The Ultimate Guide to Installing Roofing Shingles

Roofing has experienced a significant expansion in recent decades. Just think about humans and our intertwined history with roofs—our ancestors first lived in caves, and after that, they had to find various materials to protect them from the weather. If you think about it, it’s quite an impressive feat; they had to create something out of nothing, and they had no idea if it would work or not!

At that time, a shingle roof installation was a fairly simple process; to install roof shingles required almost no knowledge or experience.  However, as humanity developed, so did roofing materials. The first evidence of roofs is attributed to the age of the Romans, who used concrete to build one of the most popular architectures known today—the Pantheon. After that significant moment, roofing has grown and expanded until it developed into the roofing we know and see today. Have you ever thought about how to put shingles on a roof? You’re in luck—this blog post was written for people like you to help you understand the process!

Process of Installing a New Shingle Roof

Today’s roofs not only protect houses from various weather conditions, but they also serve another function. That function is aesthetics. If you have a beautiful home, it is almost impossible to have a roof that doesn’t match the design of your house, and many homeowners are careful when choosing a new shingle roof. Thankfully, since the roofing industry has risen to new heights, homeowners can transform their curb appeal with a myriad of shingle materials and styles available on the market.

How to Install Roof Shingles

It’s not as simple as typing in “shingle roof installation video” and clicking on the first video that pops up. Preparedness is key! So, why is it so important to have everything ready before you start? The answer is simple: If you prepare everything you need before starting any roofing project, it will be easier to get the job done. This means you won’t have to constantly climb down from your roof and look for the tools you’re missing, but you’ll already have everything at your fingertips, primed and ready. 

Preparation Is Key in Roofing

For several reasons, installing a roof is not as easy as it may seem. First, when planning on a shingle roof, you have to blend skills, experience, and precision. Second, not every roof is the same, so you must also understand the different materials and techniques used. Because of that, if you’re just starting, the best course of action would be to have everything prepared to avoid any potential errors. What we mean by preparing everything is that you should have all the necessary tools that you’ll need, as well as protection equipment so you don’t injure yourself. 

Here are some recommended tools for every aspiring roofer: 

• Hammer
• Chalk line
• Measuring tape
• Roofer’s knife
• Pallet knife
• Nail gun
• Safety harness
• Gloves and goggles

Keep in mind that these are some of the essentials, but there are more tools that you might need. Apart from the equipment, you should also check the forecast, because it’s in your best interest to work on a roof installation when it’s not too hot or too cold. In addition, roofing materials shouldn’t be installed until the roof deck has been checked thoroughly.

Roof Deck Protection Layer

First, you will install a combination of roof underlayments, which are essentially a special layer under the roofing material. This layer acts as a defense against dampness in the form of vapor. 

Prepare the Roof Base for Shingles

Creating the foundation for roof shingles involves preparing the surface and ensuring its structural integrity. This foundational work sets the stage for the successful installation of shingles. This process involves: 

• Sheathing (plywood, tongue and groove, etc.)
• Drip edge
• Underlayment installation
• Valley preparation
• Chalk lines for shingle placement 
• Ventilation

Shingle Installation From the Bottom Up

Installing roofing shingles is a step-by-step process that brings a roof to life. First, a waterproof layer goes down, providing protection against rain. Next, starter shingles are carefully positioned along the eaves and rake edges to create a solid base. Then come the main shingles, laid row by row, each overlapping the one below. With nails, you’ll secure them in place and continue the pattern upwards. Finally, you’ll place ridge shingles on top, covering the peak and giving the roof a finished look. 

How to Install Shingles on a Shed

Shingles aren’t just for the home! If you’re fortunate enough to have a shed on your property, spicing it up with a shingle roof for maximum protection may be just what you need. They’re also much easier to install as a DIY home project rather than tackling bigger buildings; you’ll have a smaller surface area to work with, especially when it comes to maneuvering flashing, ridge vents, drip edge, and underlayment.

Here’s how you’ll go about installing shingles on your shed: 

1. Secure a ladder to the edge of your roof. Make sure you’re wearing appropriate PPE; at minimum, these should be a hard hat, eye protection, gloves, and non-slip footwear.
2. Once you’ve secured the drip edge with nails and installed the felt paper—the underlayment of the roof—you can start the process of installing shingles.
3. Use a ruler and measure chalk lines across the width of your roof, in 5-inch increments, all the way to the top.
4. You’ll need to install a “preliminary” layer of shingles first, otherwise known as a “starter row.” Use a box cutter to cut these shingles in half.
5. Then comes the second layer of shingles; start at the edge of your roof and make sure all your shingles are lined up precisely. It’s imperative not to leave any gaps in between each shingle. 
6. With a nail gun or trusty hammer, nail down your shingles, moving from row to row. Space the nails 1 inch between each other. Don’t forget to trim excess overhang using a box cutter once you’re done!
7. The work’s not done yet; using 5-inch increments again, you can start overlapping extra rows of shingles in an alternating (aka staggered) pattern. Line up the flat edges of a shingle with the rain slots of the shingle below it. 
8. Your shed roof’s done and ready to be shown off to the world!

How to Install Shingles on a Gable Roof

There are plenty of iterations of a “gable roof,” but let’s look at the most prevalent one: the “open gable” roof is a classic design, and for good reason. The two sides of the roof meet up to form a ridge, allowing water and snow to slide down as slickly as they can. Shingles are another classic mainstay of gable roofs. The instructions are the same as for the shed, with one key difference—you need to consider the ridge of the roof.

1. You’ll need to place shingles on the ridge cap. Cut triangles in the top half of each shingle, placing them one on top of the other, above each rain slot. The triangles should be about 2 inches wide.
2. Overlay each shingle on the point of your roof by about 6 inches. 
3. Nail them down on each side, about 1⁄2 inch away from the edge of the ridge cap.

How to Install Shingles on a Flat Roof

Although flat roofs are mostly popular in the commercial roofing sector, they are gaining traction in popularity for the average home, too. They’re much easier to install, maintain, and are quite energy efficient. However, you may not be able to realize your dream of having a shingled flat roof; the 2:12 rule applies heavily here, as this is the absolute minimum slope for shingle installation. (As an aside, the 2:12 rule would be: 2 inches of rise per 12 inches of run.)

If your flat roof meets the bill and follows the 2:12 rule, then you’re good to go with installing shingles with minimal issue. As the principal remains the same, check out the above instructions on how to install shingles on a shed and on a gable roof for more details!

Frequently Asked Questions 

As always, if your question regarding roof shingles wasn’t answered here, drop us a line! Our friendly team is always ready to help. 

What is the labor cost to install a shingle roof?

Sources differ on how much you’ll need to pay for your new shingle roof, especially when it comes to the material you want (installing asphalt shingles has a much drastic price range than, say, metal or slate shingles). It also depends on the square area of your roof and how many valleys, dips, and protrusions such as roof flashing there are. In the state of New Jersey, the cost of asphalt shingles per square foot could vary from $3 – $7. 

For a more accurate price, contact your local roofing contractor for an estimate. Many roofing companies offer free, no-hassle quotes to get you started, including Fortified Roofing!

How should shingles be installed on a roof?

For the best results, each shingle should be laid horizontally. Shingles should be connected as closely to each other as possible, leaving no gaps in between. This helps keep water and debris from entering the underlayment and deck of the roof. You generally want several layers of shingles installed, overlaid on top of each other and lined up with each shingle’s rain slot. 

Can I install shingles myself?

While you can perform your own asphalt shingle roof installation, it’s generally recommended to hire a professional roofing contractor. This is the bread and butter of roofers all over the country, after all; installing shingles comes as naturally as breathing to us! Roofing contractors can spot things the untrained eye wouldn’t be able to see, too. With years of experience and project management under their belt, you want to trust a roofing contractor to do the job for you for the best outcome. 

Working with roofing companies also nets you benefits and warranties you wouldn’t get otherwise if you worked alone! 

How to start the first row of shingles?

Your first layer of shingles will be the first line of defense against water penetration between the sky and roof deck, so installing them carefully and precisely is crucial! To start with, nail down the first row of shingles at the bottom of the roof, at the top edge of each tile. This row should peek over the eaves by about a half inch (you can cut away any excess hanging over with a box cutter). 

Once you’ve secured the first row, start adding the next layer, staggering and overlapping on each other. Repeat this process until both sides of your roof are done. Top your project off with ridge caps, and you’ve got yourself a snazzy new shingle roof, ready to weather the storm!

Popular Shingle Materials

Believe it or not, the world of shingles is vast, varied, and colorful! You’re not beholden to just the asphalt variety. To find the best fit for your home, consult your trusted contractor for more information on how to modernize your roof with the best in the industry.

Asphalt

Old reliable. Asphalt can be found on thousands of North American homes—just driving by your neighbors, you’ll probably see them covering their rooftops. Asphalt shingles are relatively cheap, durable, and good-looking, and come in a variety of colors for all types of tastes and aesthetics out there. They’re primarily made up of materials such as fiberglass, tar, and—of course—asphalt granules. However, did you know asphalt shingles can be made of organic matter such as waste paper, cellulose, and wood fiber? They’re truly the adaptive chameleon of the roofing world! They can be installed in either 3-tab, architectural, or luxury types (don’t forget to ask your roofer for recommendations, along with the benefits and drawbacks of each type). The most popular colors for the Mr. Worldwide of shingles here are: everything! Choose from black, red, green, brown, blue, and more for the roof you want. If you dream it, roofers will build it!

Metal 

From a glance, they may look like regular asphalt, but they’re anything but. Metal roofing boasts superiority in terms of industrial-strength durability, longevity, and energy efficiency. While this does make it a bit costlier than its counterparts, its investment pays off in the long run. They can last from 40-70 years, are 100% recyclable, and are pretty low maintenance. Depending on which metal you’re going for (steel, aluminum, copper, and more), they can come in a range of colors such as red, gray, green, blue, brown, and black. 

Slate 

If you’ve got the bucks to spare and are looking for something truly outstanding and high-class for your home, you can’t go wrong with slate. These are the heavy-duty guard dogs of your roof, and can withstand almost anything. Still, they’re not without their drawbacks; slate is incredibly weighty, so you may need to reinforce your home’s structural support more before considering topping it off with slate! Slate typically comes in black, gray, green, purple, and red colors.

Wood

For a warm, welcoming presence, you can’t go wrong with wood shake roofs. They’re relatively affordable, and are an environmentally friendly alternative to other roofing options. They can be quite durable if you use something like cedar, and they can provide great insulation. The color of these shingles will typically match the color of the tree they came from, though they can be stained and weathered down as the seasons pass. Expect shades to run the gamut from light yellow to tan, all the way to browns and blacks. 

Clay Tiles

Okay, so they’re technically not shingles, per se, but we’ll give them a pass for being the more sophisticated—albeit pricier—cousin. Clay tiles evoke the feeling of homey cottages by the Italian seaside; who wouldn’t want the same ambiance in their New Jersey neighborhood? Clay tiles are made by baking molded clay, and while the most popular colors are shades of terracotta red and natural orange, they can also be blue, black, brown, and even green!

Don’t Have Enough Knowledge or Experience in the Roof Sector? Fortified Roofing Is Here to Address All of Your Roofing Needs!

It’s always best to leave any kind of job that you’re not familiar with to the professionals who have crafted and polished their skills throughout the years. Even though roofing might seem like a task that would take a few days to complete, without proper understanding and relying on DIY know-how, it could last weeks or months instead.

That’s why if you’re unsure, contact Fortified Roofing. We’ve been in the business since 2001, and our reputation shines when it comes to providing impeccable service. We’re not your typical run-of-the-mill or “jack of all trades” contractors. At Fortified Roofing, we’re proud to be part of the elite 3% of GAF® Master Elite-certified contractors, setting us apart from the rest. From Bensalem, PA, to surrounding areas, we’re your trusted go-to roofers for any roofing task. 

Don’t hesitate—work with the best roofing company in Bensalem, PA, today, and let us help you build the roof of your dreams!