Roofing Nails per Square (High Wind)

The number of Roofing Nails for a Square of Shingles in HIGH WIND conditions is 522.  This puts six nails on each shingle, where a square covers 100 ft².

There are:

• a square of shingles is 100 ft²
• 3 bundles in one square (33.3 ft² per bundle
• 29 standard shingles (12"x36") per bundle.
• there are six roofing nails per shingle.

3 bundles/square x 29 shingles/bundle x 6 nails/shingle = 522 nails/square

Roofing Nail Calculators:

• Roofing Nails for Gable Roof: This computes the number of roofing nails needed for a common gabled roof based on roof dimensions and wind conditions.
• Roofing Nails for a Gambrel Roof: This computes the number of roofing nails to shingle a gambrel roof based on the dimensions and wind conditions.
• Roofing Nails for a Hip Roof: This computes the number of roofing nails to shingle a hip roof based on the dimensions under normal and high wind conditions.
• Roofing Nails for a Double Hip Roof: This computes the number and weight of roofing nails for a hip roof with a hip roof dormer based on the dimensions.
• Roofing Nails for a Shed Roof: This computes the total number roofing nails and their weight to shingle a single sloped roof based on the span, ridge length and the front and back overhangs.
• Roofing Nails for a Dormer: This computes the number and weight of roofing nails needed for one or more roof dormers based on the dimensions.
• Roofing Nails for Irregular Roof Section: This computes the number roofing nails (count and weight) for an irregular section of a roof based on the dimensions.

Roofing Nail Data:

• Roofing Nail Density in Normal Wind: The number of Roofing Nails for a Square of Shingles in normal conditions is 348.
• Roofing Nail Density in High Wind: The number of Roofing Nails for a Square of Shingles in HIGH WIND conditions is 522.
• Weight of Roofing Nails: A single smooth shank 1-1/4" roofing nail weighs 0.00511247443762781 lbs.

Roofing Nail Guidance

Roofing Nails are used to attach shingles to sheathing on a roof.  There are two densities used for the number of roofing nails needed per shingle, normal wind and high wind.  This can be seen in the shingle diagram to the right.  The top image shows four nails per shingle above the tab cuts.  This is for normal wind conditions.  The lower image shows six nails per single with a double nail above the two central tab cuts.  This is for high wind conditions in exposed places like on the edge of bodies of water, on top of mountains or other exposed places with no wind breaks.  High winds are experienced in areas with little cover from wind breaks.  Such areas include deserts, prairies, mountain tops and areas adjacent to large bodies of water.  High winds are also associated with areas prone to hurricanes.

Note that for both normal and high wind applications, the roofing nails go just below the sealant strip. 

Roofing nails are sold by weight in many places.  The weight of the nails is based on a 5lb box of 1-1/4" smooth shank nails having 978 nails.  That's 0.0818 ounces per nail.

Single Price Survey Data

One  should use the pricing for roofing materials that can be bought locally.  However, the following prices are for different quality grades of shingles in the United States. The 3 Tab and Architectural Shingles Cost Survey lists the observed price of a bundle of shingles. A bundle of shingles is 33.33 ft2  for 3-tab shingles or 32.8 ft2 for architectural shingles.  The survey includes a date, the name of the store. the five price points for shingles: economy, low, median, high and premium.

3 Tab and Architectural Shingles

• Shingle Price Survey Online Source : Lowes
• Shingle Price Survey Date: 12/22/22
  • Cost of Premium Shingles: $90.0 USD.
  • Cost of High Grade Shingles: $52.34 USD.
  • Cost of Medium Grade Shingles: $43.32 USD.
  • Cost of Low Grade Shingles: $37.98 USD.
  • Cost of Economy Grade Shingles: $36.0 USD.

Ridge Shingle and Starter Shingle (strips):

• Price Survey Online Source : Lowes
• Price Survey Date: 12/28/22
  • Cost of High Priced Ridge Shingles: $3.51 USD / ft.
  • Cost of Medium Priced Ridge Shingles: $2.4 USD / ft.
  • Cost of LOW Price Ridge Shingles: $1.42 USD / ft.
  • Cost of High Priced Starter Shingles: $1.47 USD / ft.
  • Cost of Medium Priced Starter Shingles: $0.93 USD / ft.
  • Cost of LOW Grade Starter Shingles: $0.4 USD / ft.

NOTE:  Local pricing should ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be used!  These price points are for estimation convenience only, and there is no guarantee on the prices of the product nor of their availability at the stated price.

Building Calculators

• Total Building Materials Calculator
• Roofing Calculators
  • Metal for a Roof - Calculates the number of metal panels for a roof.
  • Area of a Roof - Computes the area of a roof based on the pitch and the dimensions of the area covered by the roof.  It also returns the number of 4x8 sheets to cover the roof, the number of standard bundles of shingles to cover, and the number of roofing nails for both normal and high wind environments.
  • Pitch of a Roof - Computes angle of incline in the roof in both degrees and rise over 12" run (e.g. 26.6^o : 6/12) based on the length of the rise and run.
  • Number of Trusses Needed for a Roof - number of trusses needed based on the roof width and the truss spacing.
  • 4x8s needed for a roof - Calculates the number of 4x8 sheets needed to cover a roof.
  • Shingles needed for a roof - Calculates the number of standard bundles (33.3 ft²) of shingles for a roof. 
  • Roofing nails needed for a roof - Calculates the number of roofing nails needed for a roof in normal and high wind conditions.
  • Number and Length of Metal Roof Panels - Computes the length and number of metal panels and trim pieces for a metal roof.
  • Screws for a Metal Roof - Computes the number of screws needed for a metal roof.
  • Number and Length of Purlins for a Roof - Computes the number of purlins for a roof based on dimensions and spacing.
  • Number and Length of Rafters - Computes the number and length of rafter boards based on roof dimensions and spacing.
  • Number and Length of Rafter and Collar ties - Computes the number and length of rafter ties and collar ties based on roof dimensions and spacing.