QA

Quick Answer: How Many Nails Per Architectural Shingle

Most shingle manufactures recommend using four nails per shingle on the main area of your roof and five nails per square in the first row of roofing. This adds up to an average of 320 nails or 100 square feet. If you have high wind areas, you will want to use five nails pers shingle, equating to about 480 per square.

How many nails do you put in an architectural shingle?

In most cases, 4 nails are adequate. Position the nails appropriately according to the shingle installation instructions. Align shingles properly to avoid nail exposure.

How long should nails be for architectural shingles?

If you’re using typical architectural shingles and 3/8-inch-thick sheathing, you’ll need 1‐inch nails. If your building codes require thicker sheathing, you’ll need 1 ¼-inch nails. When installing thicker shingles, you may need to use a longer nail in order to penetrate the OSB beneath fully.

How do you calculate roofing nails?

Multiply the length of each area by the width to determine the square footage. Add the amount of square footage for each area together. This will give you the entire square footage of the roof and will allow you to estimate the number of shingles, and thus nails, needed.

How many nails are in a ridge cap?

When installing the ridge cap shingles they should be nailed with at least two nails per shingle and use a nail long enough to go through the sheathing or into it 3/4 of an inch, then the next ridge cap is laid over the top of those nails.

Can architectural shingles be used for ridge cap?

Overall, architectural shingles would work well as ridge caps since they are extremely resistant to almost every element of weather and can blend well with the other shingles of your roof. Ridge caps are one of the most important parts of the roof since it is one of the first parts of the roof that people will see.

What size nails do you use for roofing shingles?

NRCA does not recommend the use of staples for fastening asphalt shingles. Roofing nails should be round-headed, sharp-pointed 11-gauge galvanized steel or the equivalent corrosion-resistant roofing nails. Nail head sizes recommended are 3/8-inch to 7/16-inch diameter. Nail heads should be low profile, smooth and flat.

Do roofing nails go through the plywood?

Not at all. But they will hold the underlayment in place until the shingles are attached. The staples also hold the underlayment flat so folding that could affect shingle placement doesn’t occur. Staples also lessen the chance of water actually getting to the decking.

Are roofing nails supposed to go through?

It is crucial that roofing nails of the correct length were used to secure the shingles. The sharp tip of the roofing nail should pass through and extend approximately 3/8-inch past the underside of the roof sheathing. It is possible that your roof sheathing might consist of numerous tongue and groove 1-by-6 boards.

How far should a nail penetrate?

Rule of Thumb #2 – Use a nail that will penetrate the item you are nailing to (not through) at least 3/4″. So, to use the same example of 1/2″ sheathing you would need a nail that is 1 1/4″ long. 3/4″ + 1/2″ = 1 1/4″.

How many square feet of shingles do I need for my nails?

Most shingle manufactures recommend using four nails per shingle on the main area of your roof and five nails per square in the first row of roofing. This adds up to an average of 320 nails or 100 square feet. If you have high wind areas, you will want to use five nails pers shingle, equating to about 480 per square.

How many bundles of architectural shingles are in a square?

A bundle of architectural GAF shingles has 21 shingles. GAF architectural shingles are slightly larger than Owens Corning of the same type, which enables them to have a uniform number of shingles per bundle. Both types require 3 bundles to add up to one full square – 100 square feet – of roof area.

How many boxes of nails do you need for a square of shingles?

Shingle manufacturers recommend using four nails per shingle in the main part of the roof and five nails per shingle in the first row, says Owens Corning. This amounts to an average of 320 nails per square, or 100 square feet. In high-wind areas, you need five nails per shingle, or 480 nails per square.

Can you use 3 tab shingles for ridge cap?

The ridge cap, the course of shingles on the very ridge of the roof, can be made from available 3-tab shingles. Two simple cuts create three pieces that can be used to finish the shingle project.

How many nails do you put in a 3 tab shingle?

NAILING: Use galvanized (zinc coated) roofing nails, 11 or 12 gauge, with at least 3/8″ diameter heads, long enough to penetrate through plywood or 3/4″ into boards. Use 4 nails per shingle placed 6-1/8″ above the butt edge, 1″ and 13″ in from each end and 1/2″ above each cutout.

Do architectural shingles need a starter strip?

You do need to use a starter course with architectural shingles. The starter edge will help seal the edges and cover your shingle joints. As it won’t be visible on the finished roof, you don’t need to worry about the look of your starter strip and whether it matches your architectural shingles.

How many feet are in a ridge cap of shingles?

You can cap about 35 lin. ft. of ridge or hips with each bundle of three-tab shingles that come three bundles to the square. You can also salvage waste shingle pieces and portions of damaged shingles for use as caps.

Do I need ridge cap shingles?

A ridge cap is used to cover and close the seam where two roof slopes meet to form a ridge or roof apex. Roofs that do not have two or more decks meeting to form a ridge or hip do not require a ridge cap. Most shingle roofs have a ridge cap made of overlapping shingle tabs cut from roofing shingles.