How to Install Roll Roofing on a Low-Pitch Roof

Inspect the roof for any nails or screws that are protruding from it. Use a hammer or screwdriver to set them slightly below the surface. Remove any dust or debris from the roof with a broom.

Install a drip edge around the perimeter of the low-slope roof. Use roofing nails to secure the drip edge to the roof’s surface. The drip edge channels rain off the roof and into the guttering. It also gives the rolled roofing a finished edge.

Unroll the roll roofing and cut it, using a utility knife, into 12 to 18 foot pieces. Allow the roofing to lay flat until it doesn't curl around the edges any more. The amount of time depends on the temperature outside.

Cut a starter strip of roll roofing by cutting a piece of roll roofing lengthwise into a 17-inch-wide strip. Spread roofing cement in a 17-inch-wide strip along the edge of the roof where you plan to place the first row of roofing. Lay the narrow strip of roofing material onto the roofing cement. Press it in place with a roofer’s roller. Add two rows of roofing nails, spaced at 12 inch intervals, across the strip. Stagger the placement of the roofing nails.

Align a full-sized strip with the drip edge. Place one row of roofing nails 4 1/2 inches from the top of the strip, spaced 12 inches apart. Place a second row of roofing nails 13 inches from the top, with those nails spaced 12 inches apart and staggered with the first row.

Pull up the unattached side of the rolled roofing, and spread a layer of roofing cement on it. Lower the roofing material into position. Seal it down with a roofer’s roller.

Overlap any seams by 6 inches. Seal seams with roofing cement. Nail edges 1 inch from the edge, spacing the roofing nails 4 inches apart.

Continue placing strips of the roofing material in place, overlapping pieces so they cover the nail heads. A chalk line can help you keep the strips straight as you install them.