Roofing (composite shingles) -
After the roof framing is complete, it's time for the crew to install the roof sheathing.
Plywood particle board or wafer-board roof sheathing is most commonly used, being low in cost and easy to apply. Thickness will range from 3/8" to 3/4" depending upon local code.
The seams of the sheathing should be staggered. The sheathing should be aligned perpendicular to the rafters, and should be the proper side-up. Sheathing panels should meet in the center of a truss or rafter. The roofing crew should not be afraid to use too many nails.
The next step will be to staple tar paper over the entire sheathing. It is best to start from the bottom and line it up with the side edge of the roof. The tar paper should overlap each hip or ridge by 6". The tar paper should overlap 4" sheet to sheet.
The drip edge is a long piece of L-shaped aluminum that prevents water from climbing back under the shingles. The drip edge is installed along the eaves first. At the eaves the shingles will overlap it. On the sides (of a gable roof), it will cap the sheathing, paper and shingles, and is therefore installed last.
Composite roofing shingles are the most common roofing material used today (due to their durability and variety of style & color).
The first row of shingles (starter row) will be installed along the eaves. The first shingle will be flush against the side of the roof. If shingling a hip roof, the row will be started off with almost half of the shingle overlapping the hip. The shingle overhangs the eave edge by 1/2" along the entire starter row. Typically four roofing nails will be used per shingle. The nails should be only 3" above the eave.
The second row of shingles will go directly over the first row. In effect, it will double the first row. The tabs on the shingles not be directly over one another. The shingles should be offset. 4 nails will be used per shingle, but they will be placed 5 3/4" above the bottom this time.
Now the crew is ready to start working their way up the roof. For the next row, one shingle is cut in half and placed above the end (full-size) shingle on the first row. It should be flush with the edge and attached with three nails. This technique will ensure that the entire row is offset from the previous row so the tabs will be staggered.
The crew will follow this same pattern all the way up to the ridge. A shingle will be cut in in half every other row to offset them.
Once both faces of the gable roof have been completed, the installation of the ridge shingles can begin. Ridge shingles are one 12-inch tab of a full shingle and are installed to leave 6 inches of the previous shingle exposed. Hips will be done in the same manner, with the ridge shingles overlapping the hips at the joints.
There are many styles, of roof coverings, and roof designs. We have limited our discussion to maintain simplicity.
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