What Are the Stages of the Roof Building Process?

The best roofing in Iowa City, Coralville, and Muscatine, Iowa provides your home with the strength and security that it needs to stay strong for years to come. Unfortunately, there is a very good chance that you may need to get a new roof on your house at some points due to materials wearing out or your home simply getting too old. Thankfully, this process is usually not a complex one for most roofers, and includes the steps outlined below. Each is done in a way that enhances the overall beauty of your house.

Prepare the New Roof

When you're ready to add new roofing to your home, there are a few steps that you need to take to prepare. First of all, your roofers will examine the old roof and tear off any of the materials that keep it up. For example, you need to remove items like shingles, various types of nails and attachment items, and many other roofing elements attached to the old roof that need to be taken off before you begin.

This step should take no more than a few hours in afternoon on the first day of the project. Remember – it is usually easier to destroy than build. And your roofers will take off everything for you to ensure that the under roofing is properly prepared for installation. Doing so also helps to save you money at the same time by opening up the roofing to any potential problems that may have developed over the years.

Is it possible to build a new roof over an old one without removing your roofing? Yes but you shouldn't – and if you find a professional who suggests that you take that step instead of removing all of your old roof, don't work with them. These companies are usually very shady and are likely to do a very poor job, charge you way too much, and leave you with a roof that needs to be fixed up in another way.

Add Important Underlayment Items

Next on your roofing installation list is putting up the underlayment on the roofing. This step starts by adding the drip edge that helps to keep shingles from getting damaged and stops issues with your fascia as well. Typically, this step is done before the underlayment but doesn't always have to be done at all. It is an optional step that you should probably still take because it provides a maximum of protection.

After that step, you need to put on the underlayment throughout the rest of the roof. Thankfully, roofers have material that should stick to your roof by carefully peeling off the sticky back and laying it down. Once they are done, they smooth it out to cover all of the roof. When properly installed, the underlayment helps to prevent issues with icing and stops winds from damaging your roof.

Finally, roofers add items such as felt paper – known as “tar paper” – to waterproof the shingels and improve the roof's fire protection. After this is done , they add items like underlayment and tar paper to more delicate areas, such as the valleys of the roof, to make sure that they are protected from water damage. At this point, your roof is ready to get shingles – and the roofing process is nearly over.

Adding the Shingles

Roofing experts start the last step of the process by adding the starter shingles. These starter shingles are smaller types that line up along the edges to create an even look. They can be overlapped by other shingles without creating awkward styles. From these shingles, the rest of the roofing can be easily added to your home. Typically, roofers follow a pretty standard step when installing your roof.

They start at the bottom of the roof in most cases and work in teams to cover each side of the roof. Though not challenging, this part takes the longest time because shingles must be laid individually and nailed down by roofing experts to keep them strong. Once the roofers reach the top, they utilize unique “topper” shingles on the top of the roof to ensure that it is as waterproof as possible for your needs.

Don't Neglect Expert Help

As you can see, adding the best roofing Iowa City, Coralville, and Muscatine, Iowa have to offer is fairly simply if you know who to call. In some cases, your roofing might be done in a matter of days, depending on the quality and the professionalism of your team. So if you are interested in a roof project and want a team who can help you, please don't hesitate to contact us at BW Construction to learn more. Our experts have years of experience and are ready to help you get the roof that your home deserves.