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Gravity still applies to DIY roofers; paint job must include caulking

By Tim Carter

Q: I need new roof shingles but am paralyzed by fear of making the wrong choice of material and color for my home. Installing roof shingles doesn't seem that difficult, so I am considering doing the work myself. How do I select high-quality roof shingles? Should I install the new roof over the top of my existing asphalt roof shingles? What other tips can you share about residential roof shingles?

--Vickie E.

A: Many books have been written about roof shingles, so it is unthinkable that I could fully discuss all you have asked. But I'm sure I can point you in the right direction so you have years of leak-free performance from the new high-quality roof shingles you will be purchasing.

First, let's get realistic about what is involved in installing roof shingles. It is dirty, backbreaking work. If the air temperature is above 70 F, you will be hot up on the roof. As the air temperature approaches 90 F and above, it can become dangerously hot. Dehydration can make you fatigued, dizzy and more prone to cutting corners. On top of all of this is the inherent danger of simply working up on a roof. Whether you intend to or not, you will obey the law of gravity, and it can be painful -- and deadly.

Can you do the work? The answer is maybe. I don't know your skills or what tools you have. Did I face the same challenges when I did my first roofing job? You bet I did. For this reason, I say you could consider trying if your roof has a pitch shallow enough that you can walk on it without fear of sliding off. First it would be useful to volunteer to reroof a neighbor's small shed to see if you have what it takes.

There are many different styles, textures and colors in asphalt shingles, and almost as many levels of quality. The price per square (a square is enough material to cover 100 square feet) is an excellent barometer of quality. As the price goes up, so does the quality and the warranty. If you need help visualizing a color and texture, consider buying just one bundle of shingles and laying them on the roof as if they were nailed. Then get down on the ground and look at them to see if you like the color and texture.

I urge you to purchase your shingles from a wholesaler that sells roofing supplies to roofers. Visit these well-hidden businesses and talk with the manager. You can discover these oases of information by doing an Internet search or by looking in the Yellow Pages under "Roofing Supplies." The manager or owner will give you a quick education on the levels of quality across the different shingles. It is best to visit these businesses in mid-morning or mid-afternoon when the roofers are at their jobsites.

You can sometimes install a new asphalt roof on top of an existing one. There are building-code considerations, so always check with your local building department. Personally, I have discovered over the years that you get a better job if you strip off the existing roofing materials. This is miserable work, even with the best tools.

Read all of the written instructions you can get from the shingle manufacturer. Instructions are often printed on the packs of shingles, but do additional research to locate photos or videos of roofing tips.

Keep in mind that a majority of roof leaks happen where the roof touches up against something that is not a roof. Examples are skylights, plumbing-vent pipes, exhaust fans, chimneys, walls that extend higher than roofs, and so forth. You need to install flashings expertly at these locations. Flashings are transitional roofing materials that connect roofs to things that are not a roof.

When you strip off the old roofing material, check the wood sheathing for damage. Be sure the wood is securely nailed to the rafters and that there is no wood rot. Install heavy felt paper or a modern water membrane in place of traditional felt paper. Consider using the special membranes that stop water leaks caused by ice dams or wind-driven rain. 

EXTRAS THAT MATTER

You can buy roof shingles that mimic slate or ones that look like wood cedar shakes. From a distance, they do a very good job of fooling the untrained eye. I have used the slate-look asphalt shingles on my Victorian shed, and they really make it look fantastic.

If you live in a humid climate, be sure you consider buying roof shingles that contain copper in the colored ceramic granules. This copper is a natural biocide that kills the common roof algae that is responsible for the ugly black streaks you see on many residential roof shingles.

Top-quality roofers will install edge flashings as well as a base or sill flashings. These are very important pieces of metal that help keep water away from your wood roof sheathing. Attention to detail is very important when working with flashings. Discover how these work and you will have a roof that keeps you dry in all types of weather.

Q: Can you tell me how to caulk baseboards? I thought my new paint job was looking great until all sorts of black lines showed up where there were gaps between the baseboard woodwork and the walls. I don't remember seeing that in other houses, so I must be doing something wrong. What caulk should I use? How do you get a smooth line, as my caulking always looks smeared? When is the best time to caulk if you are installing new baseboard and trim?

--Kirsten P.

A: You aren't the first person to ask how to caulk. Caulk is one of those underappreciated building products that people tend to forget about when they do interior painting projects. But caulk is one of the most valuable products used by professional painters and those seasoned do-it-yourselfers who know the secrets of the pros.

Applying caulk is fairly easy skill to master. There are many different ways to do it, but I will share an effective method I have used for years. The first thing to do is get a caulk that is easy to use and cleans up with water. I prefer to use caulk that is blend of acrylic and silicone. You can find this very common caulk at a paint store, hardware store or a home center. Look for a caulk that costs more, as it will likely have better ingredients and therefore will last longer. Read the labels on different tubes of caulk, and try to find one that says it has the least amount of shrinkage.

Note that the caulks come in different colors. You may want to pick a color that is close to the color you will paint your baseboard. However, this is a moot point if your baseboard and walls are radically different colors. In that case, white caulk will do fine.

The tools you will need are simple: a caulk gun, a putty knife, a razor knife, a tile-grout sponge and a bucket. There are huge differences in caulk guns. My favorite is one that costs about three times what the cheap ones cost.

The cheap caulk guns have notches in the ramrod plunger. The ramrod on mine is smooth. You have to squeeze the handle on my gun about three times to get it to travel the distance you get with one squeeze of a cheap caulk gun. You may think this is extra work, but you get amazing control over the amount of caulk that flows from the tube.

I prefer to caulk baseboards and trim after they have a coat of primer on them. Caulking bare wood can be problematic as it can be difficult to remove caulk from the wood grain. It is also easier to see the areas that need caulk if the wood is painted a light color. The gaps show up as the unsightly lines you currently see in your woodwork.

It's critical to get the right size hole at the end of the caulk tube. If you make it too big, far too much caulk flows from the tube. If the hole is too small, then you work too hard to fill the gaps. I have found that a hole size just over 1/16 inch seems to be perfect.

Fill a bucket with some warm water and it's time to begin. I usually caulk about 24 inches of gap or crack at a time. The trick in to hold the caulk gun at about a 30-degree angle to the crack and squeeze the handle so an even amount of caulk flows from the tube. You want the caulk to be slightly higher than the top of the gap or crack. As the caulk exits the tube, you slide the caulk gun along the gap. If you move too quickly, the gap will not get filled. If you move too slowly, lots of caulk will build up above the cracks.

Set the caulk gun down, making sure you release the tension so that caulk stops flowing from the tube. Use your finger to smooth the caulk. You know you put the perfect amount of caulk on the gap if there is a very small amount of caulk on the tip of your finger as you complete the wiping stroke.

Grab the sponge and squeeze all of the water out of it. Immediately wipe it across the caulk joint to feather the edges of the caulk and remove any excess you left behind. Rinse the sponge and repeat. Glide the sponge softly across the caulk so you don't remove any from the gap.

LAST MINUTE TIPS

Large gaps or cracks can be very problematic. You fill them with caulk and they may look superb. But the next day when you go to paint, there is a huge valley where the caulk has shrunk. This happens because the water leaves the caulk and the solid materials are left behind to fill the gap. You can use foam caulking cord to fill the gaps before you caulk to minimize shrinkage.

Allow the caulk to cure and harden before you paint. If you try to paint minutes after caulking, the paint-brush bristles will remove the caulk from the gap.

Use the putty knife to remove excess caulk from places in the woodwork that get filled with excess caulk. You want to do this just after you wipe the caulk with the sponge.

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CAPTION: This ugly crack between the wall and baseboard will disappear once caulk fills the gap. CREDIT: Tim Carter.