Roofing...any tips

[SKINNER]

I am going to start roofing my garage over the next week or so. This is new construction; 8/12 pitch.

As this will be my first experience roofing I am looking for hints/tips on the best/easiest/right way to get this done. I started on my paper and drip edge last night and will be finishing it tonight.

 

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Oh yeah, 30 year dimensional/architectural shingles.

 

[mleichtle]

You got hook blades, nail gun, roof brackets? I recomend chalking lines every couple rows to keep em strait. Just follow the instructions on the wrapper. Wear soft soled shoes, and pick up your feet, shingles scuff real easy in this heat. Drink water, Gallons.

 

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Hook blades, nail gun, roof jacks - check.

Is it best to roof in the evening when it's a bit cooler? I'm about 215lbs and don't want to mess this up.

 

[OldCarGuy]

Although the pitch is steep 8/12, I would still put down one width of Ice Guard. And install a continuous ridge vent.

 

[MAINIAC]

start early in the am or wait until evenings if it's really hot and no shade. walk flat footed and on the 8 pitch I would reccomend stageing at least enough to give support and tool platform. Take your time and keep things straight and lined up for a nice looking job, if it can't be seen just let her rip.

 

[SKINNER]

Although the pitch is steep 8/12, I would still put down one width of Ice Guard. And install a continuous ridge vent.

What all is involved in installing the ridge vent?

 

[SKINNER]

start early in the am or wait until evenings if it's really hot and no shade. walk flat footed and on the 8 pitch I would reccomend stageing at least enough to give support and tool platform. Take your time and keep things straight and lined up for a nice looking job, if it can't be seen just let her rip.

By staging, do you mean having the shingles placed on the roof in piles? I have a buddy coming over with a 60' cat fork truck tonight to put everything up on the roof.

 

[mleichtle]

Hook blades, nail gun, roof jacks - check.

Is it best to roof in the evening when it's a bit cooler? I'm about 215lbs and don't want to mess this up.

Definatly, the sun is the killer. Hot shingles get like jello. Only problem is it drags the job out longer, which isn't a problem if your not getting paid.

 

[mleichtle]

I would only put half or little less on the roof, the first couple rows your working off a ladder anyways. then get the first row of scaffold up and load the rest on there, if you can get the fork truck again.

8/12 is getting steep enough that I don't like walking on the tar paper, one little slip and you tear it up real good.

Never nail directly above a roof jack, it needs to go up before it comes out. I use 2 16p nails per jack, nailed into a rafter, just snug, let the jack just wiggle a little.

Theres a ridge vent thread down aways.

 

[Donzi4me]

Hire it out.
8/12 is pretty steep. And roofing in this heat is killer.

My 26 x 34 roof only cost $450 for the single install including the ridge vent. And I bought a box of nails for his nailing gun. It was done in a day and I never lifted a single shingle.
It was worth it to me.

 

[SKINNER]

Hire it out.
8/12 is pretty steep. And roofing in this heat is killer.

My 26 x 34 roof only cost $450 for the single install including the ridge vent. And I bought a box of nails for his nailing gun. It was done in a day and I never lifted a single shingle.
It was worth it to me.

I checked with a couple guys, prices range from 750- 1000. Too steep for me, I guess I'll be doing it myself.

 

[PAToyota]

I did the back slope of my shop - 12/12 pitch.

Rent a nailgun if you don't have one. Makes it go a heck of a lot faster.

 

[Wile1Coyote]

Do not even consider it without a good nail gun. If you are working in the heat of the day wet down the shingles you have down already with a garden hose to keep them cool enough to walk on. Once every few hours is fine. If you don't they can become soft enough that they will rip under your load. And THAT is a real mess. Other than that take your time and you will do fine Roofing is not that tough other than physically.
I would definitely have the whole load delivered to the ridge line, yes you are going to have to move some at some point but it is better than the alternative.

 

[Bill K]

One trick you can use on steep roofs that noone mentioned is to get a couple of old foam chair or couch cushions. You can sit on them and not burn your ars, and you can use them to stand on on steep pitches without sliding. I didn't believe it till my roofing buddy showed me. Around here most roofers start the first row at the gutters upside down with the tabs cut off. Then a row on top of that right side up. That way the asphalt strip is at the edge of the roof and holds the first rows edges down in wind storms

 

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Well, I got 95% of the roof done before I ran out of shingles. We used the couch cushion trick and roof jacks, really wasn't too bad - but it was hot as hell (95+). Unfortunately I had to carry all 51 bundles up the ladder myself, another pain in the ars. I'll post pics once I get the ridge vent in.

 

[Stuart in MN]

The foam cushion is a good tip, the crew that did the roof on my house a couple years ago used them.

I shingled a couple roofs in my youth, and it's not rocket science as long as you're careful to follow the instructions, but these days I'll pay someone else to do it...the roof on my house is fairly complicated, with bunch of angles and corners and dormers and things, but the crew that re-roofed it got the job done in less than two days. I could have done it myself but it probably would have taken a month.

 

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Here's a few pics,

 

[Wile1Coyote]

Nicely done!