Who Uses Roofing Squares
The roofing square size form of measurement is only used within the roofing and construction industries. Though you can use the measurement yourself to try to calculate the cost of re-shingling your homes, such tasks are usually best left to an experienced roofing contractor. Nonetheless, even if you have confidence in your ability to determine the correct amount of materials needed, there are still a few steps you should take before you try.
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How Many Rolls Of Felt Will You Need
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.
How To Estimate Roofing Materials
This article was co-authored by David Bitan. David Bitan is a roofing professional, licensed contractor, and the owner and founder of Bumble Roofing based in Southern California. With over 12 years of construction industry experience, David specializes in restoring, repairing, and maintaining residential, commercial, and industrial roofs. With over 60 years of combined experience, Bumble Roofing provides easy, friendly services to structures including residential, commercial, industrial, multi-family, and government buildings along with hospitals, hotels, and churches. This article has been viewed 697,513 times.
Knowing how to estimate roofing materials is important. Not only will it help eliminate waste, but it will also ensure that you buy just enough for the roofing job. Youll have to calculate your roof area, or the overall size of your roof, to determine the amount of materials youll need. This wikiHow will show you how to estimate roofing materials for your next project.
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How To Measure Your Roofs Square Footage
The square footage of your roof has a huge impact on the cost of your replacement. It affects a number of cost factors, including the amount of materials used, labor, and time.
Be aware, the only way to get a 100 percent accurate measurement is to have a local roofing contractor come out to professionally measure your roof and give you a quote. However, I can give you the calculations to get a rough measurement of your homes square footage.
How Many Nails Required
After you are done calculating the total square footage, you need to determine the number of nails you will need.
Usually 4 nails are used per shingle. As mentioned earlier, shingles come in three tabs, which means you would need around 1,120 nails/sq.
If you live in a high windy area, then you will need 6 nails per shingle, which brings the count to 1,680 nails/sq.
This calculation is based on 280 shingle squares, according to the gable roof measurement. For the right nailing pattern, refer to the instructions that comes with the shingles.
And this is how you measure your roof area and the number of shingles and nails needed. If you are looking for more informatory articles such as this, then visit Epic Home Ideas.
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How Many Shingles Are In A Square
When the time comes to buy shingles for your roof, keep in mind that they are usually sold by the bundle. Each bundle is a wrapped package of shingles with such a weight as to be lifted easily by a person.
The most common is to have three bundles of shingles for a square of roof area. In other words, if you buy 3 bundles of shingles, this will cover one square which is 100 sq.ft of area.
The most usual case when buying standard shingles , there are 29 standard-sized shingles in each bundle.
Summary of the above:
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S To Calculate Your Roofs Square Footage
You just learned what a roofing square is. The number of roof squares has a huge impact on the cost factors, such as the amount of materials used, labor, and time.
Before investing in a new roof, wouldnt it be great to know how much itll cost per square?
If you answered yes, we have a great way to roughly calculate your roofs square footage to give you an idea of the cost of your new roof. Be aware, the only way to get a 100 percent accurate measurement is to have a local roofing contractor come out to professionally measure your roof.
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How To Calculate Roof Area For Roofing Shingles
How do you calculate the entire area of your roof?
Length x width = square footage
Youll need to know the square footage of your roofs surface in order to figure out how many shingles youll need. The area of your roof will be determined by the sort of roof you have, whether its a gable roof with fewer planes or a hip roof with more.
Measure the length and width of each planes roof, including overhangs, and multiply them together to get the square footage of your roof. Then add up each planes square footage. The total square footage will be calculated as a result of this.
What is needed to calculate the roof area:
- Ladder
MEASURING THE PITCH
To calculate the area of the roof, you first need to calculate its spacing:
CALCULATING THE AREA
If you dont want to do a lot of measurement, you can estimate the square footage of your roof using your pitch calculation:
CALCULATING THE AREA
So What Is A Roofing Square
A roofing square is a measurement, but it has nothing to do with square feet, meters, yards, or miles. A roofing square is commonly used by roofing companies and is roughly equivalent to 100 square feet. This measurement does not change whether it is a square of shingles or a square of tarp. This is because roofing squares are used to make calculating the cost of materials and labor easier than if you had to use square feet or yards.
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Expressing Roof Slope In Degrees
The rest of the English-speaking world uses degrees, which seems simpler, but it takes a few extra steps to figure it out mathematically.
It also doesnt immediately convey as much information about the roof on a practical level as the rise-in-run ratio expression.
To express the slope in degrees, you divide the rise by the run and find the inverse tangent of the result.
But you still need to know the rise and the run to find the roof slope in degrees unless youre using a slope finder that tells you the slope in degrees.
Roofing Pitch For Square Roof Area
Finally, the more complex part, measuring your roofs pitch.
Low Pitch: 1.07 x Roofing SquaresMedium Pitch: 1.185 x Roofing SquaresHigh Pitch: 1.36 x Roofing Squares
NOTE:We understand a roofs pitch makes this process somewhat tricky. Enjoy Home Advisors free roofing square calculator right here.
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Calculate The Simple Roof Areas
On a simple hip or gable roof, multiplying the eave to ridge length by eave length will give the area to be multiplied by pitch factor. Ridge vent openings are best finished with coil rather than partial shingle. Using flat coil stock allows the ridge caps to lay flat and can also be formed with an extra water stop at the ridge opening.
Area for the roof in Figure 3 is 1784 ft2 The blue dash line divides the roof into 2 rectangles. There is a small area calculated as 8/12 that is actually 4/12. On a small area such as this, it is better to err on the side of the higher pitch since it should not significantly affect the total.
Pro Tip: Pythagorean Theorem can be used to calculate the length of the valleys. A general rule of thumb is to add at least 12 lineal inches of valley material to be safe.
Figure 3. Calculating Simple Roof Areas
How Many Square Feet Does A Bundle Of Shingles Cover
One bundle of shingles covers roughly 33 square feet of roof. Some manufacturer bundles will cover slightly less and will range from 28 up to 33 square feet.
For some brands and types, the square feet per bundle may vary. A bundle of one type of shingle may have one extra than a bundle of the same type and brand. Some bundles will indicate a shingle minimum on the package. If that is the case, the square footage of the bundle will also vary, but not by much and it will always be at or around of 100 square feet.
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Why Is It Important
A roofing square is an important measurement for roofers. It is the most common way to measure a roofs size. Roofers use this measurement to calculate the amount of material they will need to cover a roof. This measurement is also used to price a new roof. A roofing square is equal to 100 square feet.
Roofers will measure the length and width of a roof and divide it by 100. This will give them the roofs square footage. Most roofs are not perfect squares, therefore this measurement may be difficult to calculate without a roofing square ruler or tool such as a credit card that is 100-square inches long.
Tips For Getting Started
Tip 1: Measuring to the nearest inch along eaves and across gables can be done from the ground just dont forget the overhang.
Tip 2: If you know the dimensions of your previous asphalt roofing job, you can use this info to cheat a little. Typical 3 Tab asphalt shingles have tabs that are 1 foot wide with a vertical exposure of 5 inches. Make sure to physically verify these dimensions by measuring 4 or 5 courses. Counting the shingles can give you eave to ridge dimensions from the ground.
Tip 3: 100 Square Feet = 1 Square in Roofing Terms
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How Do You Calculate The Square Footage Of Your Roof
Is it time for a roof replacement? Are you trying to figure out how much youll have to invest in your new roof?
If so, youre probably overwhelmed trying to learn everything that goes into the cost of your roof replacement. To help you understand the size of your roof investment, you first need to know the size of your roof. Thats why were going to break down how to measure your roofs square footage.
The team at Bill Ragan Roofing has been repairing and replacing roofs in Nashville and surrounding areas since 1990. We take extreme pride in everything we do, especially our workmanship.
Builder Mike Guertin Explains 3 Ways To Calculate The Quantity Of Shingles Youll Need For Your Next Roofing Job
One of the biggest challenges for experienced builder and novices alike is accurately estimating materials for a construction projectespecially for roofs, because they can be difficult to access for taking measurements.
But dont fretIn this excerpt from my book Roofing with Asphalt Shingles, I describe three reliable methods for determining the area of a roof, plus Ive included tips for estimating the number of extra shingles youll need for waste, overlaps, and starter shingles.
Note: be sure to take your time and double-check your numbers when calculating the quantity of shingles, underlayment, flashings, and other materials needed for yourroofing project. The more accurate your estimates, the less time youll waste waiting for material deliveries during the project.
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How To Calculate Number Of Roofing Shingles
Fortunately, you don’t have to make a haphazard shingle estimate when planning for your roofing project: your roof size and chosen shingle type will guide the purchase process.
Shingles are sold in prepackaged bundles, not individually. Roofing manufacturers take the guesswork out of how many bundles you need per squareit’s listed in the specifications of each shingle they make. The specs for any given shingle will tell you how many bundles make up a square, how many shingles are in a square, and even the approximate number of nails you’ll need per square.
Often, three bundles of prepackaged asphalt shingles make one square, as is the case with the Timberline® HDZ Shingles. That said, the number of bundles you need can vary depending on shingle design. For example, five bundles of architectural asphalt shingles with artisan-crafted shapes, such as the Grand Sequoia® Shingle, cover one square. Once you know the number of squares of material your roof needs, check the shingle manufacturer specifications so you get your hands on exactly what you need.
If you’re still deciding on the perfect shingle for your roof, play around with the GAF VirtualRemodeler. The free online tool helps you envision how different shingle colors and styles would work with your home’s style. Be sure to keep local building codes in mind as you weigh your shingle options..
Hip And Ridge Cap Shingles
Hips and ridges are covered with cap shingles, which are 1-ft. shingle squares that wrap over the hip or ridge. Like regular shingles, they overlap for a 5-in. exposure.On roofs shingled with three-tab or no-cutout shingles, you simply cut standard shingles into caps. You can cap about 35 lin. ft. of ridge or hips with each bundle of three-tab shingles that come three bundles to the square. You can also salvage waste shingle pieces and portions of damaged shingles for use as caps.
For roofs shingled with laminated shingles, multi-cutout shingles, and other patterned shingles, youll have to order hip-and-ridge shingles that are manufactured as companions to the specific shingle product you are using. Theyre sold by the bundle and usually cap 35 lin. ft., but check with your supplier because some products vary. Just measure the length of the ridges and hips and divide by 35 to determine how many bundles of regular or hip-and-ridge shingles youll need.
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S To Measuring Roof Square Footage
Roofing Quote Footage Is Not The Same As Home Square Footage
Depending on where the information is coming from is going to determine the basis on which the estimated roof footage is calculated. The roof square footage is what we need to calculate a budget quote to do the job. So when you say my home is 1,500 square feet, how much to do the roof? Well, that is a good question. Does that amount include the garage? Does it include the back covered lanai area that is encompassed in the main portion of the roof? Does it include the addition that was built last year? Does it include the 2 4 overhang or soffit area? Does it include the front entry? All these things could add much square footage to that 1,500 sq. ft. number. It also does not encompass all that is needed to come up with the square footage of the actual roof. This does not automatically mean the roof is 15 squares, as some might lead you to believe.
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How Much Roofing Underlayment
Up till now, we were discussing how to measure roofing shingles for re-roofing. When talking about a new roof, the same amount of square footage is required for the underlayment.
You will find underlayment in rolls of four squares each. In order to determine how many rolls of underlayment you would need, you need to divide the number of squares for 2 planes by rolls of one square.
- Rolls of underlayment required: 280 sq. ÷ 4 = 70 rolls
If you are applying the shingles over an asphalt roof, then you dont need underlayment.
Pro Tip: In order to avoid any delays in installment due to shortage of shingles, add 10% to the total material requirement for trim allowance.
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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