How To Figure Roofing Squares

Before you do any roofing work you must calculate the roof s square footage to determine how much material you need.

How to figure roofing squares.

Shingles and other roofing materials such as underlayment are typically measured in squares that are 10 feet long and 10 feet wide with each square measuring 100 square feet. Because each 100 square feet of roof is one roofing square divide the total area from step 1 by 100. To estimate roofing materials start by finding the total square footage of the roof and divide the number by 100 to determine the number of squares in the roof. Thus a moderate 6 in 12 roof pitch means that the roof rises 6 inches vertically for every 12 horizontal inches it runs.

A roof s pitch is determined by how much it rises vertically for every foot it runs horizontally. This method is considered the most accurate but you will need to get onto your roof to complete it. Get the square footage of roof and divide it by 100 and it will give the number of squares you need and for every decimal number over 3 buy a bundle to achieve the amount of material. The first step in a free roofing estimate is measuring the roof dimensions.

In cases where a roof has a complex shape such as in the image to the right measuring the dimensions and areas of each part of the roof to calculate total area will result in a more accurate measurement of area. To calculate the size of the roof you need to measure the size of the roof as if it were flat account for roof pitch calculate square footage and finally determine how many squares of material are required for the roof the calculator above can handle all of this simply enter the length width and pitch and it will determine the size of the roof in squares. Then add 10 to the number to account for waste. The calculator cannot account for complex shapes based on a measurement of square footage alone.

Convert the area to roofing squares. The answer is the number of roofing squares for the roof. To calculate the number of squares or bundles you need you should consider using the measurement method. Since it takes 3 bundles of shingles to cover a square plan to purchase 3 bundles for each square.

To accurately calculate the area of your roof you must first determine its slope or pitch.