Instructions for Installing Asphalt Shingles on House Roof
Asphalt shingles are the most common material used for residential roofing. They are available in many colors to complement the style of a house and personal tastes. Installing asphalt shingles is a project for a handy homeowner that is not afraid of heights and is safety conscious. Laying roofing shingles is a project many homeowners tackle successfully. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Check the condition of the plywood, look for rot, warps and popped nails. Remove damaged plywood sheets and nail in new ones. Sink all nails deeply into the plywood before beginning.
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Place a metal drip edge along the edge of the roof and secure in place with galvanized roofing nails. This protects against rot.
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Roll out roofing felt, beginning at the lower edge of the roof and covering the metal drip edge. Nail the roofing felt in place every 8 to 12 inches. Begin the second row at the edge of the roof and overlap it onto the first row by 6 to 8 inches, nail in place. Continue until the roofing felt covers the exposed plywood, overlapping each row.
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Put the first shingle on the lower edge of the roof, hanging over 2 inches with the tabs facing towards the peak of the roof; hammer a nail into each tab to secure it to the roof. Continue with the second and subsequent shingles, overlapping each onto the next by 2 inches and complete the row in this manner. The first row across, appropriately called the starter course by roofers.
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Lay a roofing shingle directly on top of the first shingle in the starter course with the tab facing towards the edge of the roof and nail in place. Place the second and subsequent shingles overlapping each other by 2 inches over the top of the entire starter course.
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Begin the second course from the edge, tabs pointing to the peak allowing the shingle to hang off by 6 inches. A 6-inch offset is required for the roof to shed water properly. Nail the shingle in place and trim off the 6-inch overhang with shears. Continue along the course covering the row.
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Continue to shingle each course alternating between beginning at the roof edge and beginning with a 6-inch overhang until reaching the peak of the roof. Begin the same prescribed layout on the other side of the roof until reaching the peak.
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Cut the tabs off a shingle with shears and lay the shingle across the peak with equal amounts on each side of the peak. Nail in place, cut the tabs from the next shingle, saddle across the peak overlapping the previous shingle by 2 inches and nail in place. Continue until shingles are covering the entire peak.
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Tips & Warnings
Use safety precautions when working on a roof such as a safety harness, secure ladder or scaffolding.
It is very important that roofing shingles do not exactly line up; they need a 6-inch offset.
References
- Photo Credit building image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
