QA

What Size Roofing Nails For Asphalt Shingles

What size nails do you use for shingles?

If you’re using typical architectural shingles and 3/8-inch-thick sheathing, you’ll need 1‐inch nails. If your building codes require thicker sheathing, you’ll need 1 ¼-inch nails. When installing thicker shingles, you may need to use a longer nail in order to penetrate the OSB beneath fully.

How long should roofing nails be?

The length of each nail must be a minimum of 1¼ inches long, and for roof-overs, Atlas recommends a nail length of at least 2 inches. Nails of the proper length should penetrate three-fourths of an inch into the roof deck.

What type of nail is used for asphalt shingles?

Galvanized roofing nails tend to resist rust formation, and they are a suitable option for asphalt shingles. Owens Corning requires using either galvanized steel, stainless steel, or aluminum nails to affix shingles.

What size roofing nails are best?

Roofing nails should be 1-1/4 to 2 inches long to ensure that it sufficiently penetrates and embeds in the roof sheathing. To calculate the appropriate roofing nail length, add the thickness of the shingles and underlayment to the thickness of the sheathing. Nail shank diameter should be at least 11-12 gauge for roofs.

Can roofing nails be too long?

Yes, they can. If they are too long, they will protrude through the sheathing at the roof overhang and be visible.

Is it better to hand nail shingles?

While air gun nailing might seem faster, a well-trained hand nailer can do it almost as fast. The key difference between the two is accuracy. Hand driving nails into shingles allows for the roofer to place the nail on the proper nail line and then drive the nail in.

How many nails do you put in a 3 tab shingle?

NAILING: Use galvanized (zinc coated) roofing nails, 11 or 12 gauge, with at least 3/8″ diameter heads, long enough to penetrate through plywood or 3/4″ into boards. Use 4 nails per shingle placed 6-1/8″ above the butt edge, 1″ and 13″ in from each end and 1/2″ above each cutout.

How many nails do I need for roofing?

Roofing Nails Generally, you should use four nails per shingle in the field of the roof, and 5 nails per starter shingle. For regular three-tab shingles, this would require 320 nails per square for field shingles.

How long should nails be for 2 layers of shingles?

Layers. If you are putting a layer of asphalt shingles over an existing layer of asphalt shingles on to a 3/4-inch deck or a plank deck then you should be using 1 1/2-inch nails. If your decking is less than 3/4 inch then a 1 1/2-inch nail will suffice.

How long should ridge cap nails be?

You need to use at least 2-inch-long nails for roof cap shingles installation. Why? The standard 1 and 1/4-inch nails are not long enough to penetrate through all the roofing material up near the ridge.

Can I use 1 inch roofing nails?

In southern parts of the country where they don’t need to deal with snow loads, it’s acceptable to use 3/8″ roof sheathing, which means it’s also acceptable to use 1″ roofing nails on asphalt shingles. A 1″ nail will fully penetrate through 3/8″ roof sheathing, but it won’t fully penetrate 1/2″ sheathing.

How thick are asphalt shingles?

Asphalt shingles add very little thickness to the roof. A standard three-tab shingle is only about 3/16-inch thick. When installed, however, they overlap, doubling the thickness. Wood, cedar shake, and tile are thicker, depending upon the brand of shingles you select.

What is high nailing of a shingle?

A high nail is a nail installed above the nail line on the shingle. High nails cannot be seen as they are covered by the next course of shingles but they can cause big problems. When the shingle is nailed too high the nail does not penetrate the shingle below it.

Can you nail over shingles?

When you nail-over your old shingles, most of the typical roof replacement process is left out. Nailing-over doesn’t require a tear-off, dump fees, underlayment installation, new flashing, or new decking.

Which is better roofing nails or staples?

After all, it’s no surprise roofers loved staples for attaching shingles to roofing. Staples cost less than nails, offer exceptional holding strength, and cover a greater area of space with a more versatile and compact collation. Breaking it down further, you’ll typically use four fasteners per 3-tab shingle.

Should roofing nails be visible?

Yes, and there are two types of nails that are normal to see in an attic: 1) The ring-shank nails used to secure asphalt shingles to the plywood or OSB roof sheathing typically penetrate into the attic 1/4” or more.

Are roofing nails supposed to use plywood?

The code states that the nails only penetrate when the roof deck thickness is below 3/4 of an inch. To hold snow, ice, and withstand wind, it has to be at least one inch thick plywood.

Can I use a brad nailer for roofing?

Large-body nailers typically include framing nailers and roofing nailers. These nailers are used for more technical projects such as framing out a basement or installing roofing shingles. For woodworking projects, a brad nailer is a good choice.

What kind of nail gun do roofers use?

Pneumatic nail guns are the most popular type for roofers. A nailer that accommodates 3/4 – 1-3/4 inch nails is ideal.

Is it OK to lay shingles in the rain?

Never lay roof shingles when it is raining During a rain shower the roof also becomes slippery, which can cause dangerous conditions for the roofer. So cover up the roof and wait until the rain is over.