[pman626]

When you nail down a base sheet or battens, doesn't that provide hundreds of places where water can leak through in case water gets underneath?


why don't you see people put a dab of asphalt, and then nail into the asphalt to seal it up?

 

[carpdad]

If you're talking about the first layer base for roll roofing, base sheet is not supposed to be a water proof layer so nails don't matter. Pros use capped nails to make it more wind proof but I used just regular roofing nails. I had to hire some roofers midway, alone was turning out to be too much, and they brought metal disks which they lay down and nailed through. This was a long time ago so I'm not sure if there was coils or a nailer for precapped nails.

 

[mark sr]

IF I'm going to nail down the shingles the same day, I just use a staple gun to hold the roofing felt in place.

 

[dj3]

Many years ago I asked an old roofer why we don't have hundreds of leaks if we nail/staple thousands of nails/staples.
He said, and it could be true: the tar in the shingles creates a seal around the nails when heated by the sun.
One of these days I will ask a shingle manufacturer if it's true, but until then, just keep on nailing...