Repairing a damaged roof or an old roof can cost you a lot of money. Most roof repair projects take time and energy to complete. In the old days, most roofing projects would require hours of tedious placement of individual shingles. Today, however, you can pick up roll-out sheets to make your roofing projects simpler. Even if you don’t have a lot of experience with home repair projects, this one will be a breeze. These handy sheets are easy to place, even if you don’t have any home improvement experience.

This particular option offers one great benefit: the ability to apply these sheets to your existing roof. With these sheets, you can easily add new roofing and take care of roofing repairs. With this method, you won’t need to hire a professional roof repair expert, saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Preparation

To begin this project, you will need a few standard items, including:

• Roofing primer

• Broom

• Painter’s tray

• Paint roller

• Roofing rolls

• Hammer and galvanized roofing nails

• Roofing cement

Before you bring your supplies up to your roof, you’ll need to clear off your roof. Remove any debris from the roof, including leaves, pebbles and other materials. Use your broom to sweep away any remaining dust and dirt. Leaving any of these materials on your roof can hinder your work.

Preparing Your Primer

Once your roof is completely clear of debris, you’re ready to start the project. First, prepare your roofing primer by following the instructions that came with the product. To prevent premature drying, only use one primer can at a time. You can do additional areas after using the first can. Only use multiple cans if you have other people helping you with your roof repairs.

Pour your primer into your painter’s tray for easy access during your work. Once the primer is ready, use your paint roller to apply the primer to the roof’s surface. The primer layer should only be about 1/8 inch thick. If your roof is flat, you will need to add two coats to prevent rainwater from pooling on your roof and leaking into your home. Slanted roofs, however, need only one coat.

The Next Steps

Once you’ve finished the primer layer, you can apply roofing cement around the first two inches of your roof’s edge. Next, begin to apply nine-inch starter roll-out strips to the cement. Secure these strips into place by hammering in a nail every three inches.

After this step, you can begin to roll out the strips over the entire roof. On a flat roof, you can overlap the strips to create a double layer of the material. Flat roofs benefit best from an overlap of about 18 inches. Slanted roofs require only a couple of inches of overlap. Continue using your hammer to secure these sheets with nails. You can also use a nail gun to make this process faster and less tedious.

Be aware that you should only do this project when the outdoor temperature is over 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Any temperatures below that will prevent the primer from setting correctly.

Conclusion

Roof installation and roof repairs have always been complicated because of shingles and other roofing surfaces. With roll roofing sheets, these projects have transformed into an easy weekend task. These strips work well and reduce the amount of time you must spent on your project. You can save yourself a lot of money by undertaking this project on your own.