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Re-Roofing With 3-Tab Shingles:
Part 3
Installation Details At The Peak
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By
Bruce W. Maki,
Editor
Start:
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Installing shingles was simple... until I
reached the peak of the roof. The top edge of the last full row of
shingles just reached the peak.
It doesn't always work this neatly. I
fastened these second-last rows about an inch lower than the
normal pattern. I snapped a chalk line 4
inches above the previous row, instead of
the normal exposure of 5-1/8".
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I placed a ridge cap shingle in
position... it didn't cover the tar strips
of those uppermost rows of shingles, so I'll
need another row of shingles. Even when I laid out that row of shingles
at the normal 5-1/8 inch exposure, the cap
shingles were about an inch shy of covering
the tar strips. Hence, I knew that I needed
to install two rows of shingles, with
reduced exposure, to complete the roof
before installing the ridge cap shingles.
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| I snapped
another set of chalk lines to mark the lower
edge of the final row of shingles. |
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Preventing Moss,
Mildew and Fungus From Growing On The Roof:
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This is a
roll of 99% pure zinc, which is sold as a moss
and fungus preventer. This roll cost about
$32 at Home Depot. I have also used 4-foot
long zinc strips for this purpose, but they
cost a little more. |
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| I
fastened the end of the roll at the edge of
the roof, using a 1¼ inch galvanized roofing
nail. I applied
a bead of roof cement (red arrow) just below the
chalk line that I made earlier. I unrolled
the zinc strip so it was half above the line
and half below. |
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I unrolled the coil of zinc and nailed it about
a half-inch below the top edge. I placed my
tin snips in front of the coil to keep it from
sliding and unraveling as I pounded the nails
in.
When I reached the end of the roof, I used
the tin snips to cut the zinc about an inch from
the edge. |
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| The two
zinc strips after I nailed them in place.
I snapped another chalk line 4 inches
above the lower edge of that uppermost
row of shingles. This line will mark the
lower edge of the final row. |
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Retrofit:
Can A Zinc Strip Be Added To An Existing Roof?
Installing a strip of zinc on an
existing roof should be possible, if the shingle tabs
can be lifted up without breaking. When asphalt shingles
are warm they seem to bend without problems. On a warm
day this task should be straightforward. During cold
weather a heat gun could be used to warm the shingles.
Once the shingles are lifted up, the zinc can be nailed
in place. It might help to cut the zinc into shorter
pieces. Cleaning Existing Moss,
Lichen, Mildew and Fungus From A Roof:
A few years ago a homeowner
asked me to apply a moss-remover product she had bought
at a hardware store. This product came in a sprayer
bottle that connected to a garden hose. I just sprayed
the product over the roof and let it dry for a day. Then
the moss and lichen curled up and most of it brushed it
off with a broom. Repeat applications may be necessary. |
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The Final Rows Of Shingles:
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I fogged-out portions of these pictures to
make them easier to understand. I
installed the final row of shingles on the north
side. |
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| Then I
installed the final row on the south side.
Instead of letting these shingles fold over
the peak, I just cut then narrower. Too many
layers might interfere with installing the
ridge shingles.
In hindsight, I should have cut the
previous row of shingles and let this
row fold over the peak. It doesn't matter...
this will all be covered by the ridge cap. |
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I placed a shingle upside-down on a work table
and made a series of angled cuts to create the
ridge cap shingles. |
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| I marked
up this photo to show the approximate
locations of the cuts. |
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I started installing the ridge cap shingles at
the east end of the roof. Each shingle was
nailed in two places, just behind the tar strip.
I applied a small dab of tar under both
corners of each cap shingle. |
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| When I
reached the west end, the second-last
shingle needed to be trimmed a few inches
short. But there is still one more piece
to be applied. |
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For the last cap shingle, I cut the visible part
off a shingle tab. |
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| I ran a
large bead of tar over the area to be
covered. |
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Then I set the last shingle in place and nailed
it at all 4 corners. But the roof could leak
at these nails... |
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| ...so I
covered the nail heads with clear silicone.
Silicone can withstand sunlight far better
than tar or other caulk materials. I've seen
silicone that was exposed to sunlight for
decades and it was still intact and
flexible. |
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The completed ridge cap with two shiny strips of
zinc that are supposed to prevent moss and
fungal growth. Those strips won't remain shiny
for long. Besides, you really can't see them
from the ground. |
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| To
prevent the wind from lifting up the
shingles near the peak, I applied some tar
under the tabs of the top row. I also
applied tar to all the shingles at the sides
and the lower edge. I've seen strong winds
lift up the shingle tabs all around the
perimeter of a roof, including the peak, so
I cemented around all the edges. |
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Completion:
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My garage with a new roof. This job took me a
week, but I worked slow and only for 4-6 hours a
day. My back and knees ached a lot for the first
couple of days, so I decided to take it easy.
Plus I had to stop and take pictures, write down
notes, shoot some video, etc.
With some helpers a job like this can
probably be completed in a weekend. |
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I plan to replace this garage with something much bigger and
better, but that won't happen for at least five years.
Consequently, I didn't want to pour too much money into
this structure, yet I was willing to spend a few bucks to
maintain it and make some minor improvements.
I would have preferred to use
architectural shingles, but the brand and style I wanted
cost $27 a bundle (in fall 2008). The price of asphalt shingles
has gone up dramatically as the price of petroleum as
risen. To keep the cost under control, I chose
lower-cost 3-tab shingles from IKO, which cost just over
$18 a bundle at Menard's. This decision saved me over
$200.
| Item |
Unit Price |
Quantity |
Subtotal |
| Shingles, 3-Tab |
$18.15 per bundle |
23 |
$417.45 |
| 15# Felt |
$23.50 |
2 |
$47.00 |
| Roof Cement (Tar) |
$2.37 per tube |
4 |
$9.48 |
| Coil Roofing Nails |
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1 Box |
$34.76 |
| Zinc Strip |
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$31.74 |
| Staples, 1/4" |
$2.67 |
2 |
$5.34 |
| Roofing Nails, 1¼" |
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About 1 pound |
* $5.00 |
| Starter Strip |
$10.50 for 33 feet |
2 |
* $21.00 |
| Shingle Disposal |
$32 per cubic yard |
2 |
$32.00 |
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TOTAL: (Before sales tax) |
$635.77 |
* Since I already had these
items, my total cost for the new garage roof was $610,
plus sales tax. So I spent less than 650 bucks to
replace a 730 square foot roof. I
only used about half of the box of coil roofing
nails. Note that these prices may
not reflect what you would find in your area. These
prices were paid in September of 2008. |
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More Info:
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- Basic
Carpentry Tools
- Speed Square
- Utility Knife
- Chalk Line
- Pneumatic Roofing Nailer
- Air Compressor
- Ladders
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Materials Used:
- 3-Tab Fiberglass 25 Year Shingles,
IKO CRC Superglass 25, Color: Slate (23
Bundles)
- Coil Roofing Nails, 1¼",
About 22 Coils (Approx. 2600 nails)
- Galvanized Roofing Nails, 1¼"
(Approx. 1 Pound)
- Roof Cement in Caulk Tubes (4)
- Zinc Moss/Fungus Preventer
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Related Articles:
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Web Links:
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Copyright © 2008
HammerZone.com
Written October 2, 2008 |
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