# caulk lines for dimensional shingles



## jason72081 (Jun 9, 2012)

We are running some elk dimensional shingles. I dont normally mess with caulk lines but for this job we are. Does anyone have measuremenbt they use for there courses. I was thinking of caulking ever 6 courses or so. Unless someone has more available


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

caulk lines i find to be very messy:sad:


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Well, that is why felt has lines on it BUT where in the heck did you get Elk shingles? I thought they quit making those about 5 years ago.


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

I'm with Tom, messy indeed. Maybe he's using those caulk lines to seal things. Seems like a lot of work, a messy job, for little value.


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## Stephen H (Feb 18, 2011)

We snap the first line about 12- 1/4" to 12-1/2 "up from the drip edge and then a line every 11 ".

It only takes a few minutes and makes tie- ins much easier and allows you to start different guys on different areas at the same time and have everything work out perfect.

Also- out preferred underlayment,titanium udl doesn't HAVE lines.

Take what I say with caution,however- we are pretty much out of residential shingle work- down to less than 100 sq. this year and hopefully none next year.
stephen


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## kubie (Oct 19, 2008)

caulk lines or chalk lines?


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## kubie (Oct 19, 2008)

Stephen H said:


> We snap the first line about 12- 1/4" to 12-1/2 "up from the drip edge and then a line every 11 ".
> 
> It only takes a few minutes and makes tie- ins much easier and allows you to start different guys on different areas at the same time and have everything work out perfect.
> 
> ...



you should go 11 1/8, 22 1/4 33 3/8 44 1/2 ect

you would be surprised on how many extra shingles you use snapping every 11"


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

kubie said:


> caulk lines or chalk lines?


Oh - CHALK lines. Sheesh, I thought I'd done a Rip Van Winkle and woke up to a new roofing method...

D*mn, I'm getting slow.


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## VAviaCo (Sep 3, 2008)

All that printing on the package says 5 5/8". so that is 11 1/4. 22 1/2, 33 3/4, 45". You can do every 4th line by doing 22 1/2, 45, 67 1/2, 90


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## Stephen H (Feb 18, 2011)

VAviaCo said:


> All that printing on the package says 5 5/8". so that is 11 1/4. 22 1/2, 33 3/4, 45". You can do every 4th line by doing 22 1/2, 45, 67 1/2, 90


 that may be precise,

but the practicalities of the situation make 11,22,33,44,55,66,77......... much more effective---and certainly faster.
stephen


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## VAviaCo (Sep 3, 2008)

Stephen H said:


> that may be precise,
> 
> but the practicalities of the situation make 11,22,33,44,55,66,77......... much more effective---and certainly faster.
> stephen


Effective because you have more overlap than recommended or because you use more shingles than you need to?


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## Stephen H (Feb 18, 2011)

VAviaCo said:


> Effective because you have more overlap than recommended or because you use more shingles than you need to?


effective because they layout is greatly simplified in whole numbers rather than awkward fractions, and can be done accureately by moderately skilled roofers

the increase in materials-is insignificant to us------ 1 maybe 2 courses per slope-so usually less than 2 bundles per house----insignificant,and more than offset by the labor savings that a simple layout creates.

effective
stephen


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## kubie (Oct 19, 2008)

Stephen H said:


> effective because they layout is greatly simplified in whole numbers rather than awkward fractions, and can be done accureately by moderately skilled roofers
> 
> the increase in materials-is insignificant to us------ 1 maybe 2 courses per slope-so usually less than 2 bundles per house----insignificant,and more than offset by the labor savings that a simple layout creates.
> 
> ...


yup keep it simple

much easier to snap lines and not worry about staying straight


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## lsaver07 (Oct 16, 2010)

I have my tape measure marked out with a sharpie for every 11'' starting at 12 5/8''. For smaller runs i use every 11'' that gives you a 1/4'' cover on every second row. I use 22'' for bigger roofs which usually gives you 1/2''-3/8'' cover every 4th row. I hook my tape to the drip and just start making marks. Can lay out the 63sq condos I do in about 20 minutes.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

what was that thing they use to have?with the paper tape for marking courses?some kind of thing-a-majig:blink:


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## Chad McDade (Oct 14, 2012)

Still not sure that your question was interpreted right. At the end of your post you asked if anyone had more available - have what? More shingles?


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

ah yes..

http://www.thortools.com/content/products/tapes/


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## Stephen H (Feb 18, 2011)

lsaver07 said:


> I have my tape measure marked out with a sharpie for every 11'' starting at 12 5/8''. For smaller runs i use every 11'' that gives you a 1/4'' cover on every second row. I use 22'' for bigger roofs which usually gives you 1/2''-3/8'' cover every 4th row. I hook my tape to the drip and just start making marks. Can lay out the 63sq condos I do in about 20 minutes.


 THAT is a really great idea!-so simple,yet so effing valuable I am kicking myself for not thinking of it 20 years ago!

Stephen


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## lsaver07 (Oct 16, 2010)

The tape is $30 bucks and the sharpie was $2. I have multiple tapes like that. Even my dumbest guy can layout.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

really.. you can?:blink:


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## WilsonRMDL (Sep 4, 2007)

Was wondering why the hell you would caulk shingles lol.


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## VAviaCo (Sep 3, 2008)

Stephen H said:


> that may be precise,
> 
> but the practicalities of the situation make 11,22,33,44,55,66,77......... much more effective---and certainly faster.
> stephen


I was going to say that if all the trades told their newbs to round up to the nearest inch because it is easier, we'd have some very strange looking buildings around but...well...if all the trades told their newbs to round up to the nearest inch because it is easier, we'd have some very strange looking buildings around.


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## Stephen H (Feb 18, 2011)

VAviaCo said:


> I was going to say that if all the trades told their newbs to round up to the nearest inch because it is easier, we'd have some very strange looking buildings around but...well...if all the trades told their newbs to round up to the nearest inch because it is easier, we'd have some very strange looking buildings around.


wow, you are determined to be silly ,aren't you ?

I don't think anyone in this thread has suggested any such thing--------- we all realize there are times when detailed,precise AND accureate measurements are required-and times that they are NOT required.

we work almost exclusively on old,out of square ,out of plumb,out of level houses.--- the art lies in knowing what matters,and what doesn't----and usually the ability to intelligently decide to vary exposure solves a lot of problems

look at a well maintained house from the 1880's with cedar claps.- Part of it's grace comes from varying the claps exposure in order to have the claps clear doors and windows just so-----------compared to the uniformity and precision of vinyl siding. Every course is exactly the same in vinyl siding-and looks horrible ,IMO-especially when a door or window hits in the middle of an exposure.

we solve a lot of issues in slate roofs, the same way-by varying the exposure to achieve the desired result

much like the topic in this thread--we solve a different problem, by simplifying the exposure.

If you want to do it differently, that's up to you

On a related note- a few days ago I read an article on the This Is Carpentry web site written about installing eyebrow windows in a roof. The authors did a very nice job and spent DAYS of shop time to achieve their results. I have worked on dozens of houses built in the 1920's with eyebrow windows and I could have told the Authors a MUCH simpler way of handling the situation that the "old timers" used back in the 1920's-and which would have taken about an hour / window.

Very often- being overly precise- is merely a waste of time and resources.

stephen


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## VAviaCo (Sep 3, 2008)

I agree that there are times when a 16th matters and times when it doesn't. 

When I first read those directions I wondered why they said 5 5/8 instead of 5 1/2. 
Maybe they figure everyone's going to go 5 1/2 and they can sell more shingles because you can't get quite the sq footage you ought to that way.

To me it isn't any harder to read 11 1/4 than it is to read 11".
Like you say though, to each his own.


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## Stephen H (Feb 18, 2011)

most roofers find 11,22,33,44,55,66,77 etc. significantly easier to deal with than 11-1/4,22-1/2,33-3/4 etc.

best wishes,
stephen


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## tombeck (Nov 24, 2012)

We use the gauge on the hatchet or the gun.....Maybe a single, 2nd-course line, if the structure is out-of-square....


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## mrcharles (Sep 27, 2011)

VAviaCo said:


> I agree that there are times when a 16th matters and times when it doesn't.
> 
> When I first read those directions I wondered why they said 5 5/8 instead of 5 1/2.
> Maybe they figure everyone's going to go 5 1/2 and they can sell more shingles because you can't get quite the sq footage you ought to that way.
> ...



I take it you haven't had many "career" roofers on your jobs?


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

mrcharles said:


> I take it you haven't had many "career" roofers on your jobs?


I thought I should come up with a good retort, as perhaps I should be insulted. But that's just funny. :laughing:


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## VAviaCo (Sep 3, 2008)

mrcharles said:


> I take it you haven't had many "career" roofers on your jobs?


Because "career" roofers can't read tapes too well?


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