How To Calculate The Number Of Roof Shingles Youll Need
Before you start the calculation, you need to be aware that shingles are sold by the square and by the bundle. A square of shingles will be the amount needed to cover an area of 100 square feet. The shingle bundles will be plastic or paper-wrapped bundles that are made to be light enough for a single person to carry. This means that if you are going to be using heavier shingles, you will need to have more bundles to cover each square foot.
It is common to use 3 bundles to a square of shingles. However, if you are using heavier shingles, you will require 4 to 5 bundles for a square. When you are using 3 bundles for a square, you will be getting 29 standard shingles in each bundle.
How You Get Shingles
When you are replacing your roof, you need to calculate the number of roof shingles you need. There is nothing worse than being short on shingles because you will only realize this close to the end of your project. Of course, there are some measurements which will need to be taken before you are able to calculate the number of roof shingles that you need.
The Measurement Method
If you do not have any safety equipment, you will need to use a ladder to get one measurement while the others can be made on the ground. Of course, this will be assuming that your home is rectangular. When using this method, you will need to measure the rake of the roof while standing on a ladder. This is the length from the peak of the roof to the edge where our ladder will be sitting.
How Do You Get Rid Of Old Shingles
The type and quantity of shingles you are getting rid of can impact your disposal options. If you plan to take your shingles to a dump yourself, you will need access to a pickup truck with a cover for safe transportation. If you are looking to recycle old asphalt shingles, research recycling facilities nearby. The easiest way to dispose of old shingles is to rent a dumpster. Our team can help you pick a size that fits your project and guarantees safe and easy shingle removal.
The Roofing Contractor Has To Use Your Current Roof Flashing
Roof flashing is metal material placed anywhere the shingles butt up against something, such as a wall, chimney, or in open valleys. It’s a crucial roofing component that every roof needs to have.
When you get a nail-over, your current contractor must rely on the flashing already on your roof and the past contractors workmanship. If the metals integrity is compromised or the work was done poorly, you should not get a nail-over.
If they use the compromised flashing during your nail-over, you will have leaks. This leads to spending even more of your hard-earned money on repairs and replacing the flashing.
If youre considering a nail-over, ask your roofing contractor if they saw any problems with your roof flashing.
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Things To Know About Nailing Over Your Current Asphalt Roof
Now that you know that youre only allowed to have 2 layers of asphalt shingles and that its possible to nail over your old roof. Yes, nailing over your old roof will be cheaper than getting a complete roof replacement.
But if your current asphalt roof is a good candidate for a nail-over reroof, there are some things you need to be aware of before jumping right into your project.
How Much Do Roofing Shingles Weigh And How Many Are In A Bundle
When most people plan to get a new roof, they don’t realize that most roofers won’t handle the disposal of their current roof. The contractor will rip off the old shingles to prep the roof for new materials, but you’ll have to get rid of those shingles yourself.
You can try loading it all up into a truck and making a few trips to the dump, but renting a dumpster instead will be much easier. You’ll need to estimate the weight of the old shingles so you can get a dumpster that’s the right size.
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How To Calculate Shingles
To calculate the number of shingles youll need, youll need first to measure the square footage of your roof, which is covered above.
Once you have the square footage, divide that number by 100. This will tell you how many roofing squares you have. If your roof is 4500 square feet, divide this number by 100 and youll get 45.
Since we know that most shingles require three bundles to make a square, youll multiply 45 times 3 to find out how many bundles you will need. In this case, youll need 135 bundles of shingles.
If you want to take it a step further and calculate the amount of individual shingles youll need for your project, multiply 135 by the number of shingles indicated on the bundle.
How Many Roofing Shingles Do I Need
To estimate how much roofing material you need, such as bundles of architectural shingles or rolls of synthetic roofing underlayment, you need to know the total square footage of your roofs surface.
How to Calculate Total Square Footage of Your Roof
To find your roofs total square footage:
Example #1: Shed Roof with One Roof Plane
For example, this shed roof has one roof plane.
Multiply length times width :
A x B = 40 x 30 = 1200 sq. ft. for the total square footage of the roof.
Example #2: Gable Roof with Two Roof Planes
This gable roof has two planes.
So to derive the total square footage of the roof, you would:
For example:
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Is A Roof Layover The Best Option For You
Now you know the top four most important things to know before nailing over those old shingles. If your roof isnt a good fit for this project, your other option is a total roof replacement.
If your roof shingles are flat, you dont want to upgrade shingles, and youre okay with the potential of decking and flashing issues, a layover may be for you.
Dont nail over any shingles right away youll want to contact a professional first to inspect your roof. This way, you can avoid any flashing and decking problems before the project begins.
The world of roofing can be confusing. Are you still unsure of which roofing project is right for you? You can learn more with Roof Replacement vs. A Repair: Which One Do I Need?
If youre ready to take the plunge and get a roof layover in the greater Milwaukee area, you can contact Rescue My Roof to schedule your free roof estimate.
Replace Shingles Vs New Roof
A new roof costs an average of $8,500, while repairs typically average around $550. The cost of roof replacement can vary depending on your materials, however, as some shingles cost more to repair than others. Slate roof repairs average a cost of $700 to $2,500, while asphalt shingle repair averages $300 to $1,000. If your roof material is more expensive, it may be more cost effective to put on a new roof with new materials vs. simply repairing the existing shingles.
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Pick A Dumpster That’s The Right Size
Once you know how many square feet your roof is and the weight of its materials, you should contact a local company to secure a dumpster rental for shingle disposal. Part of what makes renting a dumpster a convenient option is that the company will deliver the bin at a scheduled day and time, place it close to the home to make disposing of the shingles easy, and pick it up when scheduled to allow the roofing crew to start work on your new roof with minimal disruptions. Because you’ve already calculated your roof’s square footage, you’ll use that to calculate the size of the dumpster you’ll need. You won’t need to put your shingles in a bundle, you can just drop them right in. Dumpsters are designed to hold specific tonnages, so you should give your dumpster provider the estimated weight to get a bin that can safely handle the weight of your shingles.
How To Calculate A Roofing Square
Before beginning, make sure you can safely access your roofif you cant, contact a roofing professional for help.
Grab your measuring tape, level, pen and paper, roof safety equipment, and your ladder. With these in hand, you can measure your roof in five simple steps.
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Am I A Good Candidate For Re
There are some situations that require a full roof tear-off. As mentioned above, homeowners are legally limited to two layer of roof shingles. Therefore, if you already have two layers, youll need a full tear-off. Additionally, if your roof is severely damaged, it likely wont be able to support the weight of a reroof and will need to be torn off. Ultimately, its best to work with a roofing professional to determine if your roof is eligible for re-roofing. If so, youll likely save quite a bit of money by leaving your existing roofing system in place beneath a new layer of shingles.
How Many Squares Per Roll Of Underlayment
The roll size depends on the type of underlayment product. Synthetic underlayment comes in 10 square rolls, while regular #15 felt comes in 4 square rolls.
So for the 24 square roof example, you would need 2.4 rolls of synthetic underlayment, or 6 rolls of regular #15 felt.
- 24 squares ÷ 10 squares per roll = 2.4 rolls of synthetic underlayment
- 24 squares ÷ 4 squares per roll = 6 rolls of regular #15 felt
Remember: Add 10%-15% for the waste factor on underlayment, as well.
Finally, if you have any questions about your estimate, ask a roofing contractor in your area. Most will be happy to give you a free estimate.
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Your Roofing Contractor Cant Inspect Your Roof Decking
Roof decking is the foundation of your entire roof system. When nailing over your old shingles, theres no opportunity to inspect the decking before installing your new roof.
If there is a problem with the decking and one of the boards breaks during installation, the contractor will take off the old shingles, replace the decking, put the old shingles back on, and start installing again. This adds to the time it takes to replace your roof and can even add to the final cost of the job.
On the other hand, your roof is taken down to its decking when getting a full roof replacement. This gives your contractor a chance to inspect the deckings integrity to see if it can handle your new roof.
If they find any problems with your decking, theyll replace it before installing your new roofing components.
How Much Does A Bundle Of Shingles Weigh
A bundle of shingles weighs anywhere from 60 to 80 pounds. Most bundles are in the 70-pound range. A bundle must be light enough to be handled by your average-sized adult. Therefore, you will not find bundles that way anywhere beyond 80 pounds.
Very thick laminated architectural shingle bundles may weigh less if it requires 4 bundles to make a square of roofing. In that case, each bundle will cover a smaller area and will thus weigh less. However, the majority of shingle bundles will have a similar weight.
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Health And Safety Concerns
The use of RAS in recycled asphalt mixes is entirely prohibited in 10 states, and the majority of states that allow the use of RAS restrict it to certain sectors and pavement types. The primary reason restrictions on the use of RAS exist is the rare presence of asbestos in asphalt shingles manufactured before the early 1980s. Although the lifespan of a typical asphalt shingled roof is approximately 25 years, concerns remain due to the practice of layering newly installed shingles on top of old ones.
In addition to shingles, asbestos has also been found present in felt paper, roll roofing, roof paints/coatings, caulking, and mastic, all of which may be present in the post-consumer shingle waste accepted by asphalt plants. Still, testing has demonstrated the percentage of asbestos-containing post-consumer shingles to be low. A 2007 survey of over 27,000 samples tested at 9 different facilities detected asbestos in less than 1.6% of samples.
The National Asphalt Pavement Association continues to recommend that all post-consumer RAS be inspected for asbestos and that all recycling operations have an asbestos management plan in place.
How Shingle Quantities Are Measured
Roof shingles are sold by both the bundle and by the square. A square of shingles is the quantity needed to cover 100 sq. ft. of roof. Shingles are packaged in paper- or plastic-wrapped bundles designed to be light enough for a person to carry, so heavier shingles require more bundles per square. Three bundles to a square is most common, which applies to most three-tab strip shingles and some lightweight laminated shingles. Heavier three-tabbed shingles and laminated shingles require four, or sometimes five, bundles to cover a square. When shingles come three bundles to the square, there are 29 standard-sized shingles in each bundle.
Figuring out the roof area is the first step to determine how many bundles youll need to order. There are two ways to size up a new or freshly stripped roof: the measurement method and the sheet-count method. Theres a third method for calculating bundles when youll be laying new shingles over old or if the old roof is still in place.
Once you have a bundle or square count for the main roof area, youll add additional shingles to account for waste, starter shingles, and extra shingles for hip and ridge caps.
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You Wont Get The Best Warranty
If you upgrade your shingles during a layover, a lumpy roof wont be the last issue you encounter. You also will not get the best warranty. Most manufacturers may provide a shingle only warranty for 10 to 15 years, not including labor or waste.
All shingles come with a material warranty from the manufacturer. However, the type and quality of the warranty vary from material to material.
You get the best manufacturers warranty when you use all of the ideal materials for your shingle type . The warranty is null when you use materials outside of their requirements, like an upgraded shingle.
How Many Layers Of Shingles Can Be On A Roof
If youre on a tight budget, youve probably already learned you can nail over your old asphalt roof instead of fully replacing it. However, this wont be an option for most homeowners because of a few reasons.
One of these reasons has to do with how many layers your asphalt roof already has. That begs the question, how many layers of shingles can be on a roof?
Here at Bill Ragan Roofing, our goal is to provide you with all the information you need to know to make the right decisions. Thats why well be breaking down how many layers of shingles can be on your roof.
After that, well also give you the crucial information you need to know about nailing over your current asphalt roof.
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What Are The Benefits Of Re
There are many benefits associated with re-shingling your roof that outweigh the costs involved in this type of project.
One major benefit is that homeowners will have a brand new roof that can protect their home from water damage, extreme weather conditions , and the suns UV rays.
In addition to protecting your home from the elements, homeowners will also save money on energy bills.
Replacing an old roof with a new one that is properly insulated can reduce air leakage and make homes more comfortable during extreme weather conditions .
If you are currently dealing with leaks or your shingles are curling up on the edges, then re-shingling is an excellent way to get rid of these issues.
Your contractor will be able to inspect and repair any areas that need attention before they begin re-shingling your home.
