How to Install Roll Roofing - 6 Easy Steps

Roll roofing is made of similar materials as shingles, but it is cheaper and easier to install. Since it is not as attractive or as long lasting with only a 5 to 12-year life span, roll roofing is generally used on flat roofs, sheds, or areas that are not seen. Roll roofing is quick to unroll, which is why it is cheaper and faster to install.

Roll roofing does have some disadvantages. One is the shorter life span. Another is the single layer of protection that it offers as opposed to three layers when you use shingles. It is also more susceptible to cracking in temperatures below 45 degrees. You must carefully sweep the roof to keep small sticks or rocks from poking through the roll roofing. The last inconvenience is having to use roofing cement to seal the seams and nails.

Installing roll roofing is so easy that just one or two people are needed to complete it. You can run the roll roofing either horizontally or vertically. Vertical installation is the best option on really steep slopes. Either way, the seams need to be overlapped by 2 inches and sealed with roofing cement. You can install your roll roofing by following these simple steps. (Note: horizontal installation is described in these 6 steps).

1. Snap a chalk line 35 1/2 inches from the eave to serve as your guide for the first run.

2. Run the first sheet along the chalk line allowing a 1/2 inch to hang over the eave and rakes.

3. Nail the edges every 3 inches and apply roofing cement at the eaves. Before nailing, make sure the sheet is straight with the chalk line so that you don't end up with puckers that can't be fixed. Galvanized roofing nails are a must, and they should go at least a ¾ inch into the sheathing.

4. Continue each row by snapping a chalk line 2 inches below the edge of the bottom row and spreading lap cement on that 2-inch section. Roll the next row using that chalk line as your guide. Nail in the same manner as the first row with the cement sealing the nails along the overlapped seam.

5. Once both sides of the roof are covered, you are ready to cover the ridge. Cut a 12-inch wide piece of roll roofing the length of the ridge. Snap a chalk line approximately 6 inches below the ridge on both sides. Apply the lap cement on the sections above the chalk line. Lay the ridge sheet and nail it down along the edges.

6. Use a utility knife to trim the edges even with the drip edge, or if there is no drip edge, cut it even with the previous layer.

Roll roofing is easy to install on those projects that do not require a roofing material that is necessarily attractive. Easy, affordable, and quick, roll roofing is an economical choice in roofing.