About Roof Shingles

Once the decision to shingle your roof is made, you still have other decisions to make, such as what type of shingles and how many you need to buy. Knowing some information about roof shingles before shopping can help make your choices a bit easier to make.

Different types of roof shingles

• The most common type of shingle is the asphalt shingle. It comes in many colors, last about 25 years and is inexpensive.


• At one time wood shingles were popular. This was a long time ago before strict fire and building codes were common. Wood shingles are costly. These are also susceptible to damage from insects and from rotting. On the plus side, if these shingles do avoid insects and rot, these also will last long and are attractive.


• Slate shingles are very long lasting, often lasting over 100 years. However, these are heavy and expensive. While it can last long, it is also easily broken, which means extreme care must be taken during installation.


• Metal shingles are long lasting, easy to care for and look good. The price varies and certain ones can be expensive. These are also more difficult to install than many other options.


• Clay shingles have similar advantages and disadvantages as slate tiles, as far as weight and breaking easily. These work best in warm weather environments, as these do not absorb heat as some other options will.

Knowing how much you need

• Shingles are sold in squares. Each square is enough for about 100 square feet of roof. Usually a few bundles will be sold together as a square.


• To determine how much you need, measure all parts of the roof. For each roof section measure the length times the width. Once you finish measuring all areas, add the numbers together. This is the number of square feet of shingles you need. Divide this number by 100. You now have the number of squares of roofing shingles that are needed for your roof.