How to Lay Shingles On a Hip Roof Ridge

Without accurate placement of the shingles over a hip roof ridge, you can ruin the look of this strong architectural feature. The joint where two roofing transitions meet on a downward slope needs a precise cap-installation method to maintain both aesthetics and function. Roofing manufacturers produce ready-made shingle hip caps or you can create your own by modifying standard three-tab shingles. Using a methodical approach produces an effective shingle installation on your roof hip ridge.

Chalk line
Shingle hip caps
Galvanized roofing nails
Trowel
Roofing cement
Razor knife

Instructions

- 1
  Snap a chalk line along the length of the hip ridge, 6 inches below the ridge joint on one of the roof transitions.
- 2
  Start at the lowest point on the hip ridge. Center a shingle hip cap over the ridge joint and align the bottom edge of one side with the chalk line.
- 3
  Fasten the shingle cap with a galvanized roofing nail onto each side of the ridge, 1-inch inset from the base of the cap. Place each nail 6 inches back from the front edge of the shingle to produce a concealed-fastening system that hides the nail heads under the next hip cap.
- 4
  Overlap the installed hip cap with the next shingle cap to leave a 5-inch exposure. The exposure is the amount of cap length on view in front of the overlap. Align the cap with the chalk line in the same way as you did before.
- 5
  Press along the overlap between the two caps to ensure a snug fit. Nail the second hip cap in place using the same fastening procedure as you did previously.
- 6
  Continue to install the shingle hip caps, one at a time and working up the roof. Fasten the final hip cap with a nail inset by 1 inch into each corner of the shingle. Trowel a dab of roofing cement over the exposed nail heads on the last shingle cap.

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