sometimes it’s less hassle than trying to force a stiff vent onto a wavy roof.
That’s been my experience too. Last time I did a ridge on my old place, the decking was anything but flat. Tried a rigid vent first—looked awful and didn’t sit right, so I ended up swapping to a flexible one. Still had to shim a couple spots, but it was way less frustrating than fighting with the rigid stuff. I’d rather take a little extra time up front than deal with leaks after the first big rain.
You’re not alone wrestling with those wavy decks—seems like every “flat” roof I’ve managed turns out to have more personality than expected. I’ve seen folks try to muscle rigid vents into place, but unless you’re working with a brand-new build, it’s usually an exercise in frustration. Flexible vents aren’t perfect, but they do play nicer with the real-world lumps and bumps.
I’ve had to shim under a few spots myself, and yeah, it’s a bit of extra work, but it beats chasing leaks later. Funny how the “quick fix” always ends up being the long way ‘round when water gets involved. If it makes you feel any better, I once spent half a day trying to get a rigid vent to sit right on a 60-year-old roof—ended up looking like a roller coaster. Lesson learned.
Honestly, taking your time upfront is the way to go. A little patience now saves a lot of headaches (and buckets) down the line. And hey, if the roof’s got character, at least you’ll know every inch of it by the end...
Those wavy decks are a pain, for sure. When I did my ridge shingles, I ended up using a mix of roofing cement and extra nails just to get them to sit flat-ish. Did you run into any issues with shingle cracking when bending them over the hips? That was my biggest headache.
Cracking was a real issue for me, especially since I was working with architectural shingles that just don’t want to bend. I found that warming them up a bit in the sun before installation helped, but if it was a colder day, forget it—half of them would split right at the crease. Did you try pre-bending them by hand before nailing them down? Sometimes I’d flex each shingle gently over my knee first, which seemed to reduce the cracking, but it’s still not perfect.
I’ve heard some folks use ridge cap shingles specifically designed for hips and ridges because they’re cut to size and a bit more flexible. They cost more, though. For my last project, I just went slow and used extra nails like you mentioned, plus a dab of cement under each end. Still had a few that didn’t sit flush, but at least they didn’t break apart.
Curious if anyone’s found a way around this without switching shingle types... or maybe there’s a trick I’m missing?
- Had the same headache with architectural shingles, especially during spring when temps were all over the place.
- Tried the knee-bend trick too... worked okay, but I still got a few splits right at the crease if I rushed it.
- I’ve used a heat gun (carefully!) on colder days, just to soften the shingle a bit before bending. Not perfect, but it saved a few from cracking.
- Ridge cap shingles are definitely easier, but yeah, that price jump hurts if you’re doing a long ridge.
- Cement under the ends helps, but I noticed sometimes it makes the shingle ride up a little if I use too much.
Anyone ever try storing the bundles inside overnight to keep them warm, or is that just wishful thinking? I’m always looking for ways to keep things moving in the cold without trashing half the shingles...
