Most roofing jobs require a simple installation procedure which includes preparation and installation. Both are equally important especially when installing cedar roof shingles. Cedar shingles can give your home a characteristic rustic look while offering durable protection for you roof and provides extra padding against the elements.

Let's start with the preparation which requires measurements, calculations and plenty of planning to insure a proper installation. Determining how many shingles that are needed is the first step. This is accomplished by measuring the width of your roof, then measuring from the peak to the bottom edge. Once you have the two numbers, multiply them to determine the section square footage.
 
Repeat this calculation for each area of your roof then add about 10% for waste. Cedar shingles generally come in 100 square foot square so divide the above number by 100 to establish the number of cedar shingle squares. Additionally, if you are reroofing a roof you must decide to pry the old shingles up or install over the existing roofing material. The decision determines the last step for the preparation.

Once the number of cedar shingles required, you can start your installation. Installing cedar roof shingles always starts with the bottom edge of the roof, insuring the initial row extends beyond about 1 ½ inches from the edge of the roof. Nail the shingles in place an inch from every side and four inches from the top.

When the first row is completely fastened to the roof, completely cover the first row with the next row. Just ensure the second (or next) row shields the shingles below by 1 ½ inches. When all the rows have been installed, trim the shingles to the appropriate measurement. The last thing to remember is to install roofing felt at the apex before applying the final row of shingles and that is all there is to it.