How to Roof a Steep A-Frame Roof

Erect scaffolding along the bottom edge of the roof, following the manufacturer's instructions for assembly. You can rent the scaffolding from an equipment rental place, which may be willing to have their workers assemble it for a fee.

Nail roof brackets into the roof over the rafters across the length of the roof. (The rafters are usually located 16 inches apart, but check local building codes, as required spacing can vary by area.) You can locate the rafters by looking for the nails in the soffit boards along the edge of the roof or by tapping the roof with a hammer to locate the rafters. The roof will sound more solid and feel stronger over a rafter. Place the brackets about 18 inches away from the bottom of the roof, sliding the top of the brackets underneath the shingles above them.

Place 2-by-6 boards into the brackets to create a ledge along the bottom of the roof, and drive screws through the hole on the outer edge of the brackets and into the edge of the 2-by-6 boards. Position the boards so that they extend 6 to 12 inches past the end of the outermost brackets.

Lay a 6- or 8-foot ladder flat against the roof, with the feet of the ladder placed firmly against the 2-by-6 board beneath it. Use the ladder to climb to higher areas of the roof, moving it along the roof to reach different sections.

Install a second ledge on the roof with the roof brackets about 9 feet higher than the first ledge.

Put on the safety harness, following the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure that all of the buckles are securely fastened and that the straps of the harness are tight.

Climb up to the second ledge and remove the shingles from the top of the roof by sliding a pitchfork underneath them and prying them off the roof.

Attach the roof anchor to undamaged sheathing over the peak of the roof. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the precise installation method for the anchor. Attach one end of the safety rope to the harness, and the other end to the roof anchor.

Inspect the roof sheathing where you removed the shingles for signs of damage, such as cracked or rotten boards, or water stains. Remove any damaged boards and replace them with three-quarter-inch plywood or oriented-strand board (OSB). Carefully slide any damaged boards down the roof so that the first ledge catches them. You can lower them from the roof after you climb down the ladder to the first ledge.

Remove the second ledge from the roof, then remove the shingles from the roof between the two ledges. Inspect the sheathing, and replace any damaged boards. Move the ladder along the first ledge to access different sections of the roof.

Standing on the scaffolding, remove the first ledge from the roof, then remove the shingles and replace any damaged sheathing.

Staple 30-lb. roofing felt to the roof every 6 to 8 inches with a hammer stapler. Begin at the bottom edge of the roof, and work toward the peak. Overlap the edges of the different pieces of felt by 1 inch. Cover about 3 feet along the bottom edge of the roof with the roofing felt.

Nail flashing to the roof along the edges of the roof. The flashing is pieces of metal that prevent leaks.

Cut the tabs off of enough shingles to run along the bottom of the roof with a utility knife. Nail these shingles to the bottom of the roof with three roofing nails. Place one nail 4 inches in from each side of the shingle, and one in the center of the shingle. Position the shingles so that they hang over the bottom edge of the roof by a quarter-inch.

Lay the first course of shingles onto the roof, positioning them so that the bottoms of the tabs hang a quarter-inch past the bottom edge of the starter course. Use four roofing nails, evenly spaced an inch above the tabs on each shingle.

Install the next row of shingles on the roof. Stagger these shingles so that they cover the gaps between the shingles in the first row. Line the second-course shingles up so that they cover the top half of the shingles in the first course. Use two roofing nails on each shingle, placed an inch above the tabs and 4 inches in from each end. Keep laying shingles along the bottom section of the roof until you reach the point where the roofing felt ends.

Install the first ledge back onto the roof, using the same technique you used when installing it the first time.

Cover the next section of the roof with the roofing felt and shingles, using the same method you used when covering the first section of the roof. Cover a section of roof that is 4 to 5 feet high, then install another ledge with the roof brackets and 2-by-6 boards. Repeat this process until you reach the peak of the roof. You'll use more ledges when laying the new shingles than removing the old shingles you need more direct access when laying shingles than removing them with the pitchfork.

Cut the tabs off of shingles to use them for the ridge caps. Fold the shingles over the peak of the roof, placing them perpendicular to the other shingles, and drive one nail through the shingles on each side of the roof. When laying the shingles for the ridge caps, overlap the edges of the shingles by a half-inch.

Remove the ledges from the roof, beginning with the top ledge and working toward the ledge near the bottom of the roof. When you remove the ledges, remove the screws that lock the boards into place, then remove the boards. Loosen the nails enough that you can remove the brackets, then hammer the nails down until they're flush with the roof. Apply roofing tar to the shingles the brackets sat on top of, and press the shingles above them down onto the tar to form a tight seal.