How to Tear Off an Old Shingle Roof, Top Down, Nail by Nail

Step by Step

1. 1Step 1: Set up anchors, jacks and landing zone

   Install anchors at the ridge into framing and rig lifelines so you can move without re-tying each time. On pitches above about 6/12, add roof jacks and toe boards so you have a platform to stand on while stripping. The patched nail holes from jacks are covered by the new roofing.

   Put tarps or plywood against walls and over plants, and check the bin is within reach of the edge. Recheck the forecast. A section stripped in the morning needs to be dry by evening.

2. 2Step 2: Remove the ridge and hip caps first

   Slide the shovel under the cap shingles at the ridge and pry them up, cutting through any adhesive strips. If the ridge has a ridge vent, pull the vent and the nails out before stripping down. Drop the caps down the slope toward the bin.

   Starting at the top lets gravity carry debris away from you. Stripping from the bottom means climbing over loose shingles and dragging debris uphill.

3. 3Step 3: Strip the field shingles in rows, working downhill

   Angle the shovel under the shingle edge, just above the nail line, and push down on the handle so the blade lifts the shingle and pops the nails out. Move along the row, then step back and push the pile down the slope. Work in a line across the roof rather than digging in one spot.

   Let the nails come with the shingles where they will. A flat shovel with serrations catches nail heads, which saves pulling each one by hand. Keep your weight over your feet and your footing on stripped deck or solid shingles, never on a loose pile.

   Tip: Keep the blade low and flat. A shovel pried up steeply gouges the plywood and dents the surface the new underlayment sits on.

4. 4Step 4: Deal with a second or third layer

   With two layers, the nails are longer and the shingles are often stuck together with tar, so the shovel does more work and the debris is twice as heavy. Some roofers take both layers together, and some take them one at a time, which keeps the plywood cleaner. Either way, check the bin weight before loading.

   The bottom layer often hides the damage. Decking under old layers is the most likely place to find rot, nail-sick plywood and brittle boards. Take more time here.

5. 5Step 5: Remove underlayment, drip edge and old flashing

   Old felt tears into strips that stick to the deck. Peel and scrape it off, and remove staples or cap nails left behind. Pull the old drip edge and the old step flashing and kickouts. Reusing old flashing is a common shortcut that comes back later as leaks.

   Cut or remove the old roof vents, and take out the plumbing boots and vent pipes' flashings to be replaced. Scrape cement from the deck around chimneys and penetrations.

6. 6Step 6: Pull or flatten every nail in the deck

   Use the claw of a hammer or a cat's paw to pull any remaining nails. Nails that will not pull are driven flush with the hammer, but pulling is better because a nail head sitting up leaves a bump under the new membrane. Check the eaves and rakes especially, because those nails are the ones that get missed when the shovel cannot reach.

   Nail holes in the plywood are fine. Bad surface damage, splintered edges and crumbling panels are not, and are covered in how to replace rotten roof sheathing.

7. 7Step 7: Sweep the deck and clear the gutters

   A push broom followed by a leaf blower takes off granules and grit. Do not sweep debris into the gutters. If it happens, scoop it out now, because it is much harder once the new roof is on. Keep the work tidy, because new underlayment and ice and water shield will not stick to a dusty deck.

8. 8Step 8: Magnet-sweep the ground and the driveway

   Make several passes in a grid pattern, including under the eaves, along the walls, and around the bin. A nail in a lawn or a driveway becomes a flat tire. Magnetic sweepers pick up surprising numbers of nails after every tear-off, so this step is not optional.

   Check the bin area, the route the truck takes out, and any gravel or soft ground where nails can hide.

9. 9Step 9: Inspect, dry in and protect the open deck

   Before anything is installed, walk every panel and mark soft spots or stains. The method is in how to inspect a roof deck for rot. Then cover the deck with ice and water shield and underlayment, or with tarps if the roof will sit open. See how to dry in and tarp a roof overnight.

Tear-Off Tools and What Each Does

Fraser Valley Notes

Common Mistakes

• Stripping from the eave upward. You end up climbing over loose shingles and pushing debris uphill. Start at the ridge and work down.
• Gouging the deck with a steep shovel angle. Damaged plywood holds moisture and gives a rough base for new underlayment.
• Leaving nails in the deck. Every nail head sitting proud of the surface pushes up through new underlayment or punctures it.
• Skipping the magnet sweep. Nails in the lawn and driveway cause flat tires and injuries long after the job.
• Stripping more than can be covered. A section left open at dusk is a leak waiting for overnight rain.
• Reusing old flashing. Rust, bad laps and wrong sizes all carry over to the new roof.