Preparation

• Study the roll roofing options before beginning an installation. Installing the wrong type of roll material means lots of aggravation, wasted time and money down the drain.
  
  Learn the basic types of roll roofing like mineral-surfaced, coated felt, fiber-glass, asphalt and asphalt felt. Apply smooth-surface roll roofing (coated felt) which is covered in talc or mica for flashing. Use smooth surface roll roofing to seal the intersections, valleys and eaves of the roof.
  
  Saturated felt has asphalt blended into the material and makes a good underlayment between the decking of the roof and the roll roofing material. Steep roofing projects require an asphalt roll roofing, while fiberglass roll roofing is suited for lower slopes. Lay modified bitumen roll roofing on all roofing types.
  
  According to the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association, use only mineral-surfaced rolls as a primary roofing material. This type of roll roofing is designed to stand alone and works well as a permanent roof on barns, sheds and outbuildings. Expect mineral-surfaced roll roofing to last around 10 years.
  
  

Laying Roll Roofing

• Clean the surface of the roof before laying the roll roofing. A thorough sweeping with a broom does the job. Debris underneath the roll material causes ripping.
  
  Apply roll roofing in strips along the edges of the roof first. Roll roofing lays horizontally with roofing nails holding each strip in place. Stretch each strip across the entire span of the roof horizontally. Leave at least two inches of extra roll material, from each strip, hanging over the roof's edge.
  
  Make these strips of roofing watertight by adding roofing cement along the roof's edges. Lay the material flat on the roof, layer by layer, with higher strips overlapping the lower.
  
  Adding roofing cement along the top edge of each roll strip gives extra water protection. Use a roof roller to work out any wrinkles. Drive the nails through the strips (and cement) all around the perimeter of each strip.
  
  Roll roofing makes a great temporary solution when a roof leak appears. Cut the roll to the size of the leak and follow the above instructions. Use roofing cement around the edges of the cut piece. Nail the roll strip to the roof, again, through the cement layer and strip itself. This temporary solution buys time until another, more permanent solution, is feasible.