How to set out your shingle roof...

1/3 cover shingles set out 

This is a subject we are asked probably 2 or three times every day.... so here it is let me put my thoughts down on paper..

Firstly battons... yes these are a must.. putting the shingles on battons allows for air to flow round the shingle and allows them to dry between showers.. as anyone will tell you wood only really rots if it stays wet.. 

For 1/3 cover, we use 450 mm long shingles, set the battons at 150 centres from the eves up.

for the first row.. and this is the killer move... set out a 150 wide tile spun through 90 degrees to follow the eves line all along. Now when you place the first proper row on .. overshoot the eves line by 50 mm and nail the shingle in the batton iniddle of the tile... the top of this tile is then effectively pushed upto ( but below!) the batton at its top. It is also below the level of this batton top, relative to the roof. So when the next row goes on there is not a difference in the angle of first anad second row as this second one sits directly in the same angle.

In essence the first row that you put on is acting as a kicker row,  and a drip tray to the first propper row.

Voila!!

For 1/2 cover tiles ...we use 400 long shingles  battons at 200 centres, and use a 200 wide tile spun through 90 degrees round the eves .. and again overshoot the eves by 50 mm with the first proper row.

2.25 cover tiles... this is a half way house between the 2 above... and frankly the cost difference is so small we would recommend for most applications... this time we use a 450 shingle in nearly the same way as 1/2 cover. Set out the battons at 200 centres again but overshoot eves by 100mm and again all tiles have a batton at their head as en end stop, but this time there is more cover at the bottom of each row.

Another question... " how close to put the tiles?" - All of our shingles are likely to be fresh cut and thus will shrink slightly when installed .. thats fine .. when you put them up butt them tightly together ... 

"What about each row.. and gaps ?" when selecting which tile to add next all we suggest is that you avoid the joints below by 25mm as a minimum.

"how to Ideal with top off roof at ridge?"  As you get to the top 2 rows of tiles, you will have to cut shingles down to 300 mm long and then 150 long so that the overlap is continued all the way up.

"what about ridges and hips?" we produce these at 400 long set at 120 degrees .. nailed and glued together...

What we suggest is that you can run an 8"DPC  (200mm) (Damp proof course) membrane over the ridge /hip line then anything you put over to cover it is only aesthetic.. we work to 300 showing of this 400 tile when we calculate.