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How long to shingle a roof

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D

Determined

Well-known Member
Roof on the house has reached the end of it's useable life.

Have a couple of skilled apprentice carpenters, another son who is a mechanic and myself for labor. (+ one more that might show)

Trying to figure out how much steaks and beer will be required to get it done.

Stripping off 1 layer of shingles followed by new drip edge underlay and shingles.

Have a couple of air nailers, a tandem dump to haul away the waste and a loader to put the materials on the roof which is a low pitch and easy to walk on.

Will have all materials and equipment ready to go by first light, Is a 1600 sq ft roof dooable in a day by a couple of strong back amateur's and a couple of 2nd and 3rd year nail benders?
 
The skilled apprentices get how much pay. $20 an hour off books is adequate, not
great. Steaks and beer when the job id done, Burgers and potato sa;ad, chips, melons,
sandwiches until then. Plus coffee and donuts in the am.
 
There are more 4 square nailers than there are 16 square nailers. I have heard of fellows doing 16 squares by self, but I think it is a gross exaggeration. Just coffee shop talk.
 
Allow yourself plenty of time, and don't expect to have the whole crew for the whole time.

A day to do the tear-off, including pulling all the old nails. (If you don't pull the nails, you'll wreck a few shingles when your nailer hits old nails.)
A day to prep the roof: Replace bad sheathing or completely re-sheath, underlayment and drip edge.
Two days to lay down the shingles. Longer if there are valleys or other complications.

Sure, you can do it MUCH FASTER than that with four guys, but the results won't be pretty. Take your time and do it right. Make sure the sheathing is in good shape; otherwise put down a layer of of 7/16" OSB over it. Put down "ice dam" underlayment if your roof is subject to ice dams. Lay out vertical chalk lines to line up the shingles. If you put down the felt straight, you can use the lines on it to keep the shingles straight; otherwise use horizontal chalk lines.

You will save a lot of time if you use "architectural" shingles rather than three-tab. They're bigger and you don't have to be as careful as with three-tabs when you install them for them to look good.

Don't get in a hurry with those roofing nailers. Amateurs and many "professional" roofers will put the nails too high and miss the shingle under the one being nailed. If this happens, you won't know until the first storm comes.
 
Determined....... I pray you all stay alert all day tomorrow. No reason to get in a rush. When I got out of the Navy in 79' I got a full time job in SW La
with a roofing company. Most of the work was during the summer time. Got home in the evening, ate dinner, and went to bed. Had a good boss. Paid
well for the times and had weekends off. Wingnut
 
Lot depends on how complex the roof is. When I did my roof I had to cut around dormers. I'm also old, it took me all day to put up two squares and I used the front loader on my tractor to put the bundles on the roof. If I was younger and didn't have the dormers I
think I could have done 4 squares a day.
 
About a day for tear off, making sure you got all the nails & maybe a little extra time should you encounter soft or rotted sheathing. Might get the D
edge on & the first couple layers tacked on along the bottom. Don't rush it. If those shingles ain't straight, you really don't want to do it over
again. Should be able to bang out the rest of the roof the following day. Even if you're shooting 6 nails per.

Mike
 
(quoted from post at 19:59:11 09/23/20) Allow yourself plenty of time, and don't expect to have the whole crew for the whole time.

A day to do the tear-off, including pulling all the old nails. (If you don't pull the nails, you'll wreck a few shingles when your nailer hits old nails.)
A day to prep the roof: Replace bad sheathing or completely re-sheath, underlayment and drip edge.
Two days to lay down the shingles. Longer if there are valleys or other complications.

Sure, you can do it MUCH FASTER than that with four guys, but the results won't be pretty. Take your time and do it right. Make sure the sheathing is in good shape; otherwise put down a layer of of 7/16" OSB over it. Put down "ice dam" underlayment if your roof is subject to ice dams. Lay out vertical chalk lines to line up the shingles. If you put down the felt straight, you can use the lines on it to keep the shingles straight; otherwise use horizontal chalk lines.

You will save a lot of time if you use "architectural" shingles rather than three-tab. They're bigger and you don't have to be as careful as with three-tabs when you install them for them to look good.

Don't get in a hurry with those roofing nailers. Amateurs and many "professional" roofers will put the nails too high and miss the shingle under the one being nailed. If this happens, you won't know until the first storm comes.
Click to expand...

Thank you to everybody for the tips and advise, just picking up the materials tomorrow, planned date for the roofing will be Oct 3.

Mark
-Yes we are going with the architectural shingles and we will be putting on the ice dam before the underlay.
-4 out of 5 of the crew either live here or will be staying here for the weekend so I am hoping we can get it done in a day or a day and a half.
-As far as sheeting goes the whole roof is 2x6 and is sound, and yes chalk lines will be used.
-No valleys or other obstacles to deal with other than the tower for the internet dish.
-Nail placement all I can do is hope for the best and remind son #2 and his buddy that they will be the ones fixing any screw ups.
 
Hear, hear. Took me a quite a few years but I now have metal on every building on the farm including my house. No more shingles for me either.
 
from removing shingles to finished will be 3 days, but could be less with good help. a scoop shovel works good for removing shingles. glad
your not putting tin on a house as that looks really cheezy!
 
Do you have shingle shovels for ripping off the old
shingles? They work nice, start from the top and rip
down. Four of us did my roof in just under 2 days,
but i have a gambrel roof on one side of the house
with dormers, valleys ext, we did snow and ice
shield, tar paper and artificial shingles, that was in
2008, i cant remember how many square, good
luck.
 
I put a metal roof on my house on top of a roof entirely covered with Ice and Snow shield. The metal is ultra reflecting to the attic is
cool in summer and not bad in winter. There was a comment about lightning in a previous post but with the same lightning rods as for the
shingle roof, I have zero worries. Remember, metal does not attract lightning, only ground potential attracts.

The only gripe I have with the metal roof is the TV antenna that was in the attic will not work at all now.

Since I had mine put down 6 years ago, many more houses are going with the metal. It is a hidden fastener system so it looks great!
 
All good advise, about the only thing I might add, going into this as somewhat novices, could you do one side at a time?

Just in case the weather takes a turn or y'all get worn down before the job gets done.

Several of us reroofed a small church building back in my younger years. It was an all day rush job, so hot we were tearing up the new shingles walking on them!

Not what I want to do when I grow up!
 
(quoted from post at 16:55:12 09/23/20) Roof on the house has reached the end of it's useable life.

Have a couple of skilled apprentice carpenters, another son who is a mechanic and myself for labor. (+ one more that might show)

Trying to figure out how much steaks and beer will be required to get it done.

Stripping off 1 layer of shingles followed by new drip edge underlay and shingles.

Have a couple of air nailers, a tandem dump to haul away the waste and a loader to put the materials on the roof which is a low pitch and easy to walk on.

Will have all materials and equipment ready to go by first light, Is a 1600 sq ft roof dooable in a day by a couple of strong back amateur's and a couple of 2nd and 3rd year nail benders?
Click to expand...
y dad was a builder and taught us well. Nice to read a post like this and brush up on terminology used in different parts of the country. Sounds like you are in the Pennsylvania or further northern direction where you have real snow and ice loads. Likely your on 1' centers at least 2X8 on a 10 and 12 pitch. If the old decking was showing it's "ribs" may want to go a few more 32nds on the decking. Those three dimensional are going to hide a lot of crooked lines, longer warranty and they hold up better down here in Tornado Alley. If you get off the line some cheat your shingles over a couple three or four runs. Not many will notice. There are a couple thicknesses of the felt paper. You can't go wrong with the thicker. It more durable while being walked on bare. Tell your crew not to plop the bundles down on the roof. I did that a few times when I was younger. The broken picture frames came out of my pocket. Broke a couple old dried up rafters also.
 
(quoted from post at 20:36:44 09/23/20)
(quoted from post at 16:55:12 09/23/20) Roof on the house has reached the end of it's useable life.

Have a couple of skilled apprentice carpenters, another son who is a mechanic and myself for labor. (+ one more that might show)

Trying to figure out how much steaks and beer will be required to get it done.

Stripping off 1 layer of shingles followed by new drip edge underlay and shingles.

Have a couple of air nailers, a tandem dump to haul away the waste and a loader to put the materials on the roof which is a low pitch and easy to walk on.

Will have all materials and equipment ready to go by first light, Is a 1600 sq ft roof dooable in a day by a couple of strong back amateur's and a couple of 2nd and 3rd year nail benders?
Click to expand...
y dad was a builder and taught us well. Nice to read a post like this and brush up on terminology used in different parts of the country. Sounds like you are in the Pennsylvania or further northern direction where you have real snow and ice loads. Likely your on 1' centers at least 2X8 on a 10 and 12 pitch. If the old decking was showing it's "ribs" may want to go a few more 32nds on the decking. Those three dimensional are going to hide a lot of crooked lines, longer warranty and they hold up better down here in Tornado Alley. If you get off the line some cheat your shingles over a couple three or four runs. Not many will notice. There are a couple thicknesses of the felt paper. You can't go wrong with the thicker. It more durable while being walked on bare. Tell your crew not to plop the bundles down on the roof. I did that a few times when I was younger. The broken picture frames came out of my pocket. Broke a couple old dried up rafters also.
Click to expand...
here did all these other post come from? You guys type fast.
 
Cheesy is your opinion. It’s not everyone’s. You put on a metal roof correctly and you will never have to do it again barring a major hailstorm or other very major event. Tony
 
1600 square foot one story ranch style house with one layer and 5:12 pitch. Crew of 4 showed up at 7 am, stripped the old roof - somehow didn't tear the felt - laid down
a new underlayment over the old felt. Installed a new layer of shingle - they were gone by 5:30 in the afternoon and took the old shingles with them.
 
The original house on my farm was built in the 1870's,next house was built in 1902,barn built in the 1890's all have had a metal roof since being built and non struck by lightening yet so
it can happen but pretty small possibility.
 
In my younger days it was 1 steak per side and 1 beer per
square per man. So 30 square / 3 guys = 3 cases, (figure a
couple for yourself) and 6 steaks. (7 or 8 if you want some)
Now those numbers are all different. Heck even shingles are
different now.
 
Plan on the full two days. Everybody's
ankles and knees are going to be hurting
so bad the second morning you will lose
half a day getting limbered up.
 
Just use common sence. The pro's do'nt alway get it right' Just watch This old house. The metal drip edge goes under
the tar paper or ice sheald on the eve or bottom edge and on top going up the roof edge. Think about it if water does
get to your under layment it would run under the metal drip edgeing and down the fasia and not in the guter. On the
side you want it on top to kept wind from getting under it. On the bottom the gutters keep wind from getting under the
under layment.
 
Don't get the beer out too early ! lol. You also have to watch those air nailers. You could see on my old roof where the shingles did not lay down in places because the nails were at an angle. You stand in one place and the center is good but then where you reach out to each side the nail gun gets angled letting the nail stick up and then the shingle won't seal down all the way and blow off.
 
Every time somebody posts about shingles you have to bring up your metal roof. Has it occurred to you that not everyone wants a metal roof? Sort of like the guys who, when somebody asks a question about their Ford, they have to say "get a Chevy".

I've seen a few nice-looking metal roofs, and many more that look gawd-awful.
 

My 25 square shop roof was stripped and new on in seven hours a few weeks ago. It is a steep pitch. You are wise to go with shingles. Unless you pay the long dollar for standing seam, metal roofs last nowhere near what shingles last. and the damage you get before you know how badly it is leaking can be very expensive.
 
been down both the shingle road and the metal road... House was built sometime around 1900 - give or take 10 yrs - and has a pretty steep pitch.. around 11:12

When we had the shingle roof done, it took a crew of 4 about 5 & 1/2 days to rip off 4 layers (including the original wood shake) lay down new osb, new underlayment and new architectural shingles - this also included new drip edge and fascia...
keep in mind, these were [i:9e5e37680d][b:9e5e37680d]supposed[/b:9e5e37680d][/i:9e5e37680d] to be 30yr shingles.. they didn't even make it to 15yrs..

that roof lasted about 12-13 yrs before we started having constant problems with shingles coming up or tearing during storms.. and hubby having to climb up there to patch & tar after nearly every storm.

We had to have the roof done again before we were looking at major issues with leaks. We did a lot of talking, looked at costs, etc, before finally deciding to go with a steel roof. We could not be happier with the results.

Panels were made on site to the correct length, so there are no horizontal seams at all like you see on the old ones.
Powder coated metal - and a heavier gauge than most, so very durable and looks fantastic. Hidden fasteners, so no worries about leaks at fasteners.. Took the crew of 4 that did it all of 2 days to complete the job, from the time they arrived to final cleanup and payment.

To do shingles again, we were looking at a cost of around $7500-8000 ... the steel roof was estimated at $12,000. Yes it costs more, but if it is done right, a quality metal roof will easily last at least 50 yrs, if not longer.

I get that not everyone wants a metal roof, and that is certainly your choice.. but for the money, it is a far better investment and I have the piece of mind knowing that WE wont have to do this again. Shingles would have to be done at least once, probably twice more in the same life span as the metal...
 
(quoted from post at 06:21:07 09/24/20) been down both the shingle road and the metal road... House was built sometime around 1900 - give or take 10 yrs - and has a pretty steep pitch.. around 11:12

When we had the shingle roof done, it took a crew of 4 about 5 & 1/2 days to rip off 4 layers (including the original wood shake) lay down new osb, new underlayment and new architectural shingles - this also included new drip edge and fascia...
keep in mind, these were [i:889dd19c94][b:889dd19c94]supposed[/b:889dd19c94][/i:889dd19c94] to be 30yr shingles.. they didn't even make it to 15yrs..

that roof lasted about 12-13 yrs before we started having constant problems with shingles coming up or tearing during storms.. and hubby having to climb up there to patch & tar after nearly every storm.

We had to have the roof done again before we were looking at major issues with leaks. We did a lot of talking, looked at costs, etc, before finally deciding to go with a steel roof. We could not be happier with the results.

Panels were made on site to the correct length, so there are no horizontal seams at all like you see on the old ones.
Powder coated metal - and a heavier gauge than most, so very durable and looks fantastic. Hidden fasteners, so no worries about leaks at fasteners.. Took the crew of 4 that did it all of 2 days to complete the job, from the time they arrived to final cleanup and payment.

To do shingles again, we were looking at a cost of around $7500-8000 ... the steel roof was estimated at $12,000. Yes it costs more, but if it is done right, a quality metal roof will easily last at least 50 yrs, if not longer.

I get that not everyone wants a metal roof, and that is certainly your choice.. but for the money, it is a far better investment and I have the piece of mind knowing that WE wont have to do this again. Shingles would have to be done at least once, probably twice more in the same life span as the metal...
Click to expand...


Heartless, the type of roof that you describe, with hidden screws, is generally referred to as standing seam type. They are excellent, and far far better than conventional steel with exposed fasteners that will rarely last over twenty years due to expansion of the holes caused by daily expansion and contraction.
 
Most people can have a metal roof. Downtown Portland is about a 128Ft elevation. I live 20 miles away from that disaster at about 1200 feet. A metal roof would become a target as the trees near the pump house are currently a slightly better lightning rod.
Not by much. If I did a metal roof, which I would not mind at all, it might wind up with a very large hole in it not to mention a lot of other problems. If I was a flatlander, I would be far more interested in a metal roof.
 
I haven't posted about metal roofs nearly as much as you have about getting some of your corn stalks blown down(LOL).Anyway what do you care my answer wasn't for any question you posted?
 
I haven't posted about metal roofs nearly as much as you have about getting some of your corn stalks blown down(LOL).Anyway what do you care my answer wasn't for any question you posted?

Huh? I have no corn stalks, standing or down, so I sure haven't posted about them.

You may be surprised to learn that lots of folks make irrelevant comments on posts, including yourself.
 
> that roof lasted about 12-13 yrs before we started having constant problems with shingles coming up or tearing during storms.. and hubby having to climb up there to patch & tar after nearly every storm.

Shingles coming off after a few years is almost always due to installation mistakes. Usually it's caused by nailing too high on the shingle, which causes two problems: First, since the nail only goes through one shingle, each shingle only has four nails in it rather than eight. But the bigger problem is that because the nail is placed where there's a space under the shingle caused by the shingle beneath it, the nail will blow right through the shingle so it isn't holding anything.

Another problem is if high nails aren't pounded down, preventing the shingle from sealing. You'll always get a few high nails, typically when a nail hits a rafter, and roofers tend to ignore them if they don't have a hammer handy.
 
I have noticed nowadays only poor folks shingle the roofs on their houses any more, because they can’t afford steel. Unless you don’t know any better, you don’t shingle anymore, unless you are just fixing the house to flip it. Otherwise in ten to twelve years, you will be redoing the roof. One steel roof installed properly will last 3 generations.
 
(quoted from post at 03:57:45 09/24/20) Just use common sence. The pro's do'nt alway get it right' Just watch This old house. The metal drip edge goes under
the tar paper or ice sheald on the eve or bottom edge and on top going up the roof edge. Think about it if water does
get to your under layment it would run under the metal drip edgeing and down the fasia and not in the guter. On the
side you want it on top to kept wind from getting under it. On the bottom the gutters keep wind from getting under the
under layment.
Click to expand...
ell said.
 
Shingles coming off after a few years is almost always due to installation mistakes.
Click to expand...

Well aware of what causes shingles to fail..
These shingles were also of the same manufacture date range that had the class action suit a while back for premature failure.. different brand, but same type and age - more than likely manufactured at the same facility.. No, we did not pursue that angle - i did look into it a little.. more effort than it was worth to pursue further, for very little gain. We got 15 yrs out of them, and according to some accounts, that was actually pretty good.

We tend to get some pretty severe winds during major storms here.. Tornados are not uncommon, nor are shear winds. It was a shear wind that took out a section of shingles on a west face of the roof a few years earlier.

The standard 3 tab shingle that we did on the garage in 2003 is still holding pretty well, but beginning to show its age and when it gets replaced, will most likely be done the same as the house.
 
The trick is NOT to be the highest thing in the area. Are you? I am. The pump house is a slightly better target. It is the "official" thin metal building put together with 1,000 screws and paper thin. Inside is a metal pipe going down about 600 feet to the water table. Absolutely fantastic grounding rod. I can "hardly wait" for that to get blown up with a lightning strike.
Last time the pump went out, without a strike, was a few thousand to get it pulled up and replaced including new wire.
Another problem I have is being located just above the Columbia River Gorge and catching a lot of storms that roll up the gorge off the coast range. Last thunderstorm to roll through this area last week had the hairs standing up on the back of the neck with the static electricity. that's close enough. Then to give it a larger metal target just didn't add up.
I went down to Home Depot the other day and they are now selling lifetime roof shingles. Those should last 35 years at least and that will probably outlast me.
 
How about a good laugh (at me) Several years ago I did my roof shingles in 2 years. I went row by row - take one old shingle off. put a new one in its place and repeat, repeat, repeat. I mentioned it to my co-workers one time and they said "You can just go back to the beginning and start over when you finish!" The house was 26 by 66 with a low pitch of roof.
 
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