QA

Quick Answer: How To Install Asphalt Shingles On A Roof

How should asphalt shingles be installed?

Lay out the starter shingles 5.1 – Start in the lower left corner and work towards the valley. 5.2 – Snap a horizontal chalk line 5-10″ from the lower edge of the roof. 5.3 – Snap a vertical chalk line every 6ꞌ and horizontal lines at regular intervals to ensure the rows of shingles will be straight.

Do you need a starter strip for shingles?

The starter strip is crucial because it adheres to the shingles on the edges of your roof and protects them from the elements. Without starter strip shingles, a gust of wind would have no trouble sneaking under the shingles on the edges of your roof and blowing them up, and perhaps even off, your roof.

Is it better to hand nail shingles?

While air gun nailing might seem faster, a well-trained hand nailer can do it almost as fast. The key difference between the two is accuracy. Hand driving nails into shingles allows for the roofer to place the nail on the proper nail line and then drive the nail in.

How many nails do you need for shingles?

General Guidelines for Nailing Shingles Install the recommended number of nails per shingle. For Duration® Series shingles, Owens Corning recommends using either a 4- or 6-nail fastening pattern depending on the roof’s slope and building code requirements. In most cases, 4 nails are adequate.

How do you install asphalt?

The Complete 7-Step Process for Asphalt Pavement Installation Step 1: Demolition and Removal. Step 2: Grading and Sloping. Step 3: Prepare the Sub Base. Step 5: Binder and Surface Course. Step 6: Install New Asphalt Surface. Step 7: Butt Joints and Transitions. To Complete the Project: Final Roll.

What underlayment to use for shingles?

What Is Roofing Underlayment? Roofing underlayment is what lies between the shingles and the roof sheathing, or roof deck, which is typically either plywood or OSB. It’s installed directly on the roof deck and provides a secondary layer of protection from the elements, including rain, snow, and wind.

Does a roof need a drip edge?

Without a drip edge, water may end up beneath the shingles and may cause damage to various parts of the home. Though your home may not have originally had a drip edge installed, drip edges are now required by most building codes across North America to protect homes from damage.

Should shingles overhang drip edge?

Asphalt shingles should overhang the exterior edge of the drip edge by ¼ to ¾-inch. Check local building code for drip edge requirements prior to the start of your roofing project.

Why do you put the first row of shingles upside down?

The sealant on an upside-down three-tab shingle ends up far too high up the roof to effectively seal the first course of the finished shingles. The proper way to adapt three tabs as starters is to trim the tabs off the shingle along a line across the tops of the cutouts.

Can you staple asphalt shingles?

Fasteners for asphalt shingles should be roofing nails or staples. Both nails and staples have sufficient strength to resist small uplift load on the shingles, as long as the tabs remain sealed. If staples are properly installed, they offer nearly the same wind resistance as nails.

Is it OK to lay shingles in the rain?

Never lay roof shingles when it is raining During a rain shower the roof also becomes slippery, which can cause dangerous conditions for the roofer. So cover up the roof and wait until the rain is over.

Can I use a nail gun for shingles?

Shingles should be mechanically fastened with a pneumatic nail gun if the contractor determines that the roof sheathing is consistent and free from gaps. Most roof systems with plywood or OSB sheathing will fall into this category.

Can I use screws for roof shingles?

You cannot use screws for roofing shingles, only roofing nails are approved fasteners. Screws leave small gaps in the material they are driven into, and this may be enough to allow for a leak.

Can I install asphalt myself?

Making your own asphalt driveway is hard work, and not a job for one person. If you have friends who will help you, it is possible to save a lot of money by doing your own driveway, even after the cost of rental equipment is factored in.

Is asphalt the same as blacktop?

Although people use the terms interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. The materials that are used to make blacktop and asphalt are the same. Both are made from two ingredients: bitumen and crushed stone. The difference lies in how those ingredients are combined to make the final product.

How hard is it to lay asphalt?

The process of paving with asphalt is not difficult, but proper asphalt installation requires heavy equipment that most homeowners do not possess. You might not be able to install asphalt by yourself, but understanding the operation will allow you to ensure that your hired contractor is doing it correctly.

How far should shingles hang over roof edge?

Shingles should be installed over the drip edge a minimum of 3/8” (9 mm) at both the eave edge and the rake edge. If the drip edge extends… out from the rakes and eaves (typically called DL Style or D Type), the shingles may be installed flush with the drip edge.