3 Special Nailing Techniques We Use On Your Roof

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“Nailed It”: 3 Special Nailing Techniques

We Use To LOCK Your Shingles In Place

Proper Nailing Is The Unsung Hero Of Roof Replacement. We’re The Roofer That Takes It Seriously.

BY TOM BANES JR., OWNER

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When you hear the words “new roof,” what’s the first image that pops into your head?

If you’re like most homeowners, you probably think of beautiful shingles… right?

Right.

After all—when it comes to roofing, shingles are the undeniable “star of the show.” They’re the aspect of your roof that you can see; the aspect that provides the actual curb appeal on your home.

But here’s the thing…

Your roof has a ton of important components underneath those beautiful shingles—”hidden” parts you’ll never see or even think about. And arguably none of these parts are as important as the NAILS.

That’s right… plain-Jane, basic roofing nails.

Nails aren’t flashy. Nails aren’t pretty. But they are the unsung heroes of quality roof installation [Flawless Installation]. How your roofer uses them makes ALL the difference between a roof built to last… and a roof that fails fast.

So today, I’d like to share 3 special nailing techniques we use to secure your beautiful new roofing shingles in place…

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#1: 50% More Nails Per Shingle

GAF installation guidelines call for four nails per shingle. At Banes Roofing, we use six nails per shingle—50% more than what’s required.

Are GAF’s requirements too low? No, not at all. Four nails per shingle is the industry standard for good roof installation. When a roofer cuts corners and uses fewer than four (which happens often), your shingles can tear right off when it’s windy.

The reason we use SIX is because of how windy eastern Pennsylvania can be. We get some powerful residual gusts that drift from the Mid-Atlantic coast. That’s why our approach to nails is “the more, the merrier.” By using those two extra nails per shingle, we guarantee each shingle is stubbornly LOCKED IN PLACE.

Fifty-plus miles-per-hour winds? To your shingles, it won’t feel like anything more than a light summer breeze.

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#2: Following Hyper-Strict Nail Patterns

Just as important as the number of nails used is where those nails go.

Each GAF shingle has a visibly marked nailing zone. To install your shingles correctly, your roofer must insert each nail inside this zone.

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If you nail ABOVE the zone, the nails won’t penetrate the layer of shingles below the ones you’re nailing. This creates less-secure installation and GREATLY reduces wind resistance.

If you nail BELOW the zone, the nails will be visible when the installation is done. And who wants to look up and see a bunch of ugly nail heads poking out of their beautiful new shingles?

Believe it or not, plenty of roofers miss the nail zone. Sometimes it’s because they’re rushing the job. Sometimes it’s because they’re inexperienced. Sometimes it’s because they just don’t care. Whatever the reason, it’s YOUR home that suffers.

We not only hit the nail zone with 100% accuracy—we evenly SPACE each nail properly to secure the entire shingle. We also insert the first nail precisely one inch away from the seam to prevent leaks.

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#3: Hand-Nailing Ridge Shingles For Extra Precision

One of THE most important areas of your roof is the ridge vent. A ridge vent is an air exhaust vent installed on the peak of your roof. Its primary function is to keep your attic well ventilated.

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As you can see in the image above, shingles are mounted on top of the ridge vent. These are called ridge cap shingles, and they require pinpoint precision to install. As you might guess from the picture, being even slightly inaccurate can damage the actual vent.

This is the part of your roof installation where we put down the nail gun and pick up the hammer.

A nail gun is an extraordinarily convenient, highly accurate tool… and it’s PERFECT for 95% of your roof installation. But there is zero room for error when nailing in ridge cap shingles. Proper nail placement needs to be to-the-millimeter exact. That’s something only the ultra-fine touch of nailing by hand can provide.

Nailing your ridge cap shingles by hand rather than with a gun adds about an hour to your installation. But trust me—the benefits of a perfectly vented roof and attic are worth it.

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We Treat The Rest Of Your Roof This Way, Too

When it comes to a new roof, shingles hog the spotlight. Ninety percent of roof installation, however, occurs UNDER those pretty shingles—in the places you’ll never see. And because you’ll never see these places, they are where roofing contractors skimp on quality the most.

Not us.

We show every detail of your roof installation with the attention it deserves. The big details. The small details. The everywhere-in-between details. No exceptions.

So while the nails of your roof aren’t flashy or pretty, we take each and every one SERIOUSLY. Contact us today, and we’ll prove it to you.

https://patch.com/pennsylvania/doylestown/brace-strong-winds-eastern-pa-timeline-highest-gust

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