In this video, we walk you through how to shingle a roof so it is straight and water-tight. These project guidelines are for low roofs that allow easy access, such as those on porches, sheds, or doghouses. For larger roofs, hiring a professional roofing crew with proper fall protection is advised.

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How Hard is it to Shingle a Roof?

Adding shingles onto a roof can be challenging and dangerous. It’s important to wear the appropriate safety gear such as a harness and a line attached to the ridge or staging with safety rails around it to protect yourself from falling.

Should Shingles Overhang the Drip Edge?

Overhanging shingles over the drip edge about a half-inch can help with surface tension. Plan out how you will lay your shingles beforehand, here’s how we recommend you approach your installation.

Installing Roof Shingles in 11 Steps:

  • 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.
  • Using the chalk line, snap a line between the two marks to get a straight edge.
  • Pull the drip edge down about a half inch from that line to create a gap between the drip edge and the fascia board.
  • Nail the drip edge in place using 1¼-inch galvanized roofing nails and a hammer.
  • Repeat steps for gabled ends, installing the drip edge up the roof along the gable.
  • Lay out 30-lb. asphalt roofing felt paper and nail it in place using 1¼-inch galvanized roofing nails.
  • To lay out the design for the shingles, begin at the bottom of the roof and place a tape measure ½ inch from the edge of the roof to ensure the shingles overhang the drip edge.
  • Mark 12 inches up on the roof for the first course of shingles, then mark every 5 inches all the way up the roof to set your reveal. Do this on both sides of the roof.
  • Using the chalk line, snap a straight line on each 5-inch increment.
  • Use the chalk line to snap a straight line vertically every 6 inches.
  • Install a starter course by cutting off the three tabs on a shingle, leaving only the top tar section.

Tools:

Related

Fixing Damaged Roof Shingles

Tools & Materials

  • Chalk line
  • Tape measure
  • Hammer
  • Rafter square
  • Utility knife