Question 1

What is a roofing square?

Accepted Answer

A roofing square is a unit of measurement equal to 100 square feet of roof area. Roofing materials like shingles are typically sold by the square. For example, if your roof has 2,500 square feet of area, you need 25 squares.

Question 2

How many bundles of shingles per square?

Accepted Answer

Standard 3-tab shingles require 3 bundles per square (100 sqft). Architectural (dimensional) shingles may vary from 3 to 5 bundles per square depending on the manufacturer. Our calculator uses 3 bundles per square as the standard.

Question 3

How does roof pitch affect the amount of shingles?

Accepted Answer

A steeper roof pitch means more actual surface area compared to the footprint. A 4/12 pitch adds about 5.4% to the flat area, while a 12/12 (45 degree) pitch adds about 41.4%. Always factor in pitch when estimating materials.

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