Getting geared up for roofing, whether you’re starting your own roofing company or tooling up to go to work, requires certain tools just to get out of the gate. We have compiled a list of those tools so that you can prioritize your purchases. Though we listed the ones that we feel are important, this is far from being a complete inventory.
Roofing Nailer
A nailer is the primary tool that makes you a roofer. The skill that you develop in nailing at a productive speed and adjusting your nailer for your abilities is what is encompassed in the process of roofing. By and large, the most effective nail gun for roofing is a coil nailer. You can get them in several different sizes that accommodate several different nail lengths. They come in handy also if you need to shoot some ring shank nails to put down plywood. There are both battery and pneumatic styles, and they both get the job done. By far, though, the industry favorite is still the air gun. With any nailer, you need to make sure that you have enough of the accessories required to keep it fully operational.
Lots of people are partial to staplers as well. Staples that that have 1” to ½” crown are also quite a capable roofing fastener. Most of the suppliers of coil nailers have a version of the stapler as well. The biggest drawback to staplers is that they are much more specific to the particular type of staple that you are using and many of the staplers out there are not for roofing.
Roofing Hammer
This is the hand tool that you will most often need to go along with your nailer. Most often, to tap down nails that were not aimed properly that can still get a good seal in the tar line. Sometimes it’s needed to pull a nail and start over. This is the primary tool to have in your nail bags, along with your roofing knife. It will help you remove misplaced tiles, clean the work area and tap down nails on final inspection. When you go to buy a roofing hammer you will notice there are several different hammer shapes that all go under the heading of roofing hammer. Some look like a hatchet. Others look like a regular hammer with one of the claws missing. The various different looks are standard with different types of roofing to choose from.
A Shingle Remover
Often the term is synonymous with a roofing shovel. There is a specific version of a shingle remover that resembles a shovel with teeth but there are several versions of a shingle remover that are all used in different applications. Some are meant to facilitate one person doing a tear-off. It helps guide the removed old roofing into a roll. It also has wheels and gives you a cart to help carry it to disposal. Others are for a traditional team that can form a roll of tear-off rather quickly and cart it off to throw away.
A Hammer Tacker
A roofing job can come to a dead stop without the proper tools to get the underlayment down. A hammer tacker allows you to staple your paper with the same quick motion that you nail the tiles down keeping your crew productive and using techniques familiar to them. Hammer tackers are durable and use T- 50 staples, the most common and easy to get. They are have the same basic machine parts as a regular hand powered t-50 staple gun except that they are set by impact so they are easy to use and can be refilled on the spot.
Your Ladder
You know that you are not going anywhere without a ladder. And if you’ve been using a ladder for a long time that’s getting more and more wobbly, it’s time to get a new ladder that gives you a feeling of security. Those that are in the industry will notice a brand new ladder before they notice anything else. That’s because a new ladder is a commitment to making sure that you are getting on that roof and doing it safely. Adjustable two fold and three fold ladders are very durable, sturdy and can be compacted to a size that fits easily in any vehicle for transportation. Extension ladders have various adaptions for reaching the roof, or setting up ladder jacks for staging to hold material. These are very handy when you are on a steep incline and you need a place to operate from.
Guest Blog Published By:
Energy Roofers – Monte Pierce
1630 McDonald Drive
Camp Verde, Arizona 86322
Phone: 928-567-3140
Fax: 928-567-6305
E-mail: info@energyroofers.com
10 thoughts on “5 Vital Roofing Tools Every Roofer Needs”
These are always in our roofing tool arsenal here in Westchester, in addition to a few more items. Obviously to do roofing work we need our ladders and scaffolding. The most vital tool a roofer needs, besides the ones mentioned above, is a harness. Per OSHA standards, roofing contractors need a safety harness, something that MCAS Roofing ensures our employees always have. Roofing can be dangerous, take the necessary precautions to prevent injury.
Yes, agreed, a harness is the most vital tool. Thanks.
Whether you are fixing the roof or installing a new one it is not only necessary that you are capable of doing it of course it involves the proper materials to do it. Thanks for this great reminder and good job.
WHile not neccessary for every job, scaffold should also be an essential part of any roofing equipment, and a harness is a must and in most places now a legal requirement.
Ladder is definitely one of the most essential tools to any Professional roofer. Make sure that you have a standard one story ladder and a two story ladder if all you do is residential homes. If you do any commercial, I highly recommend that you purchase the tallest ladder that you can get your hands on. Although a lot of properties will have a roof access ladder, you will find yourself occasionally at a high building with too short of a ladder. You do not want to be in that situation. Very, Very unsafe. Have the right tools for the job and your work will be much smoother, faster, and more efficient.
There exist the Vital Roofing Tools which every Roofer Needs in order to ascertain a reliable process of the roofing. Tools like A Hammer Tacker, Ladder and Roofing Hammer are something one have to be very careful while getting the all along.
This is some really good information about roof damage. It is good to know that it would be smart to know that you will need specialized tools. It does seem like a good idea to have a professional to help with installing a new roof.
This is some really good information about roofing tools. I didn’t ralizet hat you need a different shaped hammer for work on your roof. That is good for me to know because I need to do get some work done on my home. It might be smart for me to hire an expert to do the work at my home.
If I was a roofer, I’d be sure to have all these tools. I think the ladder is the most important one as without it, you couldn’t do any of the work or let alone get on the roof. I’m sure that there are other tools not listed but I’d be sure not to start without any of them.
My current roof is in a bit of a rough state. I want to get it repaired before it starts snowing where I live. Thanks for explaining that I will probably want to remove the old shingles and do so in a way that won’t damage what is underneath it. I should probably hire a roofer to help me out with this.