingle nails
  • chalk line
  • measuring tape
  • heavy duty shears or vinyl cutters
  1. Step 1
    roofing felt
     
    roofing felt

    Installing roofing shingles isn't very hard at all. It just takes patience and a good chalk line to get the shingles even and straight.

    Before we can start with shingles, we need to lay down the roofing felt or more commonly called "tar paper".

  2. Step 2
    laying roofing felt
     
    laying roofing felt

    You will need to start at the bottom of the roof laying the felt across the roof and work your way up to the top with the overlaying sheets. This paper can be nailed down with galvanized screws. You won't need many screws for the tar paper unless it's a windy day.

  3. Step 3
    shingle starter strip
     
    shingle starter strip

    Asphalt shingles are much cheaper than metal, wood or slate roofing materials. If the local climate permits the use of asphalt shingles, then it is a much better option.

    Once the roofing felt is secured, we can start the shingles. A starter strip of shingles needs to be extra stong so it is made by cutting off the tabs of the regular shingles. This is nailed to the bottom part of the roof

  4. Step 4
    offset shingles
     
    offset shingles

    An important thing to know about shingles is that they need to be offset so that the valleys don't line up and make a leak.

  5. Step 5
    measuring for shingles
     
    measuring for shingles

    At this point you will need to make two chalk line measurements to keep everything running perfectly horizontal and vertical.

  6. Step 6
     

    The second row of shingles goes quickly. You will need to make sure that the shingle measurements are even on the chalk line and that the shingles are offset.

  7. Step 7
    ridge roll
     
    ridge roll

    Once you make it all the way to the top of the roof ridge, you will need to nail on the ridge roll.

  8. Step 8
    how to nail shingles
     
    how to nail shingles

    The nails you will use are a special type of weatherproof nails for roofing applications. The shingles will need to be nailed in a specific place for extra strength.

  9. Step 9

    Make sure that the rain and moisture can make a sweeping motion from the top of the roof to the bottom without any resistance.

Subscribe

Post a Comment

Post a Comment

Related Ads

  • Have you done this? Click here to let us know.
I Did This
Get Free Home & Garden Newsletters

Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .   en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License. † requires javascript

eHow Home and Garden
eHow_eHow Home and Garden