Your shingle roof can come in different styles, colors and patterns. It can be made of different roofing materials like metal, wood, slate, or asphalt. You get to choose the one you like best and that’s also suited to your climate and lifestyle.
How To Build an Asphalt Shingle Roof?
It’s a rather simple step to select asphalt roof shingles. You have the option of choosing colors, sizes, shapes and textures for your shingles. The shingle roof you select must match or complement the rest of the house. Because the house is not yet finished, there’s a certain level of imagination you’ll need to do this well.
Your shingle roof must also match the overall design of your building. A rounded shingle, for instance, may not go well with a contemporary architecture. Similarly, the siding you choose as well as the types and sizes of windows and doors that you will be fitting must harmonize with the roof you install in order for the building to have aesthetic appeal.
A final factor to keep in mind is the neighborhood in which your house is located. The style and color of homes around you may influence the choices you make. The location and layout of your building within the property also impacts the choices you make about a shingle roof.
When it comes to picking roofing material, look for value, durability, fire and wind resistance and appearance before making your final decision. Quality roofing materials will be long lasting, provide better protection, and cost less over the lifetime of your shingle roof.
How Many Shingles Will You Need?
A rule of thumb is that 3 bundles of roofing shingles cover one square (100 sq ft). For simple roofs, divide the area by 100 and multiply by 3 to get the number of bundles you’ll need. But order extra bundles in case of breakage and damage during installation. Otherwise you may be stuck waiting for replacement shingles (which may be out of stock when you need them!)
It’s wise to check with manufacturers about their return policy in case you wind up with too many extra bundles. Fortunately, many are lenient as long as you return shingles in good condition.
How To Put Up a Shingle Roof?
Start by studying the manufacturer’s instructions on the package. Then draw lines on the roof to ensure that shingles are laid in straight rows. Even though this sounds simple and obvious, you’d be amazed at how many DIY roofers have ended up becoming the laughing stock of their family and friends for laying a ‘wavy roof’.
Start the first course with shingles of varying size in order to stagger joints between them. This is important for water drainage. The first course begins with a full shingle. Subsequent shingles will have 6″ cut off from the end. When you’ve come to the end and are left with a single tab, start over with a full shingle and repeat your way back to the peak of the roof.
Cut off a few courses of shingles before getting on the roof. If there’s someone to help you, assign the task to them.
Nail shingles to the roof using 4 nails per shingle. One goes in at an inch from the edge and the other two above the cutouts. Place nails below the asphalt line. Begin with the edge and work upwards until you can no longer reach comfortably while standing on your ladder. Then begin the next row. When the entire first course is done, begin the second and work up the slope until you can no longer lay full shingles.
At this point, cut the shingles to be even with the top of your roof sheathing. Do the same on the opposite slope and continue until the two sides meet at the apex. Lay a Cobra strip for venting after carefully reading manufacturer’s guidelines. This layer allows air to circulate between roof trusses.
Fix a Ridge Cap
Finally make a ridge cap for the peak of your roof. These come ready-made for installation, but you can design your own. It is time consuming, however, and you’ll need quite a few shingles to cover the peak. You’ll need to make angled cuts along the sides of the tab, to total six cuts per shingle.
While installing the ridge cap, think about how wind blows and where storms come from so that you can face the ridge cap away from that direction. This lets wind flow along the shingles and doesn’t blow away the cap. The ridge cap is firmly nailed down to the peak of the roof, and your job is finished.
Now stand back and admire your new shingle roof – and enjoy the comfort and security that comes from a secure roof over your head.
