Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Any roofers on the fire? Roof Shingles, need opinion.

I'm guessing that reply really wasn't for *me*.

If you're claiming shingles aren't waterproof, it's you who doesn't know what you're talking about

You're already in a hole
Why not stop digging?

Thanks for the friendly advice...

But I'm not making any claims... or claiming that shingles aren't waterproof, and I'm not arguing with anyone when further argument would be pointless.

Apparently, some folks on here feel so strongly that underlayment is unnecessary on a comp shingle roof, that they took the time to correct me.

That's surprising to me, but there it is...

So they can win that point, no problem...I wouldn't presume to argue with anything someone chooses to do, or not do, with their own property, especially something as basic as the roof above their own heads.

It's their roof and it's their head...so what business is that of mine?

I'm easy to get along with.

So if anyone feels strongly that they don't want underlayment under their shingles, I say they should go for it!

That's exactly what you are doing, or you don't understand the words you are trying to use.

Technically, a shingle roof isn't waterproof, it is rainproof, when properly installed. You can't shingle a submarine.

I like that part... "the words you are trying to use" that's a good summary of how I often feel!

But isn't it better to try to understand the overall meaning that one is attempting to convey within the context of the total communication, rather than to pick words and phrases out of context and insist that the meaning of the intended communication lies only in those words?

But make note of the words I am trying to use, and that there is a difference in meaning between the words "waterproof" and "water barrier". I assume that most folks understand how a shingle works, and that a shingle is not waterproof by design.

But anyway, just to attempt to clarify...

I am not making any claims about shingles.

My intent in my original post was merely to bring attention to the role of underlayment as an important, and often mis-understood component of an engineered roofing system...the shingle itself is only one component of the whole system.

I run into differing opinions and mis-understandings about this element among roofing installers fairly often, but not during conversations with folks that actually get paid to design the systems, and that's why I took the time to bring it up.

So if the language I used brought some attention to the important role of underlayment, then that will suffice here.

I probably have a tendency to overbuild things, but the bottom line is that if it's your roof you can do whatever you want to do with it.

Somehow the contractor managed to get away with that, perhaps it was done without a permit.

Un-supported decking wouldn't have passed the deck inspection in my area even 30 years ago, and would have been red-tagged.

Around here there needs to be framing members under all seams fastened with coated ring shank fasteners at specified spacing.

But it's not really any harder to do it right.

He didn't say the sheathing wasn't joined edge-to-edge on a rafter, merely that the end joints weren't properly stagggered, IE, every four feet.

Are you actually a carpenter/roofer or just the internet version?

nah man, just chronology of the quick reply

Youre good

could just do it the right way, go 16" o/c and use some 1/2 or 5/8 cdc pine plywood or even better. With 2x6 rafters.

Sickening to see many framers use 3/8" on 24" o/c space with 2x4 gang nailed trusses. If they were't stoned, they actually slip in the 'H' clips. Hell, I hope that is not not acceptable code but it probably is with county by county inspector discretion. It seems fine at first but that crap starts buckeling after 5 years. And God help ya if you get some numbnutts 300 lb DirecTV idjit stomping around on this roof.

Anyway. Engineers.....pfffftttt!!!! When I had an issue with Pink Panther brand shingle, they never sent an engineer out. It was always some 24 yr female cutie-pie with free shirts, and jackets and a check for $300 to my homeowner for his prorated worries.

He mentioned several areas of concern that he fixed by a total deck replacement, that the deck was installed over the old open sheathing and was not properly staggered and the edges were not nailed to the open sheathing.

That's two clear code violations right there and the decking wouldn't have passed the regulations in effect at least 30 years ago, if it was even inspected back then. I don't recall a time when no edge nailing at all was ever acceptable.

The building code regulations are different in different municipalities, and that's why pulling a permit is always a good idea to make sure the contractor's work is up to current standards and practices for the area.

Here's my house. It's 32' by 32' square. Hope it helps.