How To Shingle A Roof

When shingling a roof there are a few things to keep in mind before starting your project. In most incidents you will need a building permit depending on what county and state you live in. You can get the building permit from your county court house normally from the planning and zoning office. Display the building permit in a prominent area. Basic tools needed are an airgun, nails, tar, hook blade, skill saw, tear off shovels, chalk line, tape measure, claw hammer, pry bar and OSHA safety equipment.

The next step in shingling a roof is to understand the requirements of layers. Fire codes require that a roof can only have three layers including the roofing felt before you have to completely tear off the old layers. If you had a layer of roofing felt and two layers of shingles you would have to tear off the layers right down to the wood to meet the fire code requirements. It is always a good idea to check for soft spots in the plywood or broken boards, weak edges or sagging spots between the roof trusses.

If the plywood under the shingles shows serious signs of wear it is more responsible and advisable to replace the wood sheeting before starting your shingling project. Plywood sheeting is normally bought in a 1/2" to 5/8" thickness in four by eight foot sheets. You will want to have a dumpster on hand to throw your wood scraps, old or damaged shingles, tin and waste into so it is not damaging to your lawn. A good sturdy ladder is essential and you may need roof jacks or scaffolding depending on the steepness of the roof pitch.

The next step is deciding on the weight of the felt. Felt is the underlayment that is placed on top of the plywood. You can buy roofing felt in two weights, 15lb and 30 lb. If you live in an area that gets high winds it is a better idea to use the 30 lb roofing felt as it is more wind and tear resistant. An ice barrier is the next product you will need to prevent ice from damaging your shingles and causing roof damage due to ice build up on the roof edging. Metal drip edge is put on next and the shingles are laid down over this layer ending with a roof cap, vent tin for piping and tar for sealing.