Nails Or Staples For Roofing Felt

The reason they want you to use felt nails is to prevent blow offs if left exposed or high wind areas.

Nails or staples for roofing felt.

Click to enlarge any image. Many roofers will tell you that staples are fine for installing the synthetic underlayment. Felt staplers are designed for roofing felt housewrap insulation weather stripping light wood assembly and more. When the shingles are installed the felt is not going anywhere.

Put fasteners at least every 8 inches. Roll out about 10 feet of felt and fasten with staples or roofing nails with plastic washer heads. However always consult your local building authority for exact code requirements. The preferred fastener is galvanized roofing nails with a minimum 12 gauge shank and head diameter of at least 3 8 inch.

Others will tell you that cap nails are more effective. Both options often depend on the slope of the roof itself. When estimating nail or staple usage for your roofing project you should budget 400 nails or staples per square. Cap nails are typically made of steel and feature a plastic cap to prevent roof leaks hence their name.

Although staples are allowed in some jurisdictions they do not provide the same holding power. Staples can be used for tacking it down but not recommended to hold.