# Installing shingles over hips on hip roof



## 904sorock

Hey guys , 
Looks like I won't be subing out roofing on my next build. What is the most common way to install asphalt shingles over the hips on a hip roof? Are shingle left long over the hip or cut right on top of the hip where the 2 sheathing meet. Thanks SM


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## johnk

Shingles are cut along the hip and then capped,they should not extend past the hip.:no:


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## A. Spruce

johnk said:


> Shingles are cut along the hip and then capped,they should not extend past the hip.:no:


:thumbsup:


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## roof-lover

johnk said:


> Shingles are cut along the hip and then capped,they should not extend past the hip.:no:


I partially disagree.

When i install 3tabs, the first side of the hip extra goes past the hip as long as it is not 12 inches long and can be used as cap.
The other side of the hip is cut back about one inch from the hip.

I do the same thing with arch shingles.......
The thing is, when i start off one side of a hip, when i get to the top, i have ZERO waste. And i really mean zero.
And The only thing that is hanging over is the top single layer part of the shingle.

I have LESS waste on an arch roof than i do a 3-tab roof.:w00t:

most roofers are idiots who cut through both sides of the hip, slice through the felt and the roof has a chance to leak.

I have seen where it leaked buckets because it leaked under the cap.
Not all rain goes straight down. Many rains go sideways and when they do, the water actually travels straight UP the roof.

I thought i was going crazy the first time i saw a leak coming from the peak of a hip. I went up, took the cap off. Both sides of the hip were cut, and the felt was too. So to fix it, i installed felt over the field shingles about 10 inches wide and put the cap back on. WEll.... it still leaked.
I went back , took the felt off i had installed and filled the trough(due to cutting both sides of the hip builds a trough) with roofing cement.
Done.

I hope the lesson i learned finds you well..


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## Slyfox

roof-lover said:


> i partially disagree.
> 
> When i install 3tabs, the first side of the hip extra goes past the hip as long as it is not 12 inches long and can be used as cap.
> The other side of the hip is cut back about one inch from the hip.
> 
> I do the same thing with arch shingles.......
> The thing is, when i start off one side of a hip, when i get to the top, i have zero waste. And i really mean zero.
> And the only thing that is hanging over is the top single layer part of the shingle.
> 
> I have less waste on an arch roof than i do a 3-tab roof.:w00t:
> 
> Most roofers are idiots who cut through both sides of the hip, slice through the felt and the roof has a chance to leak.
> 
> I have seen where it leaked buckets because it leaked under the cap.
> Not all rain goes straight down. Many rains go sideways and when they do, the water actually travels straight up the roof.
> 
> I thought i was going crazy the first time i saw a leak coming from the peak of a hip. I went up, took the cap off. Both sides of the hip were cut, and the felt was too. So to fix it, i installed felt over the field shingles about 10 inches wide and put the cap back on. Well.... It still leaked.
> I went back , took the felt off i had installed and filled the trough(due to cutting both sides of the hip builds a trough) with roofing cement.
> Done.
> 
> I hope the lesson i learned finds you well..


lmao.


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## tinner666

I learned long ago that if you cut them back 1-2" from the hip, they lay better and curve over smoother all around. And never crack there either.:thumbsup:


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## OldNBroken

I guess I'm one of those idiot roofers who cuts it clean at the hip and caps it. Funny thing though, in 28 years I've never had a single incident with it but it sure does look clean and neat when I'm done. But, then again, what do I know? I'm an idiot.


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## johnk

Renegade said:


> I guess I'm one of those idiot roofers who cuts it clean at the hip and caps it. Funny thing though, in 28 years I've never had a single incident with it but it sure does look clean and neat when I'm done. But, then again, what do I know? I'm an idiot.


YES WE ARE:jester:


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## outlaw

I must be an idiot too! After 20 years I'm still willing to learn. The only time I have lapped shingles over a hip has been in when a valley dies into the hip and its plain to see that the water could roll right under the cap.


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## roof-lover

Im sorry for saying idiot everybody!!

If my men cut both sides of the hip and they cut through the felt, i am a lil angry!
and feel my customer is getting slightly less than perfection.

In my opinion, that is one of the most vulnerable spots for underlayment to be cut. It can leak during certain storms.

Now i am not shy at all about taking my hook blade to the underlayment due to wrinkles in the field. I demand it. Nailing over wrinkled underlayment is much worse. And is an immediate problem.
I have torn off many "one day old" roofs due to roofers who thought it was ok to nail over wrinkled felt.


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## Slyfox

roof-lover said:


> Im sorry for saying idiot everybody!!
> 
> If my men cut both sides of the hip and they cut through the felt, i am a lil angry!
> and feel my customer is getting slightly less than perfection.
> 
> In my opinion, that is one of the most vulnerable spots for underlayment to be cut. It can leak during certain storms.
> 
> Now i am not shy at all about taking my hook blade to the underlayment due to wrinkles in the field. I demand it. Nailing over wrinkled underlayment is much worse. And is an immediate problem.
> I have torn off many "one day old" roofs due to roofers who thought it was ok to nail over wrinkled felt.


It's all good, there's nothing wrong with speaking your mind and there's surely nothing wrong with sharing your experiences because that's what this forum is all about.
Thanks for the apology tho, because I also do not lap my hips, I cut both sides like most roofers I know do and can not remember a single repair/call back in which the hip was the issue.


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## katoman

Just a suggestion for all roofers - most of the time when we are doing a reno and we have to pull off existing caps, they come off by hand. We can just pull them off.

Why? because they were nailed with the same 1" nails used for the shingles.

For cap nailing, increase to 1 1/2" nails. I'm sure all great roofers do this, so it's only directed at those who don't.

No offense intended.


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## A. Spruce

katoman said:


> No offense intended.


I'm offended! :furious: Of course we're all professionals here, why wouldn't we be using longer nails for the caps? 


 J/K :w00t: No offense taken.


Maybe we can single out the guys that use staples instead of nails and particularly ANYONE who doesn't know how to set the pressure on the gun so the fastener doesn't blow through the shingle. :shutup:


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## Slyfox

A. Spruce said:


> I'm offended! :furious: Of course we're all professionals here, why wouldn't we be using longer nails for the caps?
> 
> 
> J/K :w00t: No offense taken.
> 
> 
> Maybe we can single out the guys that use staples instead of nails and particularly ANYONE who doesn't know how to set the pressure on the gun so the fastener doesn't blow through the shingle. :shutup:


Gun pressure applies to both those shooting staple and nails.

1" hand nails/cap nails for the underlayment.
1 1/4" hand nails for the flashing's & field shingles.
1 1/2" hand nails for the ridge caps.
1 3/4" or 2" hand nails for cap over ridge vent.
YeS, I hand nail everything.


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## OldNBroken

Have never seen you come across as an arrogant SOB roof-lover but I couldn't resist responding to your choice of words.:whistling
So what was the OP? oh yeah, guess we answered that along the way. Hand nailed or gun nailed job, I always require hip/ridge to be hand-nailed. Too easy to blow through and damage them with a gun.


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## apehangeralfy

roof-lover said:


> I partially disagree.
> 
> When i install 3tabs, the first side of the hip extra goes past the hip as long as it is not 12 inches long and can be used as cap.
> The other side of the hip is cut back about one inch from the hip.
> 
> I do the same thing with arch shingles.......
> The thing is, when i start off one side of a hip, when i get to the top, i have ZERO waste. And i really mean zero.
> And The only thing that is hanging over is the top single layer part of the shingle.
> 
> I have LESS waste on an arch roof than i do a 3-tab roof.:w00t:


Must be Florida thing, I learned the same way. The heavy summer rains are different here than anywhere else in the country... I don't use felt at all anymore do to the mitigation rules, takes us longer to nail it off in labor the the price to peel-n-stick the entire roof... no longer an upgrade it is now standard.


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## RoofDiagnostics

i am also an Idiot who cuts the shingles back... we always use hip and ridge caps (ie:timbertex)


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## blu

Slyfox said:


> lmao.


Jeez, that guy has no business on a roof. God help his customers.


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## bcdemon

Lapping the shingle tops over the hips was one of the lessons I conveniently forgot.


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## OldNBroken

blu said:


> Jeez, that guy has no business on a roof. God help his customers.


:shutup: :shutup: :shutup:


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