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Roof Installation Steps for New Construction

When building a new construction home, the slab, framing, rough in, and exterior of the home are completed before the interior work. To create a watertight barrier, the roof is installed before the interior work in a new construction home. Roof installation steps on new construction homes include:

  1. Framing 

  2. Decking (Sheathing) 

  3. Installing the Drip Edge

  4. Valleys

  5. Installing the Felt

  6. Shingling 

  7. Installing the Roof Accessories 

  8. Installing the Ridge Shingles

Framing

This is the foundation of the roof installation steps. Framing consists of the “bones” of the roof. Trusses are used to construct the frame of the roof. Typically trusses are placed 2 feet apart to create a stable base for the roof.

Decking (Sheathing)

OSB plywood boards are placed together to construct a base surface for the felt and shingles to adhere to. OSB plywood sheets are placed together to reduce seams in the roof. These boards are butted up together and decking clamps are utilized to reduce space between the boards. These boards are secured into the trusses with framing nails or screws.

Installing the Drip Edge

Drip edge is placed upon the perimeter of the roof. This material comes in 10 foot pieces and is applied snug. This lays onto the decking and over the fascia. Fascia boards must be installed prior to the drip edge.

Valleys

A roll of ice and water shield is kicked down the center of the valley and the roll is typically wide enough to cover the areas to the left and right by roughly 1 foot. This prevents water from entry into the seams of the decking where they intersect at the valleys. Ice and water shield (barrier) comes in the form of a peel and stick roll.

Installing the Felt

Felt is placed over the OSB plywood and installed utilizing felt pins for maximum protection. When felt is applied, the area is considered to be “watertight” due to the barrier of protection from the elements. However, asphalt shingles are needed for the area to continue to be protected overtime.

Shingling

Starter shingles are shingles flipped upside down that are placed along the perimeter of the home prior to the shingles, to prevent potential water entry on the first row. 

Asphalt shingles can be chosen based on the preferences of the homeowner. A 3-tab standard shingle provides a flat appearance and has a 25-year manufacturer warranty to resist normal wear as opposed to storm damage. Architectural shingles provide a 3-dimensional appearance and an additional layer of protection and are considered to be the upgrade to a basic 3-tab shingle. A nail gun is used to nail in the shingles on the roof.

Installing the Roof Accessories

Depending on the plans and specifications for your new construction home, roof accessories can be installed as well to fit your home’s unique needs. These accessories can include the following:

Turtle vents are usually what displaces the air from the dryer vent. This has an opening underneath to allow lint to come out, but it is closed on the top to prevent leaks. These are important to allow ventilation, airflow and so no clogs occur which increases fire safety in your home.

Turbines create additional airflow and ventilation in the attic space of the home. This can decrease the need for the overuse of air conditioning units which can in turn lower the electric bill for the home.

Plumbers often feed out the bathroom plumbing through the roof. These are called pipe jacks. The pipe jack boots are the roofers responsibility to install on the roof at the base of the pipe to prevent water from entering through the cut out hole.

Gas is displaced from the home through the exhaust vents and sometimes the roofer is responsible for installing the base, collar, and cap.

Some homeowners prefer to do ridge vents as opposed to turbines. This is a new style and adds more ventilation because it is cut the entire ridge or peak width of the house.

Installing the Ridge Shingles

The final roof installation steps include installing the ridge shingles. These typically come in the form of a 3-tab shingle. This encloses all the exposed peaks along the ridge.

Roofers in Shreveport / Bossier to Call!

Blue Note Pros Roofing is a locally owned and operated business that performs installation of roofs on new construction homes, replacement of roofs on existing homes, and roof repairs. Our team provides free roof inspections and estimates for homeowners with roofing needs and we would love to help you construct your dream home. Call our office today at (318) 202-2123 or book an appointment online to schedule an estimate or inspection today.