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Nailing shingles right - tips for getting it done neatly?
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Just finished helping my brother redo his roof, and man, getting those nails spaced evenly was trickier than I thought. We ended up marking guidelines with chalk first, then nailed along the lines. Worked okay, but anyone got a simpler trick or method?
3 replies
Yeah, chalk lines can be a lifesaver. When I did mine, we actually used a homemade jig - just a simple wooden spacer - to keep the nails consistent. Worked pretty well, but still had some wonky spots... Did you guys have trouble keeping the shingles straight too?
When we redid our roof a few years back, I thought chalk lines would solve everything too. Turns out, shingles have a mind of their own - especially after you've been up there for hours and your eyes start playing tricks on you. We tried the spacer trick as well, but honestly, after a while we just eyeballed it. Ended up with a couple rows that looked like they'd had one too many beers... but hey, no leaks yet, so I'll call it a win.
Yeah, chalk lines aren't foolproof - learned that the hard way myself. Did you find certain shingle brands easier to line up neatly, or is it pretty much the same struggle regardless?
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