Step-By-Step How to Reroof Your House

South Coast Shingle is a supplier of everything (from shingles to tile and more) you need for your roofing project and will provide you with roofing expertise. First we will help you determine what kind of roofing material will best suit your home or business, whether to use fiberglass asphalt shingles, clay or concrete shingles, fire-retardant wood shakes/shingles or metal roofing, we will guide you through this first step. Refer to our Products Pages to learn about the major types of roofing shingles. Click for Residential Roofing Products or Commercial Roofing Products.

The Tear-Off step involves stripping the old layers of shingles and felt, and inspecting the roof sheathing (wood) for dry rot, water damage from a prior roof leak, and termite damage. This is arguably the most difficult and dangerous part of the process (roofing a building in general is a dangerous task). You will then replace the sheathing with new wood. If the sheathing is spaced, fill in or cover the spaces with plywood. Make sure that your roof is clean of obstructions, like nails sticking up through the wood.

Replace all of your roof’s pipe flashings, valley metal, drip edge metal, and any other metal flashing. Don’t forget to prime and paint all metal with a color to match the shingles. Do this on the ground before installation. Check the ventilation on the roof to see if it meets current code. More than likely it won’t, so plan on adding some additional venting. Improper ventilation in the attic will void the manufacturer’s warranty and cause the shingles to prematurely fail. Before you move on to the next step, make sure your roof is dry and sealed tight.

Install the underlayment, also referred to as felt. This material has a tar-like feel to it and is very sticky. The felt provides added protection for the shingles. This step can be pretty frustrating and is easier if you have someone to help you. Start at the edges and make sure to overlap the sections as you work your way to the roof’s peak. You will want to install the drip edge before you start the next step: the shingle application.

This step involves the shingle application, and you will probably find it easier and quicker if you have someone to help you lay the shingles out in front of you as you go. It is important that you start out correctly. The best advice we can give is to follow themanufacturer’s instructions on the back of the package.

After your shingles have been applied, you will have an exposed peak that needs to be sealed up. For this you will use what is called a ridge cap. Apply the cap by laying the cap’s pieces so that they overlap each other.

Very important! Do not back up to admire your work while still on the roof. Don’t end up like Rufus.