How to install shingles?

Question

I am goin to attempt to shingle my roof...im using dimensional shingles....its not very steep..easy to walk on/..i have one place that needs flashing...right now i have one layer of shingles that i will attempt to remove.....i have 3 "separate" roofs...addition on back and a garage all attatched to house....i was wonderin if i could do one roof at a time?....things i need to look out for? how exactly i go about puttin the shingles on? what do i put on before the shingles?....what do i put on the peak of the roof? Things i need to avoid? How do i put the flashing on??

Answer 1

Congratulations on being brave enough to tackle this job.  First of all, you can do each roof individually, and this would be the recommended way.  If you get surprised by rain, you only need to cover one roof.  After you tear off the old roof, be sure to pound all of the old nails down or remove them.  Apply a course of ice and water shield for at least the first 3' of the roof eave, then cover the rest of the roof with 15# roofing felt.  Then run ice and water up any valleys in the roof.  Apply a starter course of shingles, usually a row of shingles cut in half lengthwise.  Then lay each course over the previous.  The second course is full shingles laid over the starter course, then the next will cover the second, leaving about 5" of the second course exposed.  Do your best to keep your rows straight.  If the roof meets a wall, you need to use step flashing.  One side slips under the siding, the other sits on top of the shingle.  Each shingle will get 4 nails, just above the exposure line.  At the ridge, or peak, you will want to use ridge vent if your roof does not have square vents, and then shingle over this with standard 3 tab shingles that match your architectural shingles.  Slightly angle the cuts in the part of the tab that will be covered by the next shingle in order to keep the tbs hidden.  Use roofing cement (Black Jack) to hold the last tab in place.  

Be sure to use galvanized metal flashing in your valleys.  The last thing you want to do is tear it all apart due to a leak.  Be very careful when walking up there.  Even though you say it's easy, loose granules from the new shingles can be an unexpected hazard.  Be mindful of the air hose(s).  They are also a trip and fall hazard.  

One last piece of advice.  Arrange for rooftop delivery of the shingles.  It really gets old fast carrying 85 lb. bundles of shingles up a ladder.

Good luck!  Hope this helps.

Answer 2

on the shingles, start down to the edge of the roof and work your way up to the eve. its better if you use roofing nails, at least 4 nails in each shingle, that way, the wind wont take them off. i like roofing nails better then a nail gun.when you get the first row done, over lap the next row, using 4 nails in each shingle,do that, until you get to the eve, then use shingles for the cap.