How To Cut Roof Shingles

If you are shingling your own roof you will at some point encounter a need to trim or cut the shingles to a certain size or shape.

How to cut roof shingles.

Metal roofing is also available in the form of shingles. The rake edge is the extreme edge of the roof on either side. The evolution of asphalt roofing shingles has been a slow and steady improvement in performance durability and looks. Cut a couple of inches off the vertical portion of the dormer flashing and run the horizontal portion past the side wall that same distance.

For the kind of shingles you purchase there may be a special starter row of shingles or a roll of strip material that you cut to the length of your roof. Cut with a tin snips at the bend in the first step flashing. Follow the guideline you created to keep the shingles straight. Use 4 nails per shingle and 6 nails on the prevailing windward sides of the roof as wind resistance nailing.

Install the shingles right up to the front wall. Cut your last shingle on each row to size repeating all the way to the ridge. So your next course of shingles should cover the nails by 1 inch vertically. How to cut shingles off the edge of a roof in a straight line.

Original three tab asphalt shingles had 10 or 20 year warranties and that was about the lifespan you could expect. Continue adding panels until the roof is covered. Nail the dormer flashing to both the wall and the shingles. The edge of a roof in professional vernacular is called the rake edge.

Make a 1 to 2 in. Alternatively you can use a starting row of full sized shingles by turning them with the tabs pointing upward. As you continue follow the pattern of lining a full shingle up against the next and nailing it into place. Today s laminated roof shingles have 30 40 and 50 year warranties.

You may need to cut panels to fit angles using a circular saw with a metal saw blade. Repeat this basic pattern alternating shingles across the roof working toward the right side using the chalk line to keep the shingles straight horizontally. A few have lifetime warranties.