- Laying shingles in the cold is rough, especially on hips and ridges where you need that flex.
- I’ve had better luck with Timberline too—less cracking, but still not perfect if it’s below freezing.
- Tried the heat gun trick once, but it’s easy to overdo it and end up with warped tabs.
- If you can, stack a few bundles inside overnight or in a warm truck cab. They stay way more workable for a couple hours.
- Cheap shingles just don’t hold up—seen too many curl or split after a few winters, especially on the windward side.
- If you’re stuck working in the cold, I’d go mid-range and pre-warm what you can. It’s not perfect, but it beats fighting with brittle tabs all day.
- Pre-warming bundles in the truck cab has saved me more than once—just don’t forget them and end up with a shingle avalanche when you open the door.
- I’ve tried the heat gun, too, but yeah, it’s a fine line between soft and “whoops, melted that one.”
- Timberline’s been decent for me, but I’ll say Malarkey felt less brittle below freezing... might just be my luck.
- For hips and ridges, I’ll sometimes flex each shingle by hand before nailing—takes longer, but fewer cracks.
- Cheap shingles in cold? Might as well just toss them straight in the dumpster after a couple winters.
Pre-warming in the cab is a lifesaver, but yeah, I’ve had that “shingle landslide” moment more than once—makes for a rough start to the day. I’ll second Malarkey holding up better in the cold; Timberline’s fine but I’ve had a few crack on me when it’s really biting out. Flexing each piece by hand takes forever, but it’s worth it—especially for hips and ridges where splits mean leaks later. Cheap shingles in winter? Not worth the headache or callbacks, honestly. I’ve also found letting bundles sit in the sun (if there is any) helps soften them up a bit, even if it’s just a few degrees.
- Letting bundles sit in the sun helps, but sometimes there’s just no sun to be had.
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Couldn’t agree more. I’ve rushed it before and paid for it with leaks.“Flexing each piece by hand takes forever, but it’s worth it—especially for hips and ridges where splits mean leaks later.”
- I’ve had better luck with Malarkey too, but honestly, if it’s below 25°F, I just wait if I can.
- Cheap shingles in winter are a nightmare—crack city.
- If you’ve got a heat gun handy, quick pass on the back of each shingle (careful not to overdo it) can help when the sun’s not cooperating.
- For hips and ridges, I always double-check the nailing pattern—easy to miss when your fingers are frozen.
Flexing those shingles by hand brings back memories—fingers numb, cursing under my breath, but it really does save headaches later. I’ve tried the heat gun trick too, though once I got distracted and scorched a couple tabs... lesson learned. I’ll second waiting it out if temps are brutal. Rushed a job once in single digits and ended up replacing half the ridge after a thaw. If you’re stuck working cold, I found storing bundles inside the truck cab overnight helps a bit—at least they start out less brittle.
