Roof Sheathing Instructions

Lay the first sheathing panel on the roof face. Lay the panel in a horizontal position so the width is longer than the height. The panel should be placed at the bottom of the slope so the bottom edge of the panel is flush with the eave and the left-hand edge of the panel is flush with the edge of the far-left gable. The rafters should be spaced in such a way that right the edge of the panel lines up with the center of the rafter. Use a nail gun to nail the panel into the rafters. Space the nails 6 inches apart along the edges and 12 inches apart through the middle of the panel.

Lay the second panel so the left edge is flat against the right edge of the panel you nailed down in Step 1. The right side of this panel should fall over the center of a rafter. Nail down this panel, spacing the nails in the same way you nailed down the previous panel. Continue to nail down panels until you reach the end of the course.

Start the second course by cutting a 4-by-8 panel into two 4-by-4 panels. Use a circular saw. Use one of these 4-by-4 panels as the first panel in the second course. This will stagger the seams of the panels. After the first panel, use 4-by-8 panels. Nail down the panels in the second course using the same methods that you implemented to nail down panels in the first course. The bottom edge of the second course should run against the top edge of the first panel.

Start the third course with a 4-by-8 panel, and alternate 4-by-4- and 4-by-8-foot panels in the first panel of each course until you've reached the ridge of the roof. The last course on a slope may need to be cut to fit in the space available if the panel is too tall. Repeat this process on the other faces of the roof until the entire roof has been covered in sheathing.