Australia Storm Book

After The Storm - 23

Roof Repairs: Felt and Shingles

General

A clean, dry, solidly sheathed and adequately flashed roof surface provides the stage for the last two roofing layers -- the building felt and shingles.

The single most important factor is that shingles of any length of bonding time, containing fiberglass or not, should meet the basic minimum standard "ASTM D 312-78." Number 15 felt is a material impregnated with asphalt so that it weighs at least 15 pounds per 100 feet and assists in moisture control of residences.

Here are directions for roofs with a slope of 4 inches in 12 inches or greater. Lesser slopes require different procedures:

  • First, apply the number 15 building felt underlayment, fastening it down with 12-ga. roofing nails (with an annular thread when nailing into plywood) or staples 1-inch long driven through tin discs spaced a maximum of 12 inches on center. The single ply of underlayment is placed parallel to roof eaves with a 2-inch top lap and a 4-inch end lap minimum.

  • Next, the shingles are applied. Usually instructions supplied by the manufacturer are the best to follow. Begin the starter course along the bottom edge of the roof and work to the top, following markings you have applied for squaring on the underlayment. Staying square and straight is a challenge. Fasteners need to be 12-ga., HD roofing nails (1/4 inch long) or 16-ga. 15/16 staples (1 1/4 inch long), spaced four per 36- to 40-inch section of shingle.

Overlapping instructions are supplied in printed instructions from the manufacturer, but the first line of shingles should overlap the roof edge three to four inches to allow for the final neat trim. A similar amount should overlap eaves. Overlaying sheathing edges allows sufficient material to protect edges of the sheathing from becoming wet. An additional and durable protection comes with flashing all edges of the sheathed deck before shingling. Flashing in roof valleys is also needed before finishing roofing. Applying shingles to ridges and hips, as well as weaving valleys, requires some skilled help. Be wary of unskilled help in this process, or you may soon have to pay to have the job redone.

 

 

 

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