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How to Shingle a Shed Roof

5/31/2022

how to shingle a shed roofFirst things first, when attempting a DIY project, it is important to always put safety first and start with wearing goggles and work gloves at all times. Additionally, you must take special, added safety precautions while you are on the shed roof and wear proper shoes for this process as well. There are many accidents that can occur while on the roof, but it is important to note that the majority of them are caused by negligence.

CertainTeed wants to make sure you are keeping it simple, and paying attention to what you are doing, before following our step-by-step directions for shingling a shed roof.

Step 1: Strip Previous Roofing Materials

If you are working with an older shed roof, you must first start by removing the existing shingles before you can even think about laying the new shingles down. The easiest way to remove these shingles is by using a fork to get the edges to loosen and then strip them off with a shovel. Of course, make sure you are discarding the old shingles properly once they have been removed.

Step 2: Apply Roofing Paper

Next, you are going to lay down a decent layer of roofing paper across the entire roof, trimming and overlapping where it is deemed necessary. If you find there to be any old paper stuck in place, it is okay to reuse it as long as it is not rotting. If the old paper is rotting, strip it off before you add new paper on top of it.

Step 3: Layer New Shingles

To start shingling, you will want to begin at the very bottom edge of the shed roof. Lay the entire first row one shingle at a time, making sure to nail each one down with one-inch nails. The nails should be placed at each corner, a little inward from the edge, and at least one nail in the middle as well.

Once you have shingled the shed roof and reached the opposite end, you should trim off any excess. The next row that is laid should overlap the first by at least ⅓ of shingle with each one centered over the seam of the two in the row that was previously laid. All the following rows that need to be laid should follow this same procedure.

Additionally, a nail gun will make this process of laying shingles much faster, but of course, if you do not have access to a nail gun there is no need to worry. An alternative to using nails is using tar to hold the shingles down as well, but this process is a bit more involved.

Step 4: Cap the Top

Last but certainly not least, you should use adhesive on the last row of tiles to ensure that there will be a secure hold. For this, either buy ridge cap shingles or shape regular shingles to fit over this area. These should be laid moving from one end to the other, overlapping as you lay them. Finally, secure these with 1 ½ inch nails. This method allows for a durable and waterproof roof that will last up to 30 years, based on the shingles.

Contact Local Experts to Get Started

If you do run into any trouble throughout this process of attempting to shingle a shed roof, contact our team of experts at CertainTeed.


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