SLE Cladding Limited


Helpful fixing guidelines

For standard conditions and roof slopes (15 to 85 deg. pitch):	Understand Your Roof Pitch
Place one fixing nail 25mm from each end and one fixing nail directly above the centre line of each cut-out.	Knowing your roof pitch - angle at which your roof slopes or pitches - enables you to best plan your project and and determine the correct layers of underlay membrane to use.
All fixings should be on a line 25mm above the top of the cut-out. Proper fixing increases the strength and the wind resistance of the shingle roof; so do not skimp on fixings. If a fixing will not enter the decking, use another in a nearby location.	Roofing Shingles are designed for applications on pitched roofs 15 degrees and over, both habitable and non habitable buildings.
In very severe exposure areas and on steep roofs (60 - 85 deg. pitch) use 8 nails per shingle, placing one fixing nail 25mm from each end and 2 nails per cut-out, spaced 25mm left and right above each cut-out.	For non-habitable buildings of all roof pitches, a single layer of Glasphalt 3B should be used as an underlay. This is laid parallel to the eaves with a 75mm side overlap and 100mm end laps. It is fixed using large headed clout nails at 300mm C/C along the lower edge and down all sloping sides.
In severe weather location areas a small blob of Lap Mastic or Roofing Felt Adhesive must be applied beneath the corners of each tab and over each nail head, for additional security before the heat of the sun activates the self-seal patches	For habitable buildings with a roof laid to a pitch of 15 to 20 degrees, two layers of Glasphalt 3B must be used as a preparation before fixing the shingles. The first is laid as above,. The upper layer is laid staggered to the first and fully bonded with roofing felt adhesive.
Always leave a 2mm gap between the ends of the individual shingles, to allow for minor adjustments in alignment.	For habitable buildings with a roof laid to pitch of 21 degrees and above a single layer of Glasphalt 3B must be used as an underlay
Where applicable Roofing Shingles should be installed in accordance with BS5534.2003 Code of practice for slating and tiling (including shingles).


Step 1. Prepare the roof decking on which you are fixing the shingles
Check that the roof decking of your structure is sound, clean, dry and stable before starting





	Step 2. Fix the felt underlay It is recommended that a suitable felt underlay is placed underneath the final top covering - whether this is Roofing Shingles or just shed or garage felt. SLE Cladding Ltd note. The manufacturers now recommend the use of one layer of felt for non residential buildings and two layers for residential buildings such as houses, flats etc. Starting at the eaves and working up the slope of the roof, unroll a suitable bitumen felt underlay, we recommend a BS 747 Type 3B. Keep the underlay parallel to the roof eaves. Tack in position with large headed galvanised clout nails. The underlay should extend beyond the roof and turn down the external face of the roof edge. Allow overlaps in the underlay pieces of 75 mm at the side and 100mm at the end.

Step 3. Make and fix the shingle strips for sloping verges. First make the shingle strips for the sloping verges. When using the Square Butt Shingles cut off the tabs from a single shingles strip to create the sloping "verge edging" pieces. Cut through the shingle from the back, and cut on to a board so as not to damage the knife blade or anything underneath. These "verge edging" pieces should be applied first and positioned extending 50mm beyond the edge of the roof. If barge board is present on a garden building, it should be removed and reinstated when the shingles have been installed. Gently fold these verge pieces over the roof edge, taking care to warm the material first in cold conditions so it is more pliable, nailing at 50mm centres. At the corners cut the Roofing Shingles to allow an overlap when folded around the corner and nail this in position.

	Step 4. Position the eaves shingle strips For the eaves section use a full shingle strip, turned with the tabs facing up the roof. Position these shingle strips overhanging the roof edge by 50mm. Starting at the left hand eaves corner, place the reversed shingle on to the roof extending 50mm beyond the edges (for ease of detailing at the corner, cut away the edge at an angle - as seen in Fig 1.) At the joints between the individual shingle strips, use the tabs (that were previously cut to make the "verge edging") as soaker pieces.
Place the eaves strips in position and gently fold over the roof edge and nail into final position. Ideally nails should be placed 25mm from each end, just below the line of the cut-outs, with 3 more nails on a horizontal line between the first two immediately below each cut-out. Holding the shingle in position with one hand, gently fold the overhang over the edge of the roof, extending beyond the underside of the decking to form a drip edge. Once folded, nail fix at 50mm centres. Continue along the eaves of the roof in the same manner, using the tabs previously cut off of the shingles for the sloping verge as soaker pieces between each shingle strip. You should cut away the corner of the shingle at an angle to prevent 1 build-up of laps. Now all your perimeter detailing should be complete, verges, corners and eaves.
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	Step 5 Alignment of the first singles course Now set out the position for the first shingles course using either a chalk line or straight edge approximately 5mm from the roof edge

Step 6 Position and fix the first shingle course
Trim half, that is 125mm from the verge tab of the first shingle course (row), and continue with full shingles for the rest of the course. Leave a 2mm gap between shingle strips. See Fig. 2. Repeat this for all odd numbered courses.


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Step 7 Position and fix the higher courses Use whole shingle strips for the placing of the second and all further even numbered courses creating a staggered affect as shown in the illustration See Fig. 3. For normal fixing, shingles should be nailed 25mm above each cut-out and 25mm in from the edge. Continue to fix the shingle strips up the roof, creating a staggered effect. The bottom edge should just overlap the top of the cut-outs of the underlying shingles so that there will be approximately 145mm of each shingle exposed. Roofing adhesives can be used sparingly, cover the nail heads of individual fixing points and in the corner of each tab. This also gives added security in exposed locations.
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	Step 8. Cut roofing shingles to create ridge shingles To finish the roof we make the ridge capping. For the ridge, Roofing Shingles must be cut from shingle strips, in line with the cut-outs. See Fig. 4. Four ridge shingles can be cut from each shingle strip, remember to always cut from the back or smooth side. To assist in making the ridge shingles lay flat, make secondary cut lines as shown in the illustration.
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Step 9. Alignment of ridge shingles	Step 10. Position and fixing of ridge shingles
Use a chalk-line or straight edge to ensure the correct positioning of the individual ridge shingles.	On the ridge of the roof each ridge shingle should overlap the previous one, as shown, exposing approximately 145mm


	Step 11. Seal the lap joints in the ridge shingles A bead of lap mastic or Roofing Felt Adhesive
	should be used to seal the joint. Bed down onto 25mm strips of Lap Mastic or Roofing Felt Adhesive to seal the open ends

Step 12 Position and fix of the ridge shingles Continue to fix the ridge shingles along the roof ridge, bending lengthways down the centre to achieve equal exposure on both sides of the ridge as shown in Fig.5. In cold weather remember to warm the shingles before folding. Seal the lap and nail fixing on both sides.	Using Roofing Shingles to cover valley sections of a roof. Valley detailing sections must be carried out before the main shingle roof is completed. Again it is recommended that a 500mm wide strip of Glasphalt 3B Sand Underlay is fully bonded with Roofing Felt Adhesive into the valley, prior ti fixing the shingles. As with the ridge section, to detail the valley, cut cut valley shingles from standard 4 or 3 tab shingles at the cut-out, and apply as shown in Fig.6. Bed down on to 25mm wide strips of Lap Mastic or Roofing Felt Adhesive to seal the open ends. Leave exposed 143mm of the shingle tab and nail on each side of the valley. Valley shingles should be folded lengthways down the centre of the valley and dressed equally to each side.

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Step 13. The Complete Job. Ruberoid roofing shingles provide a long lasting attractive decorated waterproofing finish to a wide variety of garden buildings.