As a home owner, you can undertake the installation of asphalt roofing by yourself. However, it is important to have some prior experience in such tasks. Make sure you are not experimenting with your carpentry skills for the very first time. You may end up of damaging the material or cause yourself an injury if you are not experienced enough.
In such cases, it is advisable to get in touch with roofing contractors and ask for bids. Roofing contractors will charge different fees according to their labor charges, material, price, etc. Choose a roofing contractor only after doing thorough research. Such contractors should be licensed and covered by insurance. Here are a few important tips on installing asphalt roofing for your home –
1. There is no need for any special equipment in order to install asphalt roofing. Some tools can make the job easier, but all you really need is a hammer and nothing else!
2. First place your roofing sheet on top of the roof deck. You need to insert staples with the help of a staple hammer in all directions of the sheet. Be careful and avoid injuries while inserting staples. Also remember to read the manufacturer’s instructions regarding staple size in advance.
3. On the bottom edge of your roof, lay down the asphalt shingle one by one. Always remember that the first layer of asphalt shingles for roofing will be installed in the backward direction. Carefully align the unclipped edge with the edge of your roof.
4. Now use three nails to fix the top portion of the shingle on your roof. You can place one nail on either side of the shingle, located about one inch from the edge. Similarly, drive the second mail on the other side of the shingle. Now place the third nail in the middle of these two.
5. Line up more shingles with the previous one in the same manner. Carefully butt the sides up. Make sure you place all shingles next to each other in a neat manner and without leaving any space.
6. You may need to trim the last asphalt shingle if its piece hangs over the edge of the roof. Use a sharp knife to cut the asphalt shingle along the length of the roof.
To make sure that all shingles are consistent throughout the roof, you can use a piece of wood in order to reveal the shingle.
