How To Nail Roofing Felt

The roofing felt should be applied in layers that overlap.

How to nail roofing felt.

Nail the drip edge in place. Some roofers prefer to attach felt underlayment with 1 inch roofing nails or special nails with plastic washers but most codes allow staples which are easier to drive. As you work the paper can be tacked down in the center so it won t blow away. Overlap each row at least 3 to 4 inches.

Dry the roof surface. Clean the roof decking of any debris protruding nails or other objects. For the lower portion of the roof especially the part that overhangs the eaves and is susceptible to ice dams it is a good idea to apply self stick waterproof shingle underlayment wsu also called ice guard. If you live in an area with inclement weather you should consider using a special ice and water protector.

In roofing one square equals 100 square feet. Roll out about 10 feet of felt and fasten with staples or roofing nails with plastic washer heads. Roll the felt so that it overhangs the edge by 2 inches. Cleaning and preparing your roof 1.

Gently scrub the roof using a bristle. You will need 1 10 gallon of lap not mastic cement for every roll and 2 pounds of roofing nails for every square. An underlayment of felt roofing is optional. You can install metal valley flashing but it is common to.

Using your staple gun secure the felt to the roof. Use 1 inch nails for new roofing. Roll your felt out on the roof and cut it to fit with a utility knife. Put fasteners at least every 8 inches.

How to do it. Install new flashing metal flashing is often called drip edge along the bottom of the roof near your gutters. Start at the bottom of the roofline and work up so any water that gets through the roofing material will shed down the tar paper and will not go under it. They are long enough to penetrate the sheathing.

Let it stand for about 30 minutes and then using galvanized nails and your hammer nail down the first layer. Install drip edge flashings roofing felt and wsu if needed.