Important Things to Remember When Re-shingling Your Roof

Common problems that can arise with roof shingles are that they don't last long. Most asphalt roof shingles are guaranteed to last 10 to 30 years depending on exposure to various elements. Rainwater, humidity, and heat can cause your shingles to curl, bulge, and twist at the edges. The tabs may begin to shrink, which will eventually result in greater velocity between them, which would cause the roofing plywood to disintegrate.

When this happens, the only fix for your old shingles is to reshingle your roof. Re-cladding isn't actually that difficult, depending on the size of the roof and the availability of tools. You have the option of simply hiring someone to do the work for you, but if you prefer to do the project yourself, you can still do so. Still, it would be for your safety and benefit to have someone work with you since four hands work faster than two. To know more here about this or similar articles.

An important reminder though, is when working on your shingles always take the necessary precautions as working on the roof can be dangerous. Better be careful and use common sense. Wear appropriate equipment such as heavy rubber-soled shoes with non-slip treads to avoid slipping. Your ladder should also be high enough, strong enough, and secure enough for your safety.

For your materials, better measure the length and width of each roof area, as most roofing shingles are sold in squares, but they are compressed with three or four bundles per square. To get the total number of shingles you need, multiply the length times the width for each area of the roof and then add the results for the total area of shingles you need and finally divide the total area by 100. That Result would be the total number of clapboard squares you need.

When reshingling your roof, first make the necessary repairs to the roof structure. If there are more than three layers of old roofing, remove them completely so you can install the new shingles. You can apply new shingles to old wood shingles, but you must nail them down as securely as possible and use a spring strip to keep them looking smooth.

Lay 16-pound roofing felt over the old shingles and weatherproof the roof by overlapping each felt by 2 inches, then staple the felt to the roof structure. When installing your starter bar, begin at the bottom of the roof. To install your shingles, locate the center of the roof and mark it with chalk. 

Lay the first clapboard on the chalk so it should be over the starter strip and use a nail gun to secure the clapboard. Continue laying the first row of shingles, making sure they are secure in either direction from the middle shingle. The next course should be the same and use chalk to help you install each clapboard. Continue the process until you reach the roof strip.