Mastering the Shingle Shuffle: Your Essential Guide to Installing a New Roof

You’ve trudged through countless hardware stores, flipped through numerous catalogs, and yes, even had a couple of negotiations with Mother Nature. But at last, you’ve decided a new roof is what you want. You have come to the right place as we salsa our way across the often slippery landscape of roof installation!

Step 1: Ready, Set, Go – Preparation

Like any epic DIY journey, it all begins with preparation. So don your trusty work gloves and grab your most reliable ladder. Before starting, look once again at the selected site. Check for any obstructions such as tree branches or satellite dishes.

You’ll need some space for your materials and yourself. Don't forget to remove the old roofing material, because doubling down on shingles is a casino bet you don't want to make.

Step 2: The Underlayment – Roofing’s Unsung Hero

It's invisible, but it's there. It's silent, but it works tirelessly to keep Mother Nature outside the house. Meet the underlayment - a water-resistant or waterproof barrier installed directly onto the roof deck. Apply it in horizontal strips, overlapping slightly and securing with nails or staples.

Pro Tip:

An ice and water membrane near the eaves may be an excellent addition for those of you in colder climates to protect against ice dams.

Step 3: Drip Edges – No, It Isn't a 90s Hip Hop Group

Drip edge is an often overlooked, yet vital element of your roof. It’s a piece of metal bent at 90 degrees, designed to guide water away from the fascia and into the gutters. Normally, you’ll sort these out after your felt paper, but some local building codes require drip edges before underlayment, so do check!

Step 4: Laying Down Roofing Paper

Like a reassuring hug to your underlayment, roofing paper is applied to create an extra barrier between your roof and the elements. Starting at the bottom of the roof and working your way up, fully cover the surface. Overlap by a few inches each time until you reach the top.

Roofer's Tip:

Tar paper or felt? My experience suggests synthetic felt paper is a better bet. It's incredibly resistant to tearing when you are moving around on the roof – priceless!

Step 5: Shingles – The Red Carpet of Your Roof

Apply shingles starting at the bottom edge of the roof. Nail them into place with tabs facing upward and secure firmly but without piercing the surface of the shingle. Stagger the rows as you move up the roof to prevent water from seeping between the cracks.

Step 6: Cap It Off - Apply Your Ridge Cap Shingles

Now that you've shingled your way to the top, ridge cap shingles are applied to provide a neat finish and protect the peak from weathering. Run them along the top ridge, trimming them to fit, leaving an overhang of a little over an inch.

Top Tip:

Play around with color here! Ridge Cap Shingles can add a dash of personality to your new roof.

A Few Extras

Don't forget to install your flashing around the chimney, plumbing vents, and any other roof penetrations.

One Last Piece of Advice:

Roofing installation can be a tricky business with many potential pitfalls. It’s okay to call in a professional if you’re out of your depth. Safety always comes first.

Signing Off From the Rooftops

Roof installation isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but with some grit, gumption, and a good hammer swing, it's genuinely doable. Equipped with the tips in this guide, you're more than ready to tackle this Herculean task. So get out there and start shingling to your heart's content. And as you're hammering in that last nail, don't forget to take a moment, look out over your kingdom, and enjoy the satisfaction that only comes from DIY-ing a job well done.