Reshingle a Roof

Wood or similar shingles are very popular roofing materials because they have a unique look that will make your house look really good. To install asphalt shingles is a different process. In addition, if they get damages over time, you don’t need to replace a huge portion of your roof but only certain areas that have been affected. You get to choose from a wide plethora of option when it comes to color. However, with wear and tear, roof shingles need to be replaced. You can hire a roofing company to replace your shingles. You can also buy all of the materials needed to reshingle your roof at a home improvement or hardware store and do the work yourself. Use these tips to reshingle your roof.

Steps

  1. Remove old shingles.
    • Place a pitchfork, flat garden shovel or shingle scraper under the shingle.
    • Pry the shingle from the roof. The nails in the shingle should come up with the shingle when you pry it off.
    • Remove all of the shingles on the roof.
  2. Remove leftover debris from the roof.
    • Use the split end of a claw hammer to pry out nails still holding bits of shingles onto the roof. Slide the split ends of the hammer under and around the nail.
    • Lever the split end of the hammer up to pull the nail out of the roof. Refrain from pulling out the structural nails that are not flush to the surface.
    • Sweep or brush off any parts of shingles remaining on the roof. Wear work gloves, if brushing off the roof with your hands.
  3. Secure loose boards, and nails that may have worked up (and are sticking up). Hammer (set) any nails that are loose in the roofing boards.
  4. Cover large holes in boards.
    • Use tin snips to cut a piece of aluminum flashing large enough to cover such holes.
    • Use a hammer tacker to nail aluminum flashing over the hole.
    • Leave small holes uncovered. If you cannot fit your finger through a hole, it is small enough to leave uncovered.
  5. Install the roofing felt.
    • Lay strips of felt horizontally across the roof.
    • Lay a strip of felt at the bottom of the roof and move towards the top of the roof with each new strip. Ensure that each higher strip slightly overlaps the strip below it.
    • Use a staple gun or hammer tacker to staple the felt to the roof. Place staples 6 to 8 inches (15.2 to 20.3 cm) apart in the felt.
  6. Install the drip edge.
    • Place the drip edge horizontally against the edge of the roof to mark a distance. The curved-out edge should fit over the roof overhang. The "flat" part may have embossed grooves/beads to add strength to the strip.
    • Use chalk along the inner/upper edge of the drip edge to mark where the drip edge lays on the felt.
    • Set the drip edge aside.
    • Measure 3/8 inch (~ 1 cm) downward from the chalk marking towards the roof edge. This is to space the drip edge out from the roof edge that distance, evenly and consistently. Mark this distance with chalk.
    • Align the inner edge of the drip edge with the marked lines on the felt. You are not aligning the edge against the roof edge, but by following the marked line
    • Nail the drip edge to the felt and roof with galvanized roofing nails.
  7. Secure new shingles.
    • Nail a horizontal row of shingles over the drip edge. Hammer the nail into the top part of each shingle. The shingles should jut out from 1/4 to 3/8 inch (.7 to 1 cm) over the drip edge.
    • Continue to nail horizontal rows of shingles onto the roof. Each row should overlap the one below it by 1/4 inch (~ .7 cm), not less. The center of each shingle in each row should lay directly above the edge of the shingle in the row below it. You will have an offset pattern in the shingles, so that the edges of the shingles do not line up vertically.
  8. Secure the ridge cap.
    • Place the ridge cap shingles over the roof ridges. The cap of each shingle should fall evenly in half over each side of the ridge.
    • Nail each side of the cap shingle into the roof.
    • Place and nail the shingles from the bottom of the roof to the top. Ensure that each cap overlaps the one below it by 1/4 inch (~ .7 cm).
  9. Dispose of the debris. Place old shingles and nails in a garbage can or dumpster.

Things You'll Need

  • Pitchfork, flat garden shovel or shingle scraper
  • Tin snips
  • Aluminum flashing
  • Staple gun or hammer tacker
  • Chalk
  • Roofing felt
  • Galvanized roofing nails
  • Claw hammer
  • Work gloves
  • Drip edge
  • Roof shingles
  • Ridge cap shingles
  • Ladder

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Sources and Citations

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