How to Hang Shingles on a Cinder Block Home

Shingles transform a home from a drab structure to a building of interest, especially when the shingles are covering cold-looking cinder blocks. Although you can easily nail shingles to wood, nailing them to a rock-hard surface requires more preparation. Check to make sure the outside surface of your cinder block home is free from crumbling stucco or moldy old siding before you cover it with the shingles, or the problems will only get worse as they continue to deteriorate with time.

2-by-2-inch wood strips
Carpenter’s level
1-by-3-inch lath
Hammer
Masonry nails
1 1/2-inch stainless steel nails
Flashing

Instructions

- 1
  Install furring strips over the surface of the cinder blocks using masonry nails. Attach 2-by-2-inch strips of wood vertically every 24 inches, using a carpenter’s level to keep them straight.
- 2
  Install wood framework over the furring strips for anchoring the shingles. Use 1-by-3-inch lath horizontally every 6 inches or the exposure distance of your shingles. Hammer them into the furring strips with 1 1/2-inch stainless steel shingle nails.
- 3
  Hammer a section of flashing over the corners before you start nailing shingles. Attach it to the wood framework with the 1 1/2-inch stainless steel nails, conforming tightly to the corners.
- 4
  Lay the first strip of shingles at the bottom of the wall just as you would for shingling a roof. Make a double layer for the starter course to keep the shingles at a slight angle away from the building.
- 5
  Work your way up the wall, covering the nails of the previous row and alternating the seams. Keep the thick end of the shingle facing upward until you have covered the wall with shingles.

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