Top Down Roofing

Double-A

OK, River Rat Dad, Grumpy and the rest of you roofing professionals, time to separate the ups from the downs.

The following question applies to fiberglass/asphalt shingles only.

Who among you shingles from the top down?

I know of only three roofers in our area that do so, all of them do first class work. Everyone else I've seen shingles from the bottom up. Many of these folks do first class work as well.

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

jmic

You're kidding right?

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___"Remember You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression"______________________
Joe

mdshunk

You might go top down on a dormer roof, to keep things in line with the main roof. WHY would you want to put yourself to that misery if you had the choice? It CAN'T BE productive.

R&S Exteriors

Yeah and I side from the top down to.

hatchet

I read an article on roofing from the top down a few years ago.. never got through the whole article as I lost interest - don't do many shingle roofs around here. The first couple of paragraphs had an interesting start anyway.. gave a few reasons why it's better - main was not walking on shingles that were just installed.

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Rich
WIT Construction Co.
Superior MT Contractor

Tom R

I've done 'top-down' several times. Actually, it can be very effective.

In case anyone is misunderstanding, - - you're not doing it 'row-by-row'. You're doing it in horizontal sections.

The last time I did it was on a Cape Cod. Had to do a complete tear-off, - - then a re-sheathe and shingle.

Once I tore everything off, - - I staged and sheathed my way up, - - then I started running shingles about 6' down from the ridge and worked my way up (able to reach the ridge from my staging).

Keep in mind, - - the first (lower) row you run, - - the shingles get nailed 'way up high'.

Now you remove that staging, - - go down to your next staging (another 6' down), - - and 'high-nail' your bottom row again.

Then work your way up to the level you've already completed, - - and when you get all the way up to the high-nailed shingles of your first section, - - you lift that row up and nail 'em proper.

Saves set-up time and as Rich said, - - saves walking on and marring the hot roof shingles.

Keep in mind, - - a chalk-line representing the bottom of the shingle of your starting row would need to be any increment of 5", -1" (or whatever your bottom overhang will be).

You only have to 'lift' two rows of shingles on each side of the roof of a standard cape cod.

jmic

Tom,
Thanks for the explaination, now I can see it. Although don't know if I would attempt it or just stick to the old traditional way.

__________________
___"Remember You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression"______________________
Joe

Tom R

I like the jobs that attract a crowd!!

Everybody lookin' up, saying, - - WHAT THE HELL??

maj

Tom explained it very well and have done it myself on occasion. Usually, as Tom said, on tear-offs with steep pitch and new sheathing is required.

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The views expressed in this post are merely opinions of named poster and in no way shall be deemed meaningful by members of the herd. By no means does anything posted by named poster mean a damn thing for anyone else partaking in this thread.

River Rat Dad

I will felt my way down in that case but not shingle my way down. Its certainly a doable concept.
In Toms scenario with the cap cod redeck I might tear, deck and felt my way down then shingle back up..... maybe.... would depend on the job, weather etc.

K2

Yes, good explaination Tom.

I've done plenty of top down siding when we had to follow roof angles/rakes. Start a full piece at the soffit with a piece of rake trim and come down. No clumsy thin rips at the top and no time calculating to see if the angle will come out right.

I don't see much angled siding anymore. Maybe it was an 80's thing.

Tom R

Thanks, Rob, - - by the way . . .

Are we to 'surmise' that you were born in '53, - - you're 53 years old, - - and you've got 553 posts??

Just wonderin' . . .

K2

Born in 53. I am 53 . Now I guess I have 554 posts. Might be my lucky day!!! Thanks for letting me know.

Double-A

yup, exactly as Tom said. You're going sections at a time, not just building rows from the top to the bottom. Usually no more than you can reach comfortably from your toe boards.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

benchmark2323

what about tearing off from the bottom up?

maj

PITA.... Tried it, didn't like it.

I use the 10" toeholds and 2x10 planks. I install these first, about every 7'. Start tearing off at the top, so the toehold boards actually catch most of the debris. then work my way down. That way all the debris isn't sliding down the whole roof at once. You can control it better with the toeholds on.

If it needs sheathing, I have sheathed and felted from the top down. So that I am stripping, sheathing, felting, & D-edging all in the same set-up. Then when I get to the bottom all stripped & felted & d-edged, all I have to do is shingle.

__________________
The views expressed in this post are merely opinions of named poster and in no way shall be deemed meaningful by members of the herd. By no means does anything posted by named poster mean a damn thing for anyone else partaking in this thread.

Grumpy

This was actually discussed a few years ago. (Perhaps another forum, after searching I couldn't find the topic).

The top down technique isn't so much working each and every course from the top down, however dividing the roof into verticle sections and roofing each section from the bottom up, but starting at the top section and working your way down.



After posting, Tom pretty much said exactly what I said, however I've never done it... only read about it.

MJW

You guys are goofy.
Serious risk for blow off in large chunks if you ask me. Also, alot of wasted time.

maj

How's that!!!!!?????

Every shingle is nailed just as if you were starting at the bottom.

__________________
The views expressed in this post are merely opinions of named poster and in no way shall be deemed meaningful by members of the herd. By no means does anything posted by named poster mean a damn thing for anyone else partaking in this thread.

Gordo

May the roofing war begin.

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Looks like some pros were here.