How To Figure Roofing Shingles
Getting acquainted with how to figure roofing shingles is going to be the first thing that you will need to do before getting started with shingling your roof, especially if you are a complete novice with this type of job. Of course, you could take the easier option and get a contractor in to do the job for you, but if you are on a very tight budget then this isn’t going to be possible for everyone.
Besides, you can get a great deal of satisfaction by completing the job yourself and it is always good to learn new skills through your life. Getting to grips with how to figure roofing shingles will ensure that you’ll have the ability to do this type of job whenever it needs doing most of the time. In this article I will give you a brief overview of what you’ll need to do to get the job done.
Installing new roofing shingles for your home can really help to improve the appearance of your home making it look much more appealing as well as possibly improving its market value in the process. It will also help to fully protect your home from the elements when the job has been completed properly.
Before you begin you should make sure that you have all the tools and materials that you are going to need to complete the installation of the roofing shingles. There is nothing worse I don’t think than getting half way through the job only to realise you forget to purchase an important tool or material. You’ll need things such as roofing shingles, roofing nails, roofing felt, roof cement, staple gun and chalk. These are the basics that you’ll need to get started but ensure that there isn’t anything else you might require before you start.
To begin you will need to check the roof thoroughly for any limbs, nails or loose debris that might be sticking out. Make sure to take care of any nails or jagged edges. I would recommend wearing some decent heavy duty working gloves for this job. Once this has been completed you can go ahead and staple the felt to the roof using your staple gun.
You must make sure that you overlap the edges by a minimum of two inches as you go. Doing so will make sure the roofing felt provides the maximum weather protection. Next you will need to mark the centre of your roof, you can do so using your chalk. From their using your chalk draw a line from that point on to the edge of the roof.
Next you can start laying down the starter strip of roofing shingles along every edge of your roof. You will have to take care that you leave approximately a 5/8 inch hanging over each edge. The purpose of laying the starter strip in this fashion is that it will be a good solid guide for laying the rest of the shingles. You will begin at the centre point that you measured out earlier on with the chalk and place the roofing shingles on the starter strip.
You can then proceed to secure each shingle to your roof using your trusted roofing nails as you go. Do so in a nice and steady systematic manner until you have entirely covered the area of the roof. You have to be aware that you are bumping up each new shingle against the one you laid previously. The challenge for you will be making sure that you follow the exact same pattern from the starting strip through to the edge of the roof.
Finally you will need to take care to seal all the ridging, flashing and the edgings using your roof cement to complete the job. There are some other things to keep in mind when learning how to figure roofing shingles. To measure the roof in the simplest manner just multiply the length by the width of all the areas that are going to be re-shingled. This will give you a good idea of how much materials you will need.
It is always a good idea to buy a little extra than you estimated though which should make sure you don’t run out of the materials you will need before you finish. It is recommended when purchasing the roofing nails to go for the hot galvanized type although this is not a requirement by any means. It’s great to learn how to figure roofing shingles but please always take care with your safety. It is best to work with a partner. If this is not possible at least let people know that you will be working on your roof.
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