Rolled roofing is a convenient and expedient alternative roofing choice for things like sheds or detached garages: roll roofs can last between six and twelve years, and tend to cost substantially less to install than purchasing shingles or sheet metal.

Since roofing is a crucial component to structural construction, there are a numbed of rolled roofing recommendations that do-it-yourself handymen should take into account when starting on this project. Paying attention to the small things now will avoid hassle and potential lost time later on!

Single or Double?

Whether you want to use single or double coverage is the first question that should be asked in a roll roofing project. The recommended procedure for this is: if the roof is sloped or inclined, single roll roofing is a good idea.

For flat roofs, double coverage is the best method to help with protection against potential pools of rainwater. As a general rule, sheds with flat roofs are a bad idea – but if you have one, use double coverage for best protection.

Before You Begin

- You can’t install roll roofing if the rolls aren’t flat. The pieces of roofing must be flat, smooth, and dry. In order to get to this stage, cut the sheets between 12 and 18 feet long, and stack them so that the weight of the pieces will straighten each other.

- Allow your roof strips to be unwound and sit flat for 24 hours before installation. This should allow any tension to be released from the rolls, and will ensure you have dry pieces to use when installing. This will help to reduce or eliminate any wavy edges on the sheets.

- Don’t try installing roll roofing in cold weather. Like shingles, the roofing can crack in cold weather – they’ll need to be warmed so that the roll pieces are flexible before installation.

- You don’t need to use an underlay beneath your roll roofing, but it’s recommended. This will help you to protect the surface of your roof, and will extend the durability of the roll.

During Installation

- If your roll roofing is coated on only one side, do not use cold cement as your adhesive. Cold cement will actually soak into an uncoated roll surface, reducing its bonding effectiveness. Instead, use hot asphalt to tack the materials down.

- Don’t allow for exposed nails on your roof, lest water start to wear at the metal and cause rust – even simple weathering might start to cause the nails to lift. Use an overlap if you need to, and factor in this potential reduced coverage for each roll of roofing you purchase.

- If your roll roofing is coated and you use cold adhesive, on occasion the double-coverage method might result in blistering or bubbles between the layers. This is the result of trapped air, and can be quite difficult to fix. The solution? Install roll roofing during warm weather, and make sure your base layer is smooth when you begin.

More Helpful Tips

- Ever thought about roll roofing your deck? Plywood decks, if they’ve been primed, will take roll roofing with cold adhesive – giving you a waterproof and textured deck surface.

- When purchasing roll roofing, lighter colors will last longer and stay looking good longer than darker colors – dark colors are more likely to show wear and sun damage than light roofs.