Roofing Tools and Materials

If you’re looking to take on a big roofing project, you should consider the investment of time and effort you are willing to make. A roofing project is not something you can dedicate a few hours to every weekend. It needs to be completed quickly and concisely for best results. That being said, if you think you’re up to the job, you’ll want to be properly outfitted. Here’s a look at the tools and materials you’ll need for the project:

Tools

  • Shingle Ripper: If you’re reroofing a home that already has a set of old shingles and you’re not simply shingling over the top, you’ll want to have a shingle ripper. This tool will save you some serious back pain because it tears shingles from the roof with relative ease.
  • Roofer’s Utility Knife: A roofer’s utility knife will come in handy for cutting shingles down to size and fitting them properly to the roof. Where a traditional utility knife needs a screwdriver to release the blade, a roofer’s special version has a knob that, when turned, releases the blade for easier access.
  • Hammer: A large part of the roofing process consists of simply hammering nails into wood. Once the foundation for your roof is laid, you’ll want to nail down the felt in preparation for the shingles. You’ll use a hammer to place a nail every six to eight inches across, covering the entire roof. That’s a lot of nails! You’ll want to have a trusty hammer.
  • Chalk Line: Once you’ve stripped all the shingles and laid the tar paper, you’ll want to place the shingles. It’s important that your shingle sheets are lain in a consistent, straight pattern for maximum durability. A chalk line allows you to measure a straight line and leave a chalk impression on the tar paper.

Materials

  • Plywood: If you’re doing a bare-bones roofing job, you’ll be replacing the roof’s foundation. You’ll want large sheets of plywood to nail down as a base for your tar paper and shingles.
  • Rolls of Tar Paper: Tar-paper the buffer between the plywood and the shingles. It offers superior weather resistance and protects the wood from getting wet or weathered. You’ll want to have a couple rolls for a big roofing job.
  • Shingles: The most important part of the roofing job is the shingles. Don’t go cheap on shingles because you’ll be out there replacing them in five years. A fifteen-year shingle is usually a solid roofing choice.