How To Install Wood Roof Shingles

Ask this old house general contractor tom silva reveals the best ways to secure shingles to a roof.

How to install wood roof shingles.

Installing roof shingles in 11 steps. Put the next shingle about one eighth to one quarter of an inch away from the edge of the first shingle. Lap rows of 36 inch wide felt using the provided lap lines as guides. The first thing you need to do when figuring out how to put shingles on a roof is to determine which type of roofing shingles you need.

The shingles should be no more than five eighths of an inch apart. Butt a full shingle up against the cut shingle and nail into place. Using the chalk line snap a line between the two marks to get a straight edge. Use 4 nails per shingle and 6 nails on the prevailing windward sides of the roof as wind resistance nailing.

Step 1 choose the wood shingles the first step is for you to choose your wood shingles. Many pros shingle in a vertical line up the roof because it s much faster. To start installing shingles line up aluminum drip edge flush with the edge of the roof and make a pencil line at the top on each end of the house. Ensure the second shingle overhangs the edge of the roof by the same amount as the first shingle.

Attach the shingle to the roof with two nails driven in near its top edge. If you are thinking about installing your own wood shingles you may feel overwhelmed. Known in the trade as vertical racking or staggering this how to lay shingles method enables the roofer to install a single column of shingles all the way to the peak without the wasted back and forth motion necessary to fill several rows of stair steps. Drive a roofing nail directly through the corner of each shingle.

This leaves room for the shingles to contract and expand. Repeat this basic pattern alternating shingles across the roof working toward the right side using the chalk line to keep the shingles straight horizontally. When you install wood shake roof shingles place one shingle on the left of your guide line and a second shingle on the right side. Before installing the shakes the roofer covers the roof deck with 15 or 30 pound roofing felt.

Following these steps will keep your wood shingle installation quick and easy.