Ways To Lay Out First Row Of Roof Shingles

If you are making your own starter shingles cut the tabs off for the starter course bottom row of shingles.

Ways to lay out first row of roof shingles.

Snap a horizontal chalk line over the starting row to use as a guide. Continue to chalk additional guidelines based on the width of the shingle through at least four courses rows across the roof. Lay the first row of shingles directly covering the narrow starter row. Lay one row of shingles starting from the lower left corner of the roof.

For the first row of shingles called a starter course or strip you cut the tabs off three tab shingles and apply them with the self sealing adhesive strip facing up along the eave. It should overhang the drip edge about 1 4 inch. Make sure this row has a slight overhang 1 4 to 3 8 in beyond the drip edge. Before you install your first shingle use your utility knife to cut 6 inches off of the side then lay it on your roof allowing the architectural shingles to hang between 1 2 to 2 inches over the edge.

Place the glue strip at and all along the drip edge and the rake edges as well. To prepare the tabs and lay the starter course shorten the first starter shingle by 6 inches or about a half of one tab. Many pros shingle in a vertical line up the roof because it s much faster. Securing the first shingle using four roofing nails or up to six in high wind areas secure the starter shingle to the surface of the roof.

This row should project half an inch 1 27 centimeters over the eaves. Their tab slots should not line up with the tab slots of the starter course if there are any. 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. Nail the shingles just above the tab slots.

Cut six inches off the length of the first starter shingle nailed on then use the rest of them full size. Nail down the shingles as you go along. Use your chalk and tape measure to mark about 12 inches up on the roof for the first set of shingles. When you reach a peak or hip shingle all the way up the first side until the reveal portion of the shingles is within 4 inches of the peak and cut the 3 tab shingles just below the ridge.

Starting at the bottom of the roof map out a guideline with chalk. Shingle the other side and allow these pieces to overlap the ridge by no more than 4 inches. Rip cut the shingles for the first course so they butt up against the third course of existing shingles and are even with the front edge of the starter course.