A hip roof installation can be a seriously daunting task for any homeowner, but following these simple steps can arm handy do-it-yourselfers to get the job done right.
Before getting started, take accurate measurements and gather all the necessary materials and equipment. Once all the materials are on site, it’s time to tackle the hip roof installation itself. Hip roofs are different from gable roofs in some respects, but similar in others. This article assumes the use of dimensional rather than 3-tab shingles.
Tools Needed for Roofing Installation
- Chalk line.
- Roofing nailer, compressor, hose and air tool oil.
- Caulk gun.
- Circular saw and extension cords.
- Hammer, tape measure and pencils.
- Hammer tacker or staple gun.
- Aviator snips.
- Ladders.
- Roof jacks as needed.
- Dumpster container for the tear-off and all the roofing debris.
- Shingle removal shovel.
- Roofing magnet.
- Utility knife with hook blades for cutting shingles.
Directions for Tearing Off a Hip Roof
Before tearing out any section of a roof, be sure there will be good weather and enough time to get it covered back up with ice and water shield and felt by the end of the day. If working only a section at a time, lap ice and water shield and felt over the hips and ridge temporarily to keep the entire roof watertight.
- Begin at the ridge, removing the ridge shingles and working downward toward the eave. Remove the hip shingles all at once or while working downward.
- Be sure to save any functional roof vents and pipe boots for reuse to save money.
- Remove the drip edge, felt paper and ice and water shield.
- Throw tear-off materials directly into it the dumpster if possible to save labor. Otherwise, place tarps on the ground and throw tear-off onto them to make clean-up easier.
- Inspect roof sheathing for rot; cut out and replace any rotted sheathing.
- Pick up all tear-off from the ground and place it in the dumpster.
Directions for Shingling a Hip Roof
- Install new drip edge across the eaves, overlapping each ten-foot section at least an inch.
- Install six feet of ice and water shield across the eaves, overlapping the sections at each hip. Do not cut off at the hip, but overlap to make sure each hip is watertight. Do not count on the hip shingles alone to do the job.
- Cover the rest of the roof with 30# felt paper, lapping the last sheet over top of the ridge.
- Measure the height of starter shingles and snap a line allowing them to extend past the end of the drip edge by at least 1/2".
- Install starter shingles across each eave.
- Install the first course of shingles, making sure to stagger them relative to the starter shingles if they are the same length to avoid leaks. Run the front of the shingles flush with the starter shingles already in place. Follow directions on the shingle packaging for proper nail locations.
- Snap lines for the remainder of the roof to keep each shingle course straight. Do this as often as necessary; every fourth course is usually sufficient. Hook the tape measure on the drip edge and measure up perpendicular to the eave. For each successive line, the tape will have to be repositioned further from the corner of the house, as the courses get smaller and smaller toward the ridge. If the shingles have a 5 5/8" exposure, for example, mark 22 1/2"" (5 5/8" times 4) up from the bottom, then 45", then 67 1/2", all the way up to the ridge, on both hips and snap the line.
- Install several courses at once to save time while working up and across the roof. For a medium pitch hip roof, starting with a full shingle on the first course, then a half on the second, then back to a full on the third and a half on the fourth usually works pretty well to use material efficiently and stagger seams to avoid leaks. Using this method and snapping lines every fourth course, a chalk line can be followed every trip across the roof, keeping the courses straight.
- To deal with the hip angle, simply install the full shingle with the bottom lined up flush with the hip, then cut the angle off. When reaching the other end of the hip, finish each course the same way, installing the full length of shingle needed, then cutting off at the hip angle.
- Even on hip roofs, it is easy to minimize waste with dimensional shingles. By working several courses at a time, the only waste will occur when reaching the second hip, and some of this can usually be used when starting the next trip across the roof.
- Shingle all the way to the ridge, working around chimneys, stack pipes, etc.
- Reinstall vents, if saved. Otherwise, install new box vents or ridge vents, making sure to follow directions for proper function.
- Repeat this process on the next face of the roof, then shingle over the hip with hip and ridge shingles or single tabs of 3-tab shingles.
- When all sides are shingled, shingle across the ridge. Use 3" roofing nails to nail down ridge shingles if shingling over ridge vent.
- Install any flashing as needed, and caulk any exposed nails heads on flashing, vents, pipe boots, etc.
- Clean up thorougly. A roofing magnet is relatively inexpensive and does a great job picking up nails in bushes, grass, and driveway cracks.
The copyright of the article How to Tear-off and Shingle a Hip Roof in Home Exteriors is owned by Jim Whitton. Permission to republish How to Tear-off and Shingle a Hip Roof in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
 |
