How to Shingle a Bow Roof

Roll out the tar-based felt paper along the length of the roof and cut off a strip with the utility knife. Maneuver the strip into place along the lowest section of the roof and tack it in place with the hammer tacker and staples. Place another row over the first, overlapping it by a couple of inches, and then work your way up the roof, layering with felt paper until you are finished.

Put the drip flashing on the edges of the roof before you install the shingles. Squeeze silicone adhesive out of a tube onto the backside of the L-shaped drip flashing and then push it into place so that the horizontal section goes up on top of the felt paper and the vertical section wraps the edge of the roof. Nail it down on the horizontal section every four to six inches on top of the felt paper.

Install your first row of shingles on the bottom part of the bow roof. Start with a full shingle sheet against the edge of the house. Overlap the first row by at least half an inch over the eaves of the house so that it forces water into the drain gutters slightly out away from the drip flashing, which will then catch any extra run off. Nail the layer down along the lines marked by the manufacturer, which are generally halfway up the sheet.

Stagger the second row so that the vertical joints do not line up. Cut a sheet in half with the utility knife and start your second row with this piece so that the cut goes against the outside edge of the roof. Overlap the second row on top of the first row according to the manufacturer’s instructions (generally the bottom half of every row overlaps the upper half of the row previous installed). Install a full piece next to your cut and work your way down the row.

Repeat the first row on the third row, and then the second row on the fourth row and so on and so forth until you end up at the peak of the roof. Install ridge shingles on top of the roof peak for the bow roof where the two planes on either side of the roof meet to cap the installation.