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How Do You Figure Shingles For A Roof

What Is A Square In Roofing

How to measure a roof for shingles

A roofing square is the amount of roofing material required to cover 100 square feet of roof. When calculating the number of shingles you need to cover your roof, youll calculate the area in terms of squares. Therefore if you have 2100 square feet of roof, youll need 21 squares of roof material.

A square of shingles is the number of shingles needed to cover a square of roofing. Whereas a bundle of shingles can vary in square footage, a square of shingles is always 100 square feet. This makes it easier when purchasing roofing materials since manufacturers will package 3 or 4 bundles of shingles to add to an even square.

A square in roofing is always 100 square feet. This refers to the square footage on the roof surface. It doesnt necessarily have to be a perfect square and is a quick way to calculate the quantity of roofing material that youll need for your job.

Youll always need more shingles than youd think to cover a square of roofing. Even if a shingle is 12 wide, some of that is covered by the shingle on top of it. Therefore, only about 6 to 8 of each shingle is showing. Thus, for standard 3-tab shingles, you may end up with 80 or more shingles in one square of roofing.

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How To Calculate The Required Shingle Area

The calculated areas will help you estimate the material you will need, but to calculate the shingle needed for your beginner course, all you need to do is add linear feet to the eaves and divide the result by the length shingle. Multiply your total area by 1.05 to increase it by 5%. This will allow you to calculate the required area of the shingle and Add 10% to your total for trim allowances. Bituminous shingles are available in different sizes therefore, you should be sure what type of shingle you want to use before calculating. Here are some features of the shapes of the shingle.

How Shingle Quantities Are Measured

When you have a bundle or square count for the main roof area, you will then add additional shingles to account for waste, starter shingles, and extra shingles for hip and ridge caps.

1. Measurement method

The most accurate way to calculate how many bundles of shingles youll need is to get up on the roof and measure each roof plane. If all the roof planes are rectangles, you simply need to multiply the length times the width of each plane to get the square footage then you will add up the square footage of each plane. Many times, the roof may be too steep to walk on without safety equipment, so you will have to do the estimate from the ground. If this is the case, measure the length of the building at the ground level and estimate any rake-edge overhangs. Next, from a ladder, use a stiff, wide blade measuring tape to measure from the edge of the eaves to the ridge.

2. Sheet-count method

Calculating the number of bundles, you need is simple if you are using shingles that come three bundles to a square. Each bundle covers 33.3 sq. ft. of roof areawhich is close enough to the 32 sq. ft. a sheet covers, which means you can order one bundle for each sheet of roof sheathing.

If you are working with other bundle counts per square, simply divide the number of sheets of sheathing by three and youll have the total number of squares needed to cover the roof this is because three sheets of sheathing equal roughly 100 sq. ft. .

3. Shingle-count method

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Measuring The Length And Width Of Each Plane By Hand

  • 1Draw an overhead view of your roof. Each area on the roof is a single plane, which just means it’s a surface with a 2D shape, like a rectangle or square. Add lines where the different planes come together. Make sure to include all the planes, as well as any shingled sides of dormers your roof may have.
  • You don’t have to draw this to scale. You just need a basic drawing of what your roof looks like.
  • Draw the roof like flat planes. Don’t try to add perspective for the pitch. So if you have 2 rectangles meeting together at an angle, just draw 2 rectangles with a line in between.
  • 2Climb a ladder with a notepad, a pencil, and a measuring tape. Stow these items in a shoulder or hip pack while climbing for easy access. Wear closed-toe shoes with good grip and avoid working on wet or windy days.XResearch source
  • Use a sturdy extension ladder and prop it against the side of the roof. Make sure the ground is level underneath if it’s not, use plywood to even it out by placing pieces under one side. Tie the ladder to stakes to steady it on the ground, and then tie it with wire to a 20d nail driven into the roof.
  • To step onto the roof, hold on to the ladder extending above the base of the roof with 2 hands. It should extend at least 3 feet from the base of the roof.
  • Read the measurement and write it down on the small map you made of the roof, putting the measurements on the correct sides as you do.
  • Always be careful to balance yourself while you’re making measurements.
  • 5
  • How Many Rolls Of Felt Will You Need

    Roof Pitch Calculator

    Roofing felt is sold by the roll. The average roll of 15-pound roofing felt covers about 400 ft2, or 4 squares, while the average roll of 30-pound roofing felt covers about 200 ft2, or 2 squares.

    Rolls of felt are 36 wide x 144 long for 15# and 72 long for 30#. Consider other underlayment options as needed, such as rubber or tar products.

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    Draw A Diagram Of Your Roof

    The first step in measuring your roof is to get a general idea of the area you will be measuring. Take a piece of paper and outline the appearance of your roof so that it is as close to its actual dimensions as possible. Not only will this give you a good idea of what youll be measuring, but also a handy place to record your measurements as you go. Increase these numbers by 15% to account for waste. Once you have a rough sketch of the roof, its time to go upstairs and start measuring.

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    What Else Impacts The Cost Of Your New Roof

    Now you know how to roughly calculate your roofs square footage and 3 more factors that impact the cost. Remember, the only way to get a 100 percent accurate measurement is to have a local roofing contractor come out to professionally measure your roof.

    Knowing your square footage and the 3 other cost factors lays the groundwork for learning the size of your roof investment. However, there are even more factors that impact the cost of your new roof besides whats listed in this article.

    To understand where your hard-earned money is going when you invest in a new roof, we broke down the 9 factors that affect the cost of your new roof.

    The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided high-quality roofing services in the Nashville area since 1990. We give you an experience rare in the roofing industry with our workmanship and customer service.Thats why were proud to offer you a lifetime warranty.

    To learn what affects the cost of your replacement, check out 9 Factors That Impact the Cost of Your New Roof.

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    What You Need To Know About Shingles

    • Standard 3-tab shingles measure 36 inches by 12 inches.
    • These 3-tab shingles are meant to be applied with a 5-inch reveal. This means that 5 inches of lower tabs are exposed to the elements.
    • Approximately 3 bundles of shingles will cover 100 square feet of roof.
    • The line of sticky material across the shingles is meant to activate in the hot sun.
    • Align the lower flap of a shingle with the sticky material along the preceding row.

    How To Calculate Square Footage Of Roof For Shingles

    How to measure a roof for shingles

    The most precise way to calculate the square footage of the roof for shingles is by taking exact measurements. This is also one of the riskier methods, as it involves you climbing up on the roof with a tape measure and physically measuring each plane of the roof. If the roof is 8/12 or steeper, do not attempt this method!

    Once on the roof, use a tape measure to take measurements of the length and width of each plane of the roof. Multiply the length and width of the roof to get a measurement of each planes total area. For example, a roof with a single plane that is 50 feet long by 30 feet wide has a total square footage of 1,500 square feet.

    For roofs with two roof planes, such as a gable roof, add up the areas of each plane to get the total square footage of the roof. For example, a roof with two sides that are each 30 by 50 square feet would have the total square footage of 3,000 square feet.

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    Figure Out Your Homes Footprint

    If you use the square footage of your home, youll only get a vague idea of what the square footage of your roof is. Thats why you have to figure out your homes footprint.

    A person of average height will have a stride somewhere between 2 to 2.5 feet. To figure out your homes footprint, you can step off the dimensions of your roof by counting the steps you take to get the length of your home. You will then step off the width of your home.

    After stepping off the length and width of your home, youll multiply the two numbers to get your homes footprint.

    Length x width = your home’s footprint

    Your calculations are going to be off, but measuring this way can give you a basic idea of your homes footprint. Keep in mind, square footage of a house does not equal the square footage of a roof.

    Count The Sheathing Pieces

    The easiest method to figure your square footage is to estimate using the exposed roof sheathing. If youre shingling over your old shingles, then this method wont work. But if you are completely removing your old roofing or completing a new build, then this method works for you.

    A complete piece of roof sheathing is 4 x 8. Thus, the square footage of one piece is 32 feet squared. Count up all the sheets on all sides of your roof. Add them up. Then account for half or quarter pieces on the edges and roughly add them up to make complete pieces.

    Once complete, you can multiply the number of sheathing pieces you have by 32, which will give you a fairly accurate picture of the square footage of your roof.

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    Calculating The Area Of A Complex Roof

    Areas of complex roofs with multiple hips and valleys take the most time to calculate. Start by making a rough sketch of the roof. To simplify the calculation, break down the sketch into rectangles and right triangles , then take as many measurements of the roof as you can to match the sides of the rectangles and triangles on the sketch.

    Use visual cues from the existing roof shingles or roof sheathing to determine square lines off eaves edges or ridges. These cues will help you measure the lengths of the sides of the rectangles and triangles. For instance, the cutout slots on shingled roofs run perpendicular to the eaves, and nail rows in sheathing are pretty close to square also. It is difficult sometimes to get accurate measurements. Dont get too concerned though just round lengths to the nearest 6 in.

    With the sketch filled in with measurements, you can determine the size of the roof area. The area of a rectangle is length multiplied by width, whereas the area of a right triangle is the length of the two sides that meet at the 90-degree corner multiplied together and divided by two .

    Tally the square footages of all the rectangles and triangles, which will give you the total square footage for the roof. The example here shows the calculation for a roof with two hips.

    How Many Bundles Of Shingles Do I Need Calculator

    How To Figure Roof Pitch Calculator

    The most accurate way to calculate how many bundles of shingles youll need is to get up on the roof and measure each roof plane. If all the roof planes are rectangles, you simply need to multiply the length times the width of each plane to get the square footage then you will add up the square footage of each plane.

    Beside this, How many square feet will 3 bundles of shingles cover?

    33.3 sq

    Likewise, How many bundles of shingles make up a square?

    3 bundles

    Also, How many bundles of shingles do I need for 100 square feet?

    three bundles

    How many shingles do I need for 100 square feet?

    Roof surfaces are measured in squares. A roofing square is equal to 100 square feet of the roof. To determine the number of squares on the gable roof example in this post, divide its total of 2400 square feet by 100 . This means you would need 24 squares of shingles to cover that roof.

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    How To Measure A Roof Using Google Earth

    If youre looking for a free way to measure your roof using imagery you can find on a smartphone or computer, consider logging into Google Earth and searching for your home. If you live in a large enough metropolitan area, youll find both the 2D and 3D imagery needed to take roof measurements online.

    Begin by entering your address into Google Earths search function. Youll get a birds-eye 3D view of the property, which will allow you to get a good view of the roof pitch. Position the view, so youre looking down on the roof.

    Use Google Earths area measurement tool to outline the section of roof you want to measure, making sure to set the display to feet. Once you create a box, Google will tell you the length of each side and the total square footage.

    You can use that number with the slope factor of your roof to come up with a fairly accurate estimate.

    This method isnt as precise as the expensive apps, but it will give you a good enough estimate of the square footage of your roof to purchase shingles.

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    How Do You Calculate The Square Footage Of 1212 Shed Roof

    Figure out the area of the shed plus the overhangs: determine the squre footage of the shed foot print by measuring the length and width of the shed including the overhangs. Assume the overhangs are 1 feet both sides eves and rake then you have 2 feet extra, so each dimension for 12×12 shed roof with overhangs is around 14×14 = 196 square footage.

    Find the roof pitch or slope:- the roof pitch is the amount of slope. The slope is described by the rise in inches or how far up it goes over the run in inches or how far horizontal it goes. We will use a 6 in 12 pitch. For every 6 inches the roof goes up to the peak it goes 12 inches horizontally.

    Calculate the square of rise and run and sum it:- square of rise 6×6=36, square of run = 12×12 = 144, add both 36 +144 = 180.

    Find the square root of the sum:- square root of 180 = 13.417

    Sum divide by 12 to get the product:- square root of 180 = 13.417 is divided by 12 as 13.417 ÷ 12 = 1.118, hence 1.118 equals the product

    Multiply the product by the flat roof area and divide by 100:- our 12×12 shed square footage with overhangs is 196 sq ft, so 1.118 x 196 = 220 square feet, 220 / 100 = 2.2 squares.

    Add 10% for wastes:- wastages 10% of 2.2 squares = 0.22, so final squares of shingles do you need = 2.2+ 0.22 = 2.42 squares, it is rounded to 3 squares.

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    How To Figure Out The Square Footage Of A Roof

    Repairing or replacing your roof can be expensive, especially if you dont know how to calculate its square footage. A wrong estimate can cost you thousands of dollars and might even delay your roof repair, leaving your home exposed to the elements. The good news is you can easily estimate the square footage of your roof with a few tools and basic geometry.

    How Many Shingles Do I Need For A 1212 Shed

    How To Calculate Roofing Shingles including Hip Roofs by PawPaw

    How many shingles do i need for a 12×12 shed | How many bundles of shingles do i need for a 12×12 shed | how to calculate shingles quantity for 12×12 shed.

    Calculation of shingles quantity is simple and easy if your shed roof is flat, but majority of house in US have pitch roof that makes calculation of square footage area for pitch roof difficult. The shed footprint is 12×12 = 144 sq ft but the roof surface is quite a bit more due to slope. Gambrel roofs have different slopes and configuration pitch but generally the roof surface is roughly twice the footprint in square footage.

    This article describes the basic maths calculation to calculate roof materials such as shingles. If you have ever question yourself how many squares footage or square is my house roof? this article will help you find the square footage of your roof. This article describe about the maths formula to figure out how much shingles you need to order.

    When you talked Roofing is about using the term square, a square equal to 100 square feet of roof or a 10 foot by 10 foot area. So a roof that has 200 square feet of area has 2 squares. Remember that unless the roof is flat, the square footage of the building is different than the square footage of the roof because of the slope or pitch of the roof and the overhangs.

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