How To Size Roof For Shingles

How to measure a roof for shingles step by step the process of accurately measuring a roof involves first making a diagram of the roof to show the basic shapes of each roof plain and how they relate to one another.

How to size roof for shingles.

Then each measurement is recorded on the diagram applicable to that roof surface. To find the squares divide the overall roof area by 100 and then round up. A square simply refers to a 10 x 10 square of roofing. Measure the width and length of each section of your roof.

Hold the end you measured from against the bottom of a rafter so it s sticking straight out horizontally and is level. As a rule of thumb there are 3 bundles to a square assuming that you are using three tab strip shingles. This is simply 100 square feet of roof. A square of shingles is the number of shingles needed to cover 100 sq feet of roof area.

The more common roof thickness is 3 4 inch decking. From the 1 ft 0 30 m spot you marked on the level measure upward to the rafter. How to measure for roof shingles. Of the old shingles have not been removed from the roof you can easily use this method to calculate the number of shingles you are going to need.

Some roofing shingles such as duration are applied with a 6 1 2 inch offset and a 5 5 8 inch exposure over a prepared roof deck. Add the areas of each section together. To use this method you will need to measure the length of the eaves on each of the roof planes. Multiply the width and length measurements together to determine the area.

However shingles are packaged in a way that they are light enough for the average person to carry around. Measure the pitch of your roof in the attic. When installing asphalt shingles on felt only to any grade decking you should use 1 inch long roofing nails. Contractors start at the bottom of the roof and work across the roof s surface and up.

For instance if the roof is 1550 square feet then it is 16 squares. Snap a horizontal chalk line over the starting row to use as a guide. Required measurements include the following. The specifics of how shingles are laid on your roof vary by manufacturer.

Cut six inches off the length of the first starter shingle nailed on then use the rest of them full size.