What is a square in roofing? What does it mean when someone says they have 30 squares of roofing shingles on their roof? What are the measurements for a square? How many shingles are in a square? How many bundles of shingles do I need for a 12x12 roof? How many bundles cover a square? Is the square footage of a house the same as the roof? What do you need to figure out how many squares your roof has and what should you use as a measurement for your house's square footage. These questions and more will be answered in this article.

What are the measurements for a square?

One "Roofing Square" is equal to 100 square feet of roofing. When someone says they have 30 squares of roofing shingles on their roof, it means that their roof has 3,000 square feet for the entire surface.

Figuring out how many squares your roof has?

If you need to determine how many squares your roof is, first measure the length and width of your house. Then, multiply them together. After that, divide the number you got by 100 to get your total number of squares. Finally, multiply that number by 1.3 for a low incline. Let us explain.

Getting exact measurements is quite difficult and could be risky

It would be complex and even risky to get an exact measurement of your roof's square footage. There are too many things that can go wrong, such as slips and falls, weather issues, and more. So, if you need a more accurate measurement, it is best to contact your local roofing contractor or carpenter to take measurements of your roof or help you figure out how many squares you have. Or you can always contact us for a free estimate.

But you can get an approx estimate

But you can get a rough idea to find out how many bundles of shingles you need to buy by using a simple multiplication method. The number that you see on the packaging of your shingles is always per square and it will help you figure out how many squares there are and how much coverage your roof needs.

Formula to calculate the area of your roof

You can get a pretty good idea of your roof's square footage yourself. To calculate the approximate square footage of your roof, you will need to measure the length and width of your house. Multiply both numbers together to figure out how many square feet of roofing your house is.

How to safely get the required measurements

To safely measure the length and width of your roof you do not need to climb on top of your roof. Rather, you can walk around the length and count your steps. Each step is approximately two feet. Then, multiply the number of steps by 2 to get your total length in feet. It is best to use a measuring tape if you are not sure how long each step should be.

EXAMPLE

For example, if you have a rectangle that is 40 feet long and 20 feet wide, then you would multiply those two numbers together to get an estimation of how many square feet it is. In this case, the roof would be approximately 800 square feet. Now, divide that number by 100 to get your total number of squares. In this situation, you would have approximately 8 squares of roofing shingles on your roof.

Incorporating the inclination

Now the area occupied by your home does not equal the same as the area of your roof. The latter is often larger than the former because it needs to include space for such things as ventilation and access to make repairs. Also, the inclination angle of your roof can change the size of your roof. The more steep the roof is, the more area the roof occupies.

To incorporate the effect of a steep incline, you need to multiply the area you got from measuring the length and width of your house by a certain factor depending on your roof inclination. If you have a flat roof, then you would not need to multiply anything.

However, if you have a steep roof, you need to multiply the area of your roof by 1.3 for a low incline, 1.4 for a medium incline, and 1.6 for a high incline. Multiplying by these numbers will give you the approximate square footage your roof occupies.

Roofing Squares FAQs:

Is the square footage of a house the same as the roof?

You can calculate your roof's square footage by multiplying the length and width of your house. But the square footage of your house does not equal the same as the area occupied by your roof. The latter can be larger due to things like ventilation, access areas, and inclination. For an exact measurement, contact your local roofing contractor or carpenter to take measurements of your roof.

What is a bundle of shingles?

A bundle of shingles is a predetermined amount of shingles that are sold together. These bundles are often sold in the range of 100 square feet. They are packed such that 3 or 4 of them would add up to 100 square feet, that is, a square of roofing. Manufacturers do this so that their customers can save time and effort in figuring out how many bundles they need for a certain roof size.

What is a square of roofing shingles?

As mentioned earlier, a square of shingles is 100 square feet. This is the number of shingles you would get if three or four bundles were laid out next to each other. You would use this number to calculate how many bundles you need for your roof.

How many shingles are in a square?

Typically, there are 15 to 29 shingles in a bundle of shingles depending on the shingle type and size. However, this number may vary slightly from one manufacturer to another. And 3 to 4 bundles are usually necessary to make up a square. So, in total, approximately 45 to 120 shingles would be necessary for a square of roofing.

What do 30 squares mean in roofing?

As you know by now that one square of roofing equals 100 square feet. So, 30 squares of roofing mean that approximately 3,000 square feet of roof will be covered. This is usually the area that can be covered by 100 bundles of shingles.

How many bundles of shingles do I need for a 12x12 roof?

A roof measuring 12 feet by 12 feet roof would have a total area of 144 square feet. If you divide it by 100, you would get approximately 1.4 squares. For one square of roofing, you would need three or four bundles of shingles. So, in this case, you will need approximately 4 to 6 bundles of shingles.

How many bundles cover a square?

In general, you would need three bundles for one square of roofing shingles. But if the manufacturer used a different bundle size, then it is possible that more or less than 3 bundles may be necessary to cover a square.

Can you put shingles over shingles?

Yes, you can. However, you must make sure that the shingles you are putting over are in good condition and will not compromise the roof's stability. You must also make sure that whatever is under the old shingles can hold up to another layer of shingles, which means checking for weak spots like rotten wood or any standing water under the old shingles. As always, it would be best to have a professional do the job.

Contact Southern Roofing Systems for your roofing needs

Now you know what is a square of roofing, what is a bundle of shingles, and what do 30 squares mean in roofing!

If you need any further help, whether you are building a new roof or just replacing some of your existing ones, or just want to learn more about roofing, contact us and we will make sure you get the right information. We are eager to give our customers nothing but the best. Call for a free estimate today!