Did you check your shingles for consistent thickness before starting? I've seen batches vary slightly, and even a tiny difference can lead to waves or dips later on... might be worth double-checking next time.
Good point about thickness consistency—I learned that the hard way myself. Another thing I've noticed is that temperature can really affect how shingles lay down, especially hip and ridge ones. If it's too cold, they won't bend easily and can crack; too hot, and they're overly flexible, making alignment tricky. Did you install yours during extreme temps, or was weather pretty mild? I've found picking a moderate day helps keep things smoother...
I actually hadn't thought about temperature until you mentioned it. Now that I think back, I installed mine on a pretty chilly day—probably colder than I should have. Explains why some of them felt brittle and were a pain to bend smoothly around the hips.
Did you find any tricks or methods that helped when dealing with colder shingles? I've heard some people gently warm them up first, like leaving bundles in the sun or even using a heat gun carefully to soften them just enough. Seems logical, but I'm curious if that's practical or if it's just extra hassle.
Also, speaking of alignment, did you use any specific tools or guides to keep things straight? I eyeballed mine at first and quickly regretted it... ended up having to redo a section because it looked noticeably off from the ground. Lesson learned there.
One more thing—did you notice much difference between brands or types of shingles in terms of ease of installation? I'm wondering if certain products are just naturally more forgiving in less-than-ideal conditions. Would be good info for next time around...
I haven't tried a heat gun myself—honestly sounds like more hassle than it's worth, especially if you're up on a ladder juggling shingles. Leaving them in the sun for an hour or two usually did the trick for me, even when it was chilly out. As for alignment, I learned the hard way too... ended up stringing a chalk line after my eyeballing went hilariously sideways. About brands, I noticed thicker architectural shingles were stubborn in cold weather—cheaper three-tabs seemed easier to bend around tricky spots, weirdly enough.
"Leaving them in the sun for an hour or two usually did the trick for me, even when it was chilly out."
That's a solid tip—I found the same thing when I tackled my roof last fall. I initially thought thicker shingles would be easier to handle, but like you mentioned, they were surprisingly rigid in colder temps. Three-tabs definitely flexed better around hips and ridges. Also, chalk lines saved me from some embarrassing misalignments... eyeballing is deceptively tricky. Glad I'm not alone there!
