Help with high nail problem - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Joe Gillander · 10-27-2009, 11:21 AM

We just put on a 30 year Timberline roof. It was a volunteer project and it was done wrong.It was high nailed.The weather exposure was set at the red nail line and the nails are above the seal strips. We can not afford to replace it. Would it help to renail by pealing back the shingles and renailing them about 1/2 in. above the red line? Would this weaken the seal by pulling them up to nail? Is there any way to fix this? Please help!

mikec · 10-27-2009, 11:33 AM

Joe,
You are a building inspector, and YOU did this,now you are asking our help?
Un friggin believable.

PS your screwed. Nailing lower will help, but that roof must like do g crap.

**genecarp** · 10-27-2009, 11:33 AM

Joe, welcome to CT, this is probably better suited to be posted on our DIY sister site, but you sound desperate, when was the roof done? what problems have occured as a result of the "HIGH NAILING" That is telling you action must be taken? What state is the job located in? GMOD.

Joe Gillander · 10-27-2009, 01:01 PM

Have mercy I did not do it myself . I discovered it too late.The project is in Mexico. It does not mater what it looks like but it's in a high wind area. No
problems yet ; was done last week.

CookeCarpentry · 10-27-2009, 01:03 PM

Do they have building inspectors in Mexico?

WarnerConstInc. · 10-27-2009, 01:51 PM

It's Just going to blow off sooner or later.

I re-do at least 5 roof's a year that some idiot lined the exposure up with the nail line and then threw a few nails up higher. THey only go through one course and have no holding power. THe only good point is: very easy to tear back off.

Framer53 · 10-27-2009, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Gillander

Have mercy I did not do it myself . I discovered it too late.The project is in Mexico. It does not mater what it looks like but it's in a high wind area. No
problems yet ; was done last week.

OK, I admit I did this once. Here is how I fixed. Hopefully they have not sealed..
Pull each shingle back off and renail in the proper place. If it has sealed, will hake longer and you will need to reseal each shingle with tar.
Good luck!

You will need it!

BamBamm5144 · 10-27-2009, 05:04 PM

Pulling out the nails and lowering the nails in the proper place may do more damage than good. I would leave them where they are at or redo the roof. Pulling out the nails will only put more holes in your roof for water to get into. Next time hire a roofer instead of a group of volunteers.

I had guys who told me they were foreman at other companies line the shingles up with the nail line and nail even higher. Morons.

bmaurice · 10-27-2009, 05:51 PM

This thread made my day.

Sorry Joe Gillander this sucks for you huh? The fact that you put your shingles on the nail line rather then the key the entire roof with out figuring out the correct way to install them after the fact, leads me to believe their might be a lot more installed wrong on your weekend warrior parade. did you step your shingles correctly? did you tell your voulnteer roofers to not nail in the valleys? and how did your flashings go for ya?

Dave R · 10-27-2009, 06:24 PM

Kind of ironic, Americans going to Mexico and screwing up. It's only fair.

mikec · 10-27-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave R

Kind of ironic, Americans going to Mexico and screwing up. It's only fair.

Dave R · 10-27-2009, 06:39 PM

Since it was a volunteer project, I assume you did it for free, therefore knocking a local roofer out of a paying job.

Way to go Joe

gregj · 10-27-2009, 08:22 PM

Guys, this sounds like a mission trip project. If that's the case then Joe didn't take anybodys job away because the impoverished family who will live in couldn't have afforded it and would be living in the street. My teenage son paid his own money to head down to Mexico a couple summers ago and help erect a very small and very modest house for a family in poverty. It's a wonderful way to find out how fortunate we are even in hard times here. So can't we help Joe out here.

Joe, if the shingles have sealed down then any time you lift them they will need to be resealed. GAF has a technical bulletin on their website on how to deal with high nails but it sounds as if your exposue is so high that the fix will result in all exposed nails. Why not give GAF a call and explain the situation. They may have a solution for you.

Dave R · 10-27-2009, 08:47 PM

Sorry if I was making lite of someone's problem when he was doing a good deed for others. It's been one of those days and I was venting a little. You are correct Greg, most of us are really fortunate compared to some in other countrys. Joe--good luck with your resolution.

NWBuilder · 10-27-2009, 08:49 PM

I believe instructions are on every bundle of shingles, also you mean to tell us no one in mexico knows how to put on a roof? Sorry but it is a bit ironic that mexicans do most all of the roofing here and it gets installed wrong there.

Slyfox · 10-28-2009, 07:37 AM

Hey Joe,
I would get the volunteers back out there and lift the bottom portion of each shingle and apply a dab of roof cement in the bottom corners and two spots near center of each shingle on the roof.
Press the dabs of roof cement down well.

Any additional nails you use now will be worthless because they will all be above the proper nailing spot and only protect the top portion of the shingle.
The roof cement will help seal the lower portion and prevent wind lift.

If you go to the manufacturers website and search around their spec's area you will find the proper placement specifications for using the roof cement like I suggest.

If it's a legit volunteer type job you can also try contacting some larger roofing corps that frequently offer charity work and ask them for help.
Simon Roofing & Sheet Metal Corp, gives back to the communities around the country and world frequently.
Do a google search for larger roofing companies in that area.

Slyfox · 10-28-2009, 07:47 AM

I have no idea who this Joe dude is, thus I have no reason to assume him a liar, there for I'll take his word that this is a for real volunteer/charity situation.

If it is a volunteer situation than who cares if it's Mexican, American, Canadian, etc.

RobQuillin · 10-28-2009, 10:26 AM

I wish that I could say that only in Mexico this happens, but I come accross high nailing quite often around here by so called professional roofers. I wish I could say that there is an easy fix but really all you can do is put a bandaid on it unless you tear it off and replace it. What I would do is try to renail it as best I can tryint to catch eve a little of the nailing strip as possible and then take some roofing adheisive and mechanically fasten each shingle down with that so that the whole roof becomes one sheet of roofing of sorts and makes it harder for the wind to get under it. To do this all you need is to squirt about a nicke or quarter size glob of the adheisive in spots on the underside of the shingel and press it down. Don't glue all the way accross or it will present more problems later. You need it so if any moisture gets behind the shingle it can still weep out. This is not the most ideal solve but I think it is the most economical and most effective for your situation. Good Luck

Joe Gillander · 10-28-2009, 11:23 AM

Thanks for the help! This was a mission project. The house is for a pastor who works with drug recovery. Part of the process is to put the men to work on the projects that we do. Some of these guys were working on this roof. Things don't always turn out as they should. Looks like there is no easy fix.I would encourage you guys who have the skill to get involved wherever.

**genecarp** · 10-28-2009, 01:14 PM

Joe, i did not read the whole thread, where the shingle coarses spread to wide so the tar tabs are not in contact with the shingle beneath it? or is it just the nails that where placed to high? If it is just the nails to high, you MIGHT be ok, the roof will melt in, and you just may have an occasional problem with shingle loss. If the tar strip is exposed, i dont see an easy fix except for 20 cases of blackjack and a caulking gun. GMOD