How To Stagger Shingles On A Roof

Start at the end and move in and down.

How to stagger shingles on a roof.

Many pros shingle in a vertical line up the roof because it s much faster. Lay the next row of shingles directly on top of the first row making the row two tiles thick. First trim 5 inches off of the left side of the first shingle in the second course. Apply this piece directly over the shingle on the first layer flat against the left edge with a 5 5 8 inch exposure.

Before you install your first shingle use your utility knife to cut 6 inches off of the side then lay it on your roof allowing the architectural shingles to hang between 1 2 to 2 inches over the edge. When laying the shingles for the top row cut 6 inches 15 2 centimeters from the first shingle in the left corner of the roof using the utility knife. Place a whole shingle next to this one making sure to nail each shingle to the roof before placing the next. A couple of weeks ago we published a two part series showing how a local roofing contractor shingled a roof with architectural shingles.

Nail down the shingles as you go along. Do this by sliding hard under the layers of shingle and paper then pry upward. If no ridge vent is present use your shovel to remove the shingle cap on the ridge. Effectively staggering your architectural shingles begins with the installation of the second course.

Known in the trade as vertical racking or staggering this how to lay shingles method enables the roofer to install a single column of shingles all the way to the peak without the wasted back and forth motion necessary to fill several rows of stair steps.