Commercial Shingle Roof Installation

Inspect the existing roof for damaged areas. Make any necessary repairs before installing new shingles. Sweep the roof clean using a push broom.

Roll out waterproof base felt material on the roof. Trim the felt around pipes and protrusions using a roofing knife. Secure the felt using a nail gun and 1 1/2-inch roofing nails.

Snap chalk lines along the length of the roof using a chalk box. These lines will serve as reference points to lay straight rows.

Begin at the end of the eave of the roof. Lay the first starter shingle flat against the bottom edge of the roof. Insert four 2-inch roofing nails just below the pre-determined tab line on the shingle using a nail gun. Continue laying and nailing shingles along the edge of the roof and flat against the eave until the starter row has been completed.

Lay the bottom edge of the first full course shingle flush against the bottom edge of the first starter shingle along the edge of the roof. Insert four 2-inch roofing nails just below the pre-determined tab line on the shingle using a nail gun. Align and lay the second shingle next to the first shingle. Secure the shingle using the nail gun and 2-inch roofing nails. Continue aligning and laying shingles until you reach the end.

Trim 6 inches off each shingle for the next row using a roofing knife.

Lay the bottom edge of the first trimmed shingle of the third row just below the pre-determined tab line of the first shingle of the second row. Secure the shingle using the nail gun and 2-inch roofing nails. Align and lay the second trimmed shingle next to the first shingle. Secure the shingle using the nail gun and 2-inch roofing nails. Continue aligning and laying shingles until you reach the end of the edge of the roof.

Repeat Steps 6 and 7 until you reach the peak of the roof.

Measure six inches down from the peak of the roof at one end. Mark the spot on the roof. Go to the opposite end and repeat. Snap a chalk line between the two marked areas to serve as a guide line for shingle placement.

Cut three-tab shingles into three pieces at the marked tab lines to make one-tab ridge cap shingles. Trim the top corners of the black section of each piece with an angled cut.

Place the uncut edge of the first one-tab shingle in alignment with the edge of the roof. Lay it over the ridge, along the chalk line. Point the black tar paper of the angled end toward the center of the ridge. Insert one 2-inch roofing nail on each side of the shingle just below the black tab line using the nail gun. Caulk the nail heads using a caulking gun. Apply a generous bead of caulk under the edge of the first shingle to provide a windproof seal.

Place the second shingle over the first shingle, one inch below the black tar line. Align the second shingle with the chalk line. Leave five inches of the granulated area of the first shingle exposed. Insert one 2-inch roofing nail into each of the two corners of the leading edge of the granulated portion using the nail gun.

Repeat Step 12 to continue installing shingles along the ridge line until you reach the opposite end. Trim the last ridge shingle to fit the end of the ridge using the roofing knife. Place the final shingle over the last ridge shingle installed. Insert a roofing nail into each of the four corners of the final shingle. Apply a generous bead of roofing caulk to the exposed nail heads of the final shingle using a caulking gun.