How To Install Cedar Shingles

Cedar shingles not only add beauty to your roof, but they are also very durable, environmentally-friendly, and have more insulation properties than asphalt shingles. Properly installed and maintained cedar shingles can last up to 40 years. Here is how you can cover your roof with cedar shingles.

You Will Need These:

• Cedar Shingles
• Utility Knife
• Rust-Resistant Nails
• Nail Gun
• Chalk Line
• Circular Saw
• Drill

Pre-Drill Holes

To protect the cedar shingles from cracking while you install them, you should pre-drill the holes in them for the nails. Stack a pile of shingles on top of each other and drill through them with a narrow drill bit. The holes should be drilled an inch or two below the top of the shingles. You only need to drill two side-by-side holes at the top of the each shingle

Installing Shingles 

A chalk line will help you keep the shingles even across the roof as you install each row. Snap the first chalk line so the first row of shingles hangs over the edge of the roof by a couple of inches. You should snap each additional chalk line so an upper row of shingles will only cover the top of the lower row and leave most of it exposed to the elements.

Use a nail gun to sink the nails through the pre-drilled holes into the wood layer covering the roof under the shingles.

Repeat this process until you get to the peak of the roof.

You can extend the shingles past the edge of the roof line. Snap a chalk line to get a straight edge along the shingles, and cut the shingles with a circular saw. This will create an even edge along the sides of the roof.

Capping the Peak

You need to cover the peak with a cap to prevent water from seeping in through the seams where the cedar shingles meet on top of the roof. Here is how to cap the roof:

• Take some cedar shingles and trim them in half so the thinnest part of the shingle is removed.
• Nail the shingles together so one piece covers the side of another .
• Cover the entire length of the peak.
• Use a clear silicone caulk to seal the seams where the shingles meet.

Cedar shingles can give your house a natural look while providing more longer-lasting protection than other types of roof coverings. If you want to beautify your home, you should consider adding cedar shingles the next time you have to replace your roof. Contact a company like Roofing Samra Bros for more information.