Problems With Roofing Nails And Installation
A number of problems can occur with wrongly sized nails installed in roofs. The structure of the roof, alongside its attachment to the house, can be affected.
- Nails not drilled properly can cause materials such as wood and timber to splinter over time. The gaps and cracks created by those splinters can be problematic because they would allow things to pass through. Another problem would be moisture that can form in the gaps and deform the shape of the wood or cause molds to grow in these spaces.
- Using longer nails than required when driven into roofs may cause cracks and those nails to loosen and come out.
- If nails are overdriven, then there is likely to be breakage in the shingle. They may also go all the way through and form holes in the shingle, making it unworthy of use.
- If nails are under driven, they can create air bubbles making the roof vulnerable to wind damage.
Installing roofing nails seems like a small task however, if not done correctly, it can lead to costly expenses in the long run to fix and redo. Gaps, holes, or cracks made because of improper installation can cause expansion or contraction in the roofing material, which can damage the entire deck.
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Other Layers Add Thickness
In between the decking and the shingles is another roofing layer that must be factored into your nail length selection. If your roof has been stripped of old shingles and the new shingles will be applied over a single layer of felt paper over inch-thick decking, then youll need to use nails that are 1 ½ inches in length. If your decking is ¾-inch or less, you can use 1 ¼-inch nails. If, however, you plan to install your new shingles over a layer of old shingles, your nail length must increase accordingly.
If youre planning your next roofing project, make sure that you include proper nail length as a key consideration when selecting your roofing products in Marietta. By selecting the right nails, you can get a roof that will stand the test of time and protect your most valuable possession. To learn more about choosing the proper nail for your roofing job, visit Preferred Roofing.
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Can You Reuse Roofing Nails
If you take off a shingle for repairs or take off the whole roof in preparation for a reroofing job, youll have a ton of roofing nails on hand. You may be tempted to reuse these to save on costs. Thats a bad idea. Not only is it tedious to yank these nails out, but their zinc coating will also be worn. Plus, they may have been otherwise damaged. Its not wise to attempt to reuse them, as they may cause problems on the new roof.
How Long Should Wood Siding Nails Be
Ideal siding nail length involves how far a nail should go into the builds structural framing. For LP SmartSide engineered wood products, LP recommends that the nail be long enough to penetrate structural framing or wood structural panels and wood structural framing by at least 1-1/2 inches.
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What Size Roofing Nails Do I Need
What size roofing nails to use?
Composition ShinglesComp Shingles Sheathing Thickness 3/8 1/2 5/8 3/43-Tab comp shingles 1 1 1 1Dimensional comp shingles 1 1-1/4 1-1/4 1-1/43-Tab comp shingles over 3 Tab comp shingles 1-1/4 1-1/4 1-1/4 1-1/2Dimensional comp shingles over 3 Tab 1-1/4 1-1/2 1-1/2 1-1/2
*More than 1 layer of roofing not recommended over 3/8 Sheathing
Wood ShakesWood Shakes Nail Type Minimum Length18 Straight Split 5d Box 1-3/418 and 24 Handsplit and Resawn 6d Box 224 Tapersplit 5d Box 1-3/418 and 24 Tapersawn 6d Box 2
Wood Shingles Wood Shingles Nail Type Minimum Length18 Straight Split 3d Box 1-1/418 and 24 Handsplit and Resawn 4d Box 1-1/2
DisclaimerThe above nail sizes are recommendations only. Consult your local building department for specific nailing applications.
Hand Nailing Vs Nail Guns
Almost all roofers use nail guns to make things go faster. Using a nail gun is also beneficial because the pressure on each nail is exactly the same. As long as the roofer tests the pressure on the gun before using it, there should be no problem.
However, many roofers feel that hand nailing is better because it gives them more control. They can feel if the nail is deep enough and placed in the right spot if hand nailing. If the nail misses the wooden plank sheathing, those using a hammer can feel it. Faster is not always better.
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How To Seal Exposed Nails
Exposed nails are those with visible nail heads. Sometimes homeowners put in new nails when trying to attach something on the roof. However, this is a detriment to the roofs performance.
Ideally, your roof will not have any exposed nails, with the exception of the last cap shingle Otherwise, all new nails should be inserted so that they are covered by the shingle above them.
How Many Nails Per Square
Estimating your roofing materials is key to your success, so youll want to know how many nails youll use in a square. That depends on the exposure and coverage of your shingles. With higher coverage, youll lay down fewer shingles in a square and therefore use fewer nails. For example, when using Cambridge shingles, youll use roughly 240 nails, because of their Advantage size. If youre installing by the High Wind Application, youll use two more nails a shingle, so 360 nails per square.
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What Size Of Roofing Nails Should I Use
If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, then this article might be of use to you. You were maybe trying to get advice on what size of roofing nails you need to use for your shingles, or perhaps you wanted some information on the type of nails which would be perfect for your needs. Then read on.
Lets begin by asking what type of roofing do you have? Or are you merely trying to get suggestions to repair some shingles which are protruding? This is a possible sign of a wrong installation, especially on the size of nails that were used, too short most obviously.
How Many Nails Are Used Per Shingle
Most shingle manufacturers recommend at least four nails per shingle and six in high wind areas such as Florida and Oklahoma. That answers the question about the minimum number of nails and were sure you realize that the minimum will be good enough for fast buck roofing companies, plus theyll use the cheapest roofing nail they can find.
Answering the question about how many nails we use per shingle is a bit different and well go light on the technical details yet not so light that we end up being vague. We use 4-6 nails per shingle, depending on the area and steepness of the roof. Let us explain a bit more.
First, our nails are 1¼ inch hot dipped galvanized, ring shanked for extra bite versus a smooth shank that is less secure. These nails are installed using an air driven nail gun to assure the shingles are fully secured. Each nail actually goes through two shingles the one that is getting nailed and the one underneath it. That is why every shingle is actually getting 12 nails.
The value of how many nails we use, and the type of nails, has less meaning without converting it to how much wind your roof will withstand. Our installation method will endure hurricane velocity winds exceeding 130 MPH. Thats beyond even the worst gusts you should ever have to worry about in Southeast Michigan.
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General Guidelines For Nailing Shingles
To ensure optimal performance of your asphalt roofingshingles, be sure to follow these general directions for proper nailing:
- Use the correct roofing nail material, size, and grade as specified in the shingle installation instructions.
- Fasten shingles with corrosion-resistant nails.
- Install the recommended number of nails per shingle. For Duration® Series shingles, Owens Corning recommends using either a 4- or 6-nail fastening pattern depending on the roofs slope and building code requirements. In most cases, 4 nails are adequate.
- Position the nails appropriately according to the shingle installation instructions.
- Align shingles properly to avoid nail exposure.
Can You Nail Siding Into Osb
When the correct fastening method is used, trim and siding can be directly attached to the nail -base structural sheathing. Thats true even if the siding is attached to plywood or OSB through a layer of non-structural continuous insulation.
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Roofing Nails The Ultimate Guide
Roofing nails may seem like a small part of roof installation, but theyre actually one of the most important items for getting your project done right. If you use a smooth stainless steel nail where you should have used a galvanized ring shank, theres a strong likelihood youll experience problems sooner rather than later.
Just as important as the type of roofing nails you use is how many per shingle, the length of each nail, and overall project coordination questions such as how many roofing nails you need to buy.
Keep reading for a full rundown on all your roof nail questions, starting with the materials used to create the fasteners.
Hammers Pneumatic And Cordless Nailers
Roofing nails should be driven by a hammer into the shingles by hand. They can also be driven with a pneumatic roofing nailer , but this tool needs to handled carefully and adjusted properly to avoid overdriven or under driven nails.
A cordless roofing nailer is also a good option. It works on batteries just like cordless leaf blowers and string trimmers and its handling is convenient as it keeps one hand free.
Even with a cordless or pneumatic nailer, a roofing hammer will still be required to seat occasional nails that dont drive in flush.
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How Long Should Roofing Nails Be
Choosing the right size of a roofing nail is important to ensure that a roof stays intact for a long time. Roofing jobs need to be done with proper planning to avoid nails coming off or extracting on their own over time.
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.
Nails for roofs come in a range of varying sizes and lengths to secure roof tiles, metal sheets, or shingles on the roof in place.
The correct installation of roofing nails is important for a house because these installations determine how waterproof the roof would be and also to ensure the long term overall protection it will provide.
Nailing Method And Correct Location Of Nails
Improper shingle nailing
When things go wrong with shingles it is often due to improper nailing. All manufacturers of asphalt shingles give detailed instructions on how to attach shingles, and theyre fairly similar. Unfortunately, some roofers dont pay enough attention or respect to these instructions. It is important to be aware of the two most common nailing defects with shingles. Unlike Brooklyn Brownstoner flat roofing in which anyone can just pour the materials, shingle require some TLC and artistic capabilities.
Over-driven Nails
Many roofers use pneumatic nail guns to nail down the shingles. If the pressure is set too high, the nails just get driven into the shingles too far. When the nails are overdriven, the heads of the nails tare through the mat of the shingle. This nulls the shingle manufacturers warranty and greatly increases the likelihood of the shingles coming loose and being blown off.
Improperly Located Nails
Its important to use a professional roofing contractor with the skills to do the job right from the outset. The best roofing companies have quality control practices in order to monitor their work. Because a roof is your main defense against the elements, a bad job can lead to expensive water damage inside the building. Thats why you cant afford to compromise on the quality of your roofing. When manufacturers supply the instructions you should have no issues.
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How Many Cap Nails Per Square Of Underlayment
The roof is indeed one of the most crucial elements of the buildings structure. To install the roofing successfully, then one needs to invest a significant amount of money and time. A minor mistake might cost you pricey fixing work, so its always recommended to hire or at least discuss your roofing project with a professional roofer or contractor.
That being said, there are some simple matters that you can do yourself, such as doing simple math over how many roofing nails per square of underlayment that you need. Though of course, you need to know your roof size first to do the estimation.
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The key to performing a successful roofing project is knowing how much height the roof must bear which is crucial information if you work with aged framing and foundation. One of the factors that add up the roof weight estimation is the nails weights that will hold the roof underlayment and shingles in their place.
The majority of roofing manufacturers advise that you use four nails for each shingle for the roofing main area and use five nails for each roofing underlayment square. This means that youll need 320 nails per square foot. For you who live in windy areas, you may want to use 480 nails per square.
The most commonly used nail type is the 1.5 roofing nail, which has 7/16 flathead and 11-gauge smooth shank. The nails are resistant to extreme weather such as rain or sun because theyre hot galvanized.
The Cost Of Roofing Nails
The cost of your roofing nails will depend on a few factors, including material, type and length. Also note that nails are sold by the pound, and if youre a professional roofer, it may benefit you to buy in bulk in order to reduce costs.
That being said, you can expect a small, 5-pound box of smooth shank galvanized steel roofing nails to cost around $10. Nails for roofing felt are also more expensive than typical nails.
If youre estimating the cost of your nails, its best to head into your supplier and compare their prices yourself, as costs vary by location too.
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Where To Nail Shingles
Each shingle manufacturer has its own requirements forproper nailing, including where roofing nails should be placed. Roofingcontractors should follow those guidelines and take care not to overdrive nailsas this can lead to water infiltration.
Owens Corning® Duration® shingles, for example, provide a reinforced nailing zone, called SureNail® Technology a tough, engineered fabric strip embedded on the face of the shingle that offers outstanding nail pull-through and nail blow through resistance while providing a highly visible nailing target for roofing contractors. Its easy to see where the nails are supposed to go.
Know Your Shingle Nails
Four nails per shingle is widely accepted as the industry standard, but warranty requirements and building codes may call for more. The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association states that the best roofing nails for asphalt shingles are resistant to corrosion and made of galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or copper. Always keep building codes, shingle manufacturer installation instructions, and application circumstances top of mind, as these can impact the number or type of nails required for proper roof installation.
Strike nails at a 90 degree angle from the roof when hammering by hand. Always adjust nail guns appropriately to avoid improper fastener installation. Look out for underdriven, overdriven, or angled nails during installation to reduce the risk of installation issues. Refer to the GAF Pro Field Guide for additional tips.
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