Estimating Shingle Needs for a Garage Roof
Roofing materials such as asphalt, cedar shake, aluminum, and plastic shingles are typically sold in bundles, and the number of bundles required for a project is determined by converting the roof's area into squares. By taking a few measurements and applying basic multiplication, you can figure out how many squares a garage roof requires and get a price estimate.
By Drew Ward4 steps
Estmates to shingle a garage are based on price per square.
Shingles are available in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and designs. Asphalt shingles are the most commonly used type, and they are packaged, stacked, and sold in bundles. Beyond asphalt, there are also cedar shake, aluminum shingles, plastic shingles, and numerous other options. What every type of shingle shares is that the conversion of bundles into squares—typically three bundles per square—is what establishes roofing coverage. With a straightforward math formula, the square footage of a roof can be translated into the number of squares required for a cost estimate.
Step 1
Take measurements of the garage roof to figure out how many squares will be needed for coverage. Record the length and the width of the garage roof. Any additional features, such as overhangs or attached carports, also need to be measured.
Step 2
Multiply the width by the length to arrive at the square footage. For instance, a section measuring 20 feet long and 15 feet wide equals 300 square feet. Sum the square footage from every area you measured to obtain the total square footage. This total is the number you will use when estimating shingles.
Step 3
Convert bundles of shingles into squares. One square is equivalent to three bundles. Each square represents 100 square feet. In the example above, covering the garage roof would require three squares, or 300 square feet, of shingles. Once you have calculated the necessary square footage, always include an additional 10 percent in the total to account for shingle breakage.
Step 4
Contact several suppliers to get the best estimate of shingle prices based on the number of squares you calculated. Home improvement stores and building supply shops offer a broad selection of shingles to choose from.
