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How to Roof with Asphalt Shingles

When you’re building for animals, the roof is what makes a shelter a home. Here’s how I learned to use the book system, the steady rhythm of cutting and laying shingles so the roof sheds water and stays strong.

Ingredients

  • Asphalt shingles 3-tab works great
  • Roofing paper or underlayment
  • 1 ¼ " galvanized roofing nails
  • Nail gun or hammer
  • Utility knife
  • Chalk line
  • Black Jack or roofing sealant

Instructions

  • Underlayment: Roll roofing paper over the deck, overlapping strips by a few inches. Smooth it flat. This is your dry, even foundation.
  • Starter Course: Begin at the bottom edge. Some builders flip the first row of shingles upside-down so the tabs don’t align with the course above. Either way, make sure that first row hangs just over the edge to guide water away.
  • The Book System: This is where order matters. You’ll cut shingles in a stair-step pattern so no seams line up.
    Think of it like flipping through a book: each row shifts over, one page at a time, until you’re back where you started. The result is seams that never stack, which means water never sneaks through.
    First Course: Lay a full shingle.
    Second Course: Cut 6" off the left end, then lay.
    Third Course: Cut 12" off.
    Fourth Course: Cut 18" off.
    Fifth Course: Cut 24" off.
    Sixth Course: Start again with a full shingle directly above the first.
  • Nailing: Each shingle gets four nails, just above the tab cutouts. Keep nails straight, not angled. With a nail gun, set the pressure so the nails sit flush with the shingle, not sunk deep.
  • Overlap & Trim: Expose about 5" of each shingle. Stagger rows cleanly, trim at edges, and keep lines straight with a chalk snap.
  • Seal the Work: Dab Black Jack over exposed nails, ridge caps, and seams. It takes a few extra minutes but buys years of protection.