How to Install a New Shingle Roof

Installing a new roof.

A well-constructed roof is one of the most important components of a home. Without a proper roof, homes experience water damage and other problems. Having a new shingle roof installed by professional contractors will ensure a proper job. However, it is much more expensive to have a roof installed by a contractor than to install it yourself. With the proper knowledge, homeowners can install a new roof with great results.

Things You'll Need

• Hammer
• Pry bar
• Drip edges
• 15-pound felt paper
• Staple gun
• Asphalt starter strip
• Pneumatic roofing nail gun
• Roofing nails
• Utility knife
• Tar
• Ridge cap shingles

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Instructions

1. Remove the old shingle roof, using a hammer and pry bar. Where there are less than three layers of shingles, you may be able to leave the old shingles on the roof. However, it is usually best to remove old layers of roofing before installing a new shingle roof.

2. Make any necessary repairs to the structure of the roof. If there has been extensive water damage, you may need to repair or replace the plywood substrate.

3. Install or replace damaged drip edges to the bottom and sides of the roof with roofing nails.

4. Install 15-pound felt paper on top of the plywood substrate. Use a staple gun to staple the felt paper into place to help protect the roof from moisture.

5. Install a starter strip. Nail the strip in place with roofing nails at the bottom edge of the roof. This will be an unseen backing for the first visible strip of shingles. The starter strip will prevent water from leaking between the notches in the asphalt shingles.

6. Begin installing the shingles at the bottom corner of the roof, working to the right and up with each row. Nail each shingle in place just below the tar strip. Avoid placing the asphalt shingles so that the tabs directly line up. This allows water to leak through the tabs to the felt paper beneath. You may need to cut the shingles with a utility knife to avoid this problem.

7. Cut the shingles to fit around any roofing obstructions like chimneys or vents. Use tar to seal the edge between the shingles and the obstruction.

8. Nail in the shingles until you reach the very top of the roof. Apply shingles to the roof, trimming the last shingles away from the ridge. Apply ridge cap shingles to the very top of the ridge on the roof. Apply tar to the corners of the ridge cap shingles to hold them down properly.

References

• Hammerzone: Installing Asphalt Roof Shingles
• Ask the Builder: Asphalt Shingle Installation Tips