Advantages Of Using Rolled Roofing
Rolled roofing is the cheapest roofing material, and its installation cost is almost free. Owners of the sheds and shops who want to install the roof prefer to DIY. The nails are also cheap, and the top can last for some time before it expires.
The roof is easy to install because it comes as one rolled material. When installing, you place the entire roll on the top and unfold it. Unlike other roofing materials such as shingles, you have to lay them down one by one and nail them on the roof.
Rolled roofing is lightweight and easy to transport. When packing, the manufacturer seals the rolls tightly to prevent unrolling during movement. So, you can carry an entire roll up the roof if you are doing it yourself, unlike roofing shingles which need a crane.
You can re-roof your current shingles with a rolled roof. This saves on the labor cost of removing the shingles first and also time. Laying a rolled roof on the shingles also gives more protection. Ensure you clean the top first to avoid destroying the new roof.
Typical Roll Roofing Installation Steps & Specifications
Weather conditions: for applying roll roofing: the roof should be clean and dry, and ambient temperatures should be at or above 50°F.Watch out: If you must install roll roofing at lower temperatures store it indoors and warm it to permit unrolling without cracking the material. We can sometimes spot roll roofing installed from too-cold rolls by later failures appearing as cracks, at regular intervals across the width of the material.
Our photo shows our client pointing to a low slope area on a roof where mineral-granule coated asphalt roll roofing was applied after shingles in that location had leaked repeatedly.
Drawbacks Of Asphalt Roll Roofing
Homeowners like asphalt roll roofing for its ease of installation. It is a type of roofing they can do themselves.
However, it is best used for structures other than your home, due to its vulnerability and shorter life span. It may last between five and eight years as compared to 20 years for shingles. It is best used on garages, sheds and outbuildings.
Since this product is rolled out and stuck together at the seams, this often causes problems where the rolls join. This increases the need for repairs and maintenance over the lifespan of the product.-DoItYourself.com
Asphalt roll roofing is not as attractive as asphalt shingles or other types of roofing materials, and may not be allowed by a homeowners association.
When purchasing asphalt roll roofing, look for rolls that are not out of round or damaged. Imperfections in the roll may translate to problems like raised seams or ragged edges once its installed.
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Pros Of Rolled Roofing
- Rolled roofing is the least expensive roofing material, even compared to low-cost composite shingles. All materials, even the nails, are inexpensive.
- This product is the best way of covering low-incline roofs. Hammered-down rolled roofing should not be used on flat roofs, though, as this will lead to leaks.
- Rolled roofing goes down quickly. Unlike shingles, which apply one by one, you can roll out a square of mineral surface rolled roof within minutes.
- Rolled roofing is easy to transport. Composite shingles are heavy and unwieldy. Rolled roofing, by contrast, comes in lighter 75-pound units and is tightly rolled up and sealed. Professional roofers often have cranes or forklifts move conventional shingles from the ground to roof level. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can move the rolls to the roof by yourself or with the assistance of a partner, no machinery required.
- Rolled roofing is very adaptable and can be cut into 12-inch by 36-inch strips to act as hips and ridges or 9-inch strips for eaves and rakes.
- If removing your current shingles is a problem, it is usually permissible to re-roof over your existing roof with rolled roofing. First make certain to remove slag, gravel, and other debris from the existing roof to avoid puncturing the MSR.
Adjust For A Slanted Roof If Desired
If youve had a sloped roof, trim 9-inch-wide roofing strips, place them flush only with drip edges along eave as well as a rake, and secure them using two rows of 3-inch-apart nails. Apply roofing cement across half some or all of the strips with a trowel.
Next, in the cement, place the first level so that it protrudes by around 1/4 inch. So because roofing is difficult to reposition, place and roll this out carefully before pressing this into the concrete. Just the top edge should be nailed . Apply a 4- to the 6-inch-wide coating of roofing adhesive to the upper portion, then repeat with the subsequent courses.
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Attach The Base Sheet
Unroll the base sheet of the roofing material over the surface. It should overhang the drip edges by around 1/4 inch . Depending on the type of material you use, you either nail it in place, or it might be sticky enough to simply attach to the surface.
If your material requires nailing or uses special fasteners, then do each 8 to 10 inches apart. As a helpful tip, rub your feet against the material as you move backward while nailing. This is done to stretch the material. Also, make sure the nails are at least an inch away from the edges.
Join The First Course
Place the first course approximately 1/4 inch overhanging the drip edges as well as roll this out a length of 8 feet perhaps once. At one end of the rake, insert nails every 3 inches, draw it taut, as well as drive nails and along the exhaust vent edge. Nails ought to be 1 inch away from the edges. Install a 3-foot-wide border in front of the 18-inch for added protection.
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Want To Know More About What Is Asphalt Roll Roofing
When looking at the many types of roofing materials, you might find yourself asking, What is asphalt roll roofing?
At SmartRoof, well be glad to go over the various types of roofing materials available to you. Well even help you pick out the perfect choiceand install it for you. As roofing experts, we work with homeowners throughout Northern Virginia and promise the best roof replacement around.
Additional Tips For Installing Roll Roofing
A few roll roofing additional details include:
- Try to install the roll roofing material when the temperature is at least 50°F.
- Clean the area of any sticks and stones beforehand and as you work. Also, install a drip edge along the edge of the roof.
- With lower sloped roofs, you can install the material horizontally. With higher-sloped roofs, you should install them vertically.
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Asphalt Roll Roofing Installation
Roll roofing is simplest product to install on a small section of low sloperoof is 90-pound roll roofing. This is an inexpensive roofing material often installed by homeowners and do-it-yourself-ers.
“Low Slope” means that these products are installed on roof slopes of 2/12 or more.
Sketch courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates.
Traditional asphalt-based roll roofing consists of a heavy, asphalt-saturated organic or fiberglass felt with a granular surface.
SBS or modified asphalt mineral surfaced roll roofing membranes are based on SBS, a synthetic rubber that gives improved performance over traditional asphalt-saturated felt.
Watch out: For flat roofs you should not be installing roll roofing but rather you should use a flat roof system such as APP or SBS modified roofing or EPDM – see details for flat roofs at MEMBRANE & SINGLE PLY ROOFS
Traditional asphalt-impregnated felt roofing like that in our sketch above is installed overlapped a minimum of 2-3-inches or overlapped half its width or 16-inches or overlapped 2/3 its width to give a 12-inch exposure and a 3-ply roof, or 3/4 of its width to give a 9-inch exposure and a 4-ply roof.
For asphalt-felt roll roofing, less exposure and more plies = longer roof life.
SBS roofing is commonly installed as a single-ply roof with a 3 1/2-inch selvedge edge overlap.
Pros And Cons Of Roll Roofing
Roll roofing can provide substantial benefits for the right person. Werner said it’s relatively inexpensive, can be cut to size and installs very quickly relative to other roofing materials. Due to the ease of and speed of installation, labor costs are low. It’s also easy to transport and is an excellent choice for roofs with a low incline.
Unfortunately, roll roofing isn’t the most durable option. It has a short lifespan of anywhere from 5 to 15 years relatively low compared to other roofing materials. The lack of layers doesnt give it as much shielding defense as different types. It’s also not the most aesthetic roofing material, and its not the best choice if you want to improve the resale value of a home.
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How To Lay Asphalt Roll Roofing
- Written by Justin Stewart on Aug 14, 2009To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by
One of the cheapest and simplest methods for creating a waterproof roof is to use asphalt roll roofing. Although not recommended for house roofing, it is ideal for sheds and garages that have a pitch at least 16 percent from horizontal.
Step 1 – Evaluate and Prepare
Roll roofing is not tough material, so it is vital you sweep the roof to make sure it has no stones of other objects on it before you begin to lay it. Also, if the weather is very hot or cold, installing roll roofing is not a good idea because it will either be too flexible or too brittle to use. Keep an eye on your local weather for a clear day with mild temperatures for best results.
Step 2 – Spread Roofing Cement
You need to place starter strips of roll roofing along all edges of the roof, so start by cutting pieces of roofing about 18 inches wide. Then, apply roofing cement evenly around the roof edges where these strips are going to go. Be careful not to get any on your skin in this process.
Step 3 – Apply the Edge Strips
Step 4 – Apply the First Strip
Step 5 – Apply the Second Strip
Step 6 – Finish it Up
That’s it! Even though asphalt roll roofing is usually used where it is not easily seen, you can still be proud of your efforts
Adverse Effects Of Rolled Roofing
Rolled roofs are available in very few colors, and the standard one is black. This will be a significant disadvantage if you want a color that matches your structure because it is almost impossible to paint the roof.
The roof has a very short lifespan that you cannot compare to shingles. That is because it cannot freely expand and contract with weather changes, unlike the shingles. Therefore, when exposed to any changes, the roof can easily tear.
The less variety of the roofing material and a few choices of colors makes rolled roofing less attractive. For that reason, some homeowners associations have rules that discourage people from using rolled roofing as a roofing material.
This roof is less durable because it can stay for only five to eight years, compared to shingles that can last for over 20 years. One of the reasons that contribute to this is the inability to contract and expand with weather changes.
House structures with rolled roofs have a low resale value. The roofing material is less durable and can tear when struck or exposed to a lot of pressure, so homebuyers do not like it. The roof is considered a temporary one.
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Easy Steps For Diy Rolled Roofing Installation
#1 Spend some time cleaning the roof before beginning a rolled roofing installation project.
#2 Like any other roof project, you should start this one by addressing the valleys.
#3 Take a roll of 18-inch wide roofing and use it to cover the length of the valley. Attach it to the valley with roofing nails spaced 6 inches apart, about 3/4-inch from the edge.
PRO TIP: Step #3 may seem like overkill, but in my experience leaks tend to occur near valleys and on the edges of the roof. Spend some time taking care of these areas and youll greatly diminish the chance that youll be up on the roof making repairs after the next rain storm.
#4 Next, place a roll of 36-inch roofing directly over the 18-inch roofing and secure it in the same manner.
#5 With the valleys covered, apply the rest of the roll roofing parallel with the roofing edge. Use a chalk line to make sure that youre creating even rows overlapping by about 3 inches.
#6 Nail into the side that is furthest from the edge of the roof, spacing nails every 3 inches apart.
#7 Apply the next piece of roll roofing so the overlap covers the nail heads, using roofing cement to secure the 2 pieces of roofing together.
#8 When you encounter a roof valley, trim the roll roofing so it ends 1/2-inch from the valleys center.
#9 Then use roofing cement to secure the edges of the roll.
#10 Finally, use a 12-inch roll of roofing applied with roofing cement to run over the valley seam and cover all of the edges.
Affix The Second Sheet
Each following sheet overlaps the previous by 4 inches and, in the case of certain kinds of roll roofing, quite enough to conceal the bare mineral covering the region. Snap a straight edge indicating the head of the second sheet, stretch it out towards the line, after which nail it in place as you did with the first.
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How To Install Roll Roofing For Maximum Life
Nonetheless roll roofing installations will have a longer life if installed according to the product manufacturer’s instructions, nailed at proper intervals, and with seams properly sealed.
It’s also important to install roll roofing over a smooth sound roof deck.
If the roof decking sags, ponding on the roof surface after rain may reduce its life.
Overlapping strips of asphalt roll roofing are installed over the roof surfaces with overlapped edge joints sealed, usually with a heated asphalt compound, or cold-applied using a similar sealant that functions at lower temperatures.
Sketch courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates.
Probably in part because asphalt roll roofing is typically used on low slope and nearly flat roofs, it can have an anticipated wear life of less than ten years, often five years.
The life of roll roofing may be extended by coatings.
Roll Roofing Manufacturer’s Installation Instructions & Product Specifications
Illustration: SBS type roll roofing or BUR rolls from MTechnology cited below.
- BP Slate Surface Roll Roofing and BP Mineral Surface roll roofing and related products are described in BP’s ASPHALT SHINGLE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS , Building Products of Canada, Co., 9510, St. Patrick Street, LaSalle , Canada H8R 1R9 and BP Canada 3703-101 Avenue N.E., Edmonton , Canada T5J 2K8, retrieved 2019/05/01 original source:
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Before You Install Rolled Roofing
Roll roofing is a great material for small projects, but I dont recommend using roll roofing to put a roof on a home.
Instead, youre better off choosing a more traditional material such as asphalt shingles which lends itself to an installation method that is better at withstanding leaks.
As a first time roll roofing DIYer, youll appreciate this roofing glossary.
I have a lot of hands-on experience in the home construction industry, with a good deal of experience in sustainable building. Im mostly interested in home restoration and home renovations.
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What Is Rolled Roofing
Rolled roofing is a mineral-surfaced roofing material that comes in rolls. It is thinner, less durable, and cheaper than asphalt shingles.
Is rolled roofing too good to be true? While rolled roofing is cheap and easy to install, its resale value is perilously low when it is used to roof occupied structures. Rolled roofing is best installed on unoccupied structures, such as sheds, shops, garages, and other outbuildings. Before you dash down to the home improvement store and pick up a few rolls, you should be aware of the significant disadvantages that come along with the advantages of this product.
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Spread The Roofing Cement & Seal The Vents
The next step is to make pretty sure that no two butt joints get closer than 2 feet from each other. You can now spread a 6-inch-wide layer of the prepared roofing cement on the edge of the first sheet and entrench the second sheet in the cement.
To seal the vent, spread the roofing cement around the plumbing pipe and cut a hole in a piece of the roofing material. The hole should be about 2 feet wide, so its easy to slip it over the pipe. Now, the roofing piece should overlay the lower course by 4 inches or more. You should also make a hole in the roofing piece, and you can slip it over too. Then, you can now embed both cut roofing pieces in the cement, and for more roofing protection, you can add boot flashing.
Other Steps & Specifications
What Specific Good Weather Condition Is Advised Upon Installation Of The Roof Rolling?
In all kinds of roll roofing, clean, dry, and ambient temperature of 50 degrees must be observed. However, if you are installing it under lower temperatures, put it first inside the house. After that, allow it to expose from the warm temperature to avoid cracking while unrolling.
What Is The Needed Roof Slope?
Your roof slope should be 2/12 or more because the 2 inches is for its rise and the 12 inches is for the horizontal run. Never proceed with the installation when its slope is less than 2 inches.
Roll Roofing Condition.
Upon installation, be sure that it must be very clean and dry. If you install the roofing with bad damage to the edge, it can lead to crushing or tearing. And if you have already seen the bad seaming, there is a chance of early failure cracks across its roofing width.
How About The Roofing Deck?
Every roofing deck must be dry, clean, and must be free of voids. For the re-roofing, all the root decking should be removed and replaced before putting the felt underlayment. You can use the plywood for the roof decking at least 2/8 or thicker as it helps to reduce the roof life. And the plywood or any OSB sheathing should be placed between 1/8 to ¼ in the butt portion to avoid buckling.
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