How to Attach Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles, like other shingles and shakes, require a specific installation pattern from the eaves of the roof to the roof's peak. Also like other shingles, asphalt shingles typically require a roof underlay, like roofing felt, to insulate and protect the subroof beneath. Although asphalt shingles have different characteristics than other shingle types, such as wood or slate, the method to attach the asphalt shingles to the roof is similar to that of other shingles. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Roofing felt
- Staple gun
- Staples
- Nail gun
- Nails
- Utility knife
- Roofing cement
Instructions
-
Attach the Rows
-
1
Put down roofing felt first. In general, install roofing felt by rolling it out from one end of the roof to the other and stapling the felt every 12 inches.
-
2
Place a layer of shingles over the layer of roofing felt. Lay the first row so that it hangs over the side edges of the roof by approximately 1 inch and the bottom edge, or eave, by approximately 1 ½ inches.
-
-
3
Attach the asphalt shingles to the roof with nails. Put four nails through each tab on the top of the shingle. Place the nails on each tab in a square pattern with one nail at each corner of the tab.
-
4
Continue up the roof, rolling out a row of roofing felt so that it covers the top of the shingles by 8 to 10 inches, and attaching the felt with staples. Lay a row of shingles that hangs off the sides of the roof by about 1 inch and overlaps the layer of shingles below it by 12 to 14 inches or enough to cover the tabs at the top.
Attach the Peak
-
5
Cut the shingles apart between each of the two or three tabs with a utility knife to create separate peak shingles. Bend one of these tabs over the peak of the roof at one edge, allowing 1 inch to hang off the edge of the roof. Attach this peak shingle with two nails at the bottom corners on each side of the roof.
-
6
Lay the next shingle in the same way, overlapping the first shingle by about an inch. Again, attach the shingle with two nails at the bottom corners on each side.
-
7
Brush roofing cement over all of the nails in the shingles that line the peak to seal them against the weather.
-
1
