How Do You Shingle A Flat Roof

The first thing you need to do when figuring out how to put shingles on a roof is to determine which type of roofing shingles you need.
How do you shingle a flat roof. They are typically 36 inches long in total. When you reach the peak either bring the ridge edges together with a ridge capping layer or cut regular shingles into 3 tabbed equal pieces and bend them so they fit on the. Known in the trade as vertical racking or staggering this how to lay shingles method enables the roofer to install a single column of shingles all the way to the peak without the wasted back and forth motion necessary to fill several rows of stair steps. A flat roof can remain leak free for around 7 years.
It is always better to do roofing in warm or hot weather. Flat roofs get worn out over time but luckily they re fairly simple to replace and you don t need a lot of experience to get the job done. Shingles are not meant for roofs with less than a 2 12 pitch. Of course you don t need to live in a modern house to deal with a flat roof.
If you have a low pitched or flat roof tar bitumen rolled or rubber roofing material is recommended. If shingles are your hearts desire and no other method will do put down a rolled or rubber roofing material first for protection. Before you put on the new roof you ll need to remove the plies or layers of fabric that make up the old roofing with a spade. Adding shingles can actually lessen this time.
Make sure you seal every joint and seam as a bit of extra work now will save you a lot of work and money down the road. Unfortunately shingles for a flat roof are not advised. Continue laying your shingles horizontally up the roof. Wood and composition shingles are intended for use on pitched roofs.
On a pitched roof the water won t stay trapped. Many pros shingle in a vertical line up the roof because it s much faster. When shingles are installed even when done properly water can become trapped under the shingle. Flat roofs aren t architecturally logical as rain and snow will shed much more quickly off a sloped roof.
If you have a shallow pitch or a flat roof this is not for you. 3 tab shingles are the most common type of shingle. Yet for historic modern style buildings like this old house s cambridge tv project flat roofs are at the core of the architecture meant to reflect the broad horizontal lines of the natural landscape. Roof shingles are not sealed in any way and will leak.
Architectural shingles are another option and are installed the same way as 3 tab shingles but give your roof.