- Successful roll roofing installation starts with choosing the right material. While there are many types of roll roofing available, homeowners should look for mineral coated asphalt products to ensure a water-resistant finish. Smooth surface products are primarily designed for temporary use, or for covering outbuildings and sheds. When installing a roof on your home, mineral coated asphalt is the most effective option.
- Before installing new roofing, remove any existing roof coverings and clear away any debris from the sheathing. While most rolled roofing instructions state that underlayment is not necessary, it can greatly improve the effectiveness of your roof, and is very affordable and easy to install. Use roof felt or 6mm poly to cover the entire surface in overlapping rows. Nail the underlayment down or use a heavy-duty stapler to secure it to the roof sheathing.
Add a drip edge along the eaves of the roof to help minimize the risk of moisture infiltration. The drip edge can be as wide as the roll of roofing material you have selected, and should extend along the entire perimeter of the structure. Use roofing cement to hold the drip edge in place. - When installing rolled asphalt on a sloped roof, it is only necessary to use a single layer of material. Start along the eaves and roll the material horizontally across the surface. If you need to use more than one piece of material to cover the length of the structure, be sure to overlap the seams by at least 6 inches. Apply roofing cement to the bottom and sides of the material, then attache it using galvanized nails every 3 inches along the top edge. When you install the next row, make sure it overlaps the first by at least 3 inches. This will minimize moisture infiltration at the joints and also keep the nails protected from rain. Stagger the joints along each row by at least 6 inches, and use a utility knife to cut the material as needed. Overlap the peak of the roof with a single piece of material, then fasten it on both sides of the ridge using nails.
- To prevent leaks on a flat roof, a double selvage layer of roll roofing should be installed. This term refers to two overlapping layers that are used to create a double layer of protection. The installation is the same as for a sloped roof, except each row of material should overlap by the entire width of the roll minus one inch. For example, a standard 19-inch-wide roll would feature rows overlapping a full 18 inches on top of one another. Nails should still be placed at 3-inch intervals, and roofing cement should still be used to secure the bottom and sides of each row.
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