Handy Tips for Installing Roof Shingles
Installing roof shingles is an easy project to tackle and can save you a lot of money since most of the cost of a roofing job is in the labor. There are a wide variety of shingle styles you can choose for your roof, and many of them are applied in the same fashion so these tips will be helpful and save you some time if you decide to apply the shingles yourself. Before you begin, be careful to take every precaution when working on a roof and around power lines. Always try to work with a partner, use safety lines and be sure to watch out for loose shingles as these can cause you to slide down the roof.
The first thing you need to do is make sure the roof is ready to accept the new shingles. If this is a roof that is having old shingles replaced, you should remove all of the previous shingles, tar paper and nails before you begin. Check the entire wooden roof surface for damage and repair and secure any boards that need repair before continuing.
Once the roof is clean and sound, you will need to install a “drip edge” along the bottom edge of the roof. This is usually aluminum and will run the entire length of the house. This is secured with galvanized roofing nails and is there to prevent ice and rain from penetrating the edge of the roof. Once this is done for all of the edges, you now need to install the starter strip which is a piece of shingle that is attached above the drip edge and runs the entire width of the house. This can be a special shingle, or you can simply cut the tabs off a group of shingles you are using to make these. This will act as your first row of shingles on the roof and the others will build up from there. Next you need to roll out the roofing felt and staple it to the roof. Start at the edge of the roof and roll it along the roof horizontally. Do one row and be sure to overlap the next row you attach to it by a little bit to prevent water from getting under it. Once you have this done, you are ready to apply the shingles.
There are a few methods to attaching the shingles to the roof and which you use depends largely on the type of shingle and if you have help. The easiest way to shingle a roof with two or more people is to start in one lower corner and work both up and across at the same time. Be sure to snap a chalk line every so often to make sure you are staying straight. By moving in two directions at the same time, you can stay out of each other way and finish the roof more quickly. To apply the shingles simply lay them flat and nail them to the roof using galvanized roofing nails along the guide line provided on the shingle. As you move up the roof, overlap the next row to the guide line on the shingle below and be sure to stagger the gaps between tabs. Installing roof shingles is not a difficult process if you take your time and have a little help.
