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How many shingles are there in a bundle?

January 18, 2023
How many shingles are there in a bundle

A bundle of shingles may contain 15 to 29 shingles.

The number of shingle tiles in one bundle differs according to the shingle type:

Type of ShinglesNumber of Shingles in a Bundle
3-tab shingles21 to 29 pieces
Architectural shingles15 to 24 pieces
Hip and ridge cap shingles20 to 24 pieces
Synthetic slate shinglesRoughly 25 pieces

Hopefully, this information will help you determine the total number of shingle tiles to fill the entire roof of your house.

Below, you’ll also find out the differences between each shingle type, so you’ll find the one that suits your home.

How many square feet does a shingle bundle cover?

How many square feet does a shingle bundle cover

In general, a shingle bundle will occupy about 33 square feet of roof. However, some shingle suppliers make thicker shingle tiles that cover between 28 and 33 square feet of a roof.

Also, keep in mind the total area that a shingle bundle covers can vary based on its kind and brand. But usually, larger shingles outnumber standard ones.

There’s 1 standard shingle per 1 1/3 large shingles in 100 square feet of roofing.

Top 2 Shingle Manufacturers

Each shingle manufacturer makes shingles of different sizes and weights. It’s essential to know this so that you can determine the precise number of shingles or shingle bundles you will need for your roofing project.

Two top manufacturers in the shingle industry are GAF and Owens Corning. Since their shingles differ in dimensions and weight, their respective bundle sizes will be affected.

Number of Shingles per Bundle by Brand

Check out the differences in shingle bundle pieces from these top shingle manufacturers:

  • GAF – GAF shingles are available in leading home improvement stores in the US. Each of their bundles contains 26 3-tab shingles or 21 architectural shingles.
  • Owens Corning – Owens Corning products can be found in Lowe’s Home Improvement.

Their 3-tab shingles total 26 per bundle, similar to rival manufacturer GAF, but their architectural shingles range between 20 and 23 for each bundle.

What are the different shingle types?

The different shingle types are

  • Architectural shingles
  • 3-tab shingles
  • Hip and ridge cap shingles
  • Synthetic slate shingles

Architectural Shingles

Architectural Shingles

Architectural shingles are a thick form of asphalt shingles. They are designed to create striking visual appeal and random patterns on a roof.

Best of all, they can be made to look like natural tiles such as clay, cedar, and slate while costing less.

These shingles are heavier than 3-tab shingles, weighing 65 to 80 lbs. per bundle compared to the latter, which weighs 50 to 65 lbs. per bundle.

How many architectural shingles are in a bundle?

There are usually 15 to 24 pieces in a bundle of architectural shingles. 

There are fewer pieces of them in a bundle compared to other shingle types because they’re thicker and larger.

An architectural shingle can be 36 to 39 3/8 in. long and 12 to 13 1/4 in. wide.

Given this, the roofer will only be able to handle fewer architectural shingles in a bundle compared to other shingle types.

3-Tab Shingles

3-Tab Shingles

3-tab shingles are one of the most popular asphalt shingles used on residential and commercial roofs.

As the name suggests, each 3-tab shingle consists of three asphalt tabs evenly spaced apart at the base. Using 3-tab shingles results in a flat and consistent roof surface.

3-tab shingles are preferred by many homeowners due to their simple aesthetics, fair durability, and lower cost.

Their only downside is they are not as durable as other shingle types like architectural or luxury shingles. Thus, they may need to be repaired or changed after some time.

How many 3-tab shingles are in a bundle?

Typically, a single bundle of 3-tab shingles consists of 21 to 29 pieces. 

Their standard size is 12 in. x 36 in.

Hip and Ridge Cap Shingles

Hip and Ridge Cap Shingles

Hip and ridge cap shingles are tiles placed along the area where two sides of the roof meet.

Hip and ridge cap tiles are similar in material and size. They can be made of asphalt, plastic, copper, and aluminum.

Their only difference is the position where they are installed on the roof

Whereas ridge shingles cover the top horizontal edge between two sloping roof planes, hip caps are placed vertically between two adjoining roof planes.

How many hip and ridge shingles are in a bundle?

A single bundle of hip and rid shingles comprises 20 to 24 pieces. 

They are usually 12 in. x 12 in. but can also be longer at 12 in. x 36 in.

Getting 30 12 x 12-in. hip and ridge shingles will cover 20 linear feet of the roof. And buying 72 12 x 36-in. hip and ridge shingles should cover 33 linear feet of the roof.

Synthetic Slate Shingles

Synthetic Slate Shingles

Premium roofing tiles, synthetic slate shingles are neat, simple, ultra-durable, and can last for decades.

Synthetic slate has very high fire resistance. It’s not easily consumed by fire and is very unlikely to spread fire to nearby properties.

Furthermore, it is considered a green building supply because it can be easily recycled after it is used on the roof.

However, synthetic slate shingles are a lot more expensive than other shingle types. The reason is that they are heavy to lift and transport and can crack and break if not handled carefully.

How many synthetic slate shingles are in a bundle?

A single bundle of synthetic slate shingles contains about 25 pieces. 

Their usual size is 12 in. x 18 in., so they are only half as long as standard asphalt shingles.

Even so, synthetic slates have a degree of thickness to them which will result in fewer pieces in a bundle.

Often, it would require 6 to 7 bundles of synthetic slate shingles to fill 100 square feet of a roof.

These shingles’ weights vary, and this directly affects the difficulty and duration of the installation work.

How much does a shingle bundle weigh?

How much does a shingle bundle weigh

Shingle bundles can weigh between 37.5 lbs. and 80 lbs. depending on the kind of shingle.

The lighter end (37.5 lbs.) is for synthetic shingles, and the heavier end (80 lbs.) is for architectural shingles.

Suppliers only make bundles within this range, as the roofer should be able to lift and install them safely. This prevents injuries, accidents, and property damage.

How heavy is an architectural shingle?

Architectural shingles weigh 65 to 80 lbs. per bundle. Architectural shingles are heavier than 3-tab shingles because of their larger surface area and multiple layers.

And while architectural shingles come with fewer tiles in a bundle, they still weigh more than other asphalt shingles.

How heavy is a 3-tab shingle?

A bundle of 3-tab shingles weighs 50 to 65 lbs. 

Hence, they are the second-lightest asphalt shingles among those we mentioned.

How heavy is a hip and ridge cap shingle?

A bundle of hip and ridge cap shingles weighs around 60 lbs. on average.

How heavy is a synthetic slate shingle?

Synthetic slate shingles are relatively light, weighing just 1.5 lbs. per piece. A bundle of synthetic slate shingles weighs 37.5 lbs.

That makes them the lightest of all the shingle types mentioned in this section.

How many bundles of shingles are in a roofing square?

How many bundles of shingles are in a roofing square

There are about 3 bundles of shingles for each roofing square or 100 square feet of a roof.

Put another way, there are roughly 87 shingles in one roofing square. This number is obtained by multiplying 29, which is the maximum number of shingles in a bundle, by 3 bundles.

How many square feet does a square cover?

A square of roofing roughly covers 100 square feet.

However, that doesn’t mean the total surface area of the shingles in the square is equal to 100 square feet. The materials’ total surface area can be bigger than that.

100 square feet is just a safe coverage estimation considering shingle overlapping. Shingles overlap at the top of each row to prevent water from seeping into the roof. 

How many bundles of shingles should I order?

How many bundles of shingles should I order

To know how many bundles of shingles you need, use this formula:

  • No. of shingle bundles = the roof’s total square footage/33 sq. ft.

This is because a bundle of shingles will roughly cover 33 sq. ft. of the roof

Example: How many bundles of shingles are needed to cover a 1,000-sq.-ft. roof?

Answer: You need about 30 bundles of shingles to cover a 1,000-sq.-ft. roof.

Calculation:

No. of shingle bundles = 1,000 sq. ft./33 sq. ft.

No. of shingle bundles = 30.3

Should I order extra shingles?

Should I order extra shingles

Order two or three extra shingle bundles on top of your required amount. This ensures all parts of the roof can be tiled entirely, including unusually shaped sides and corners.

These excess shingles can be used on other structures on your property such as the shed or garage. This way the roofing of all structures on your property will be consistent with one another.

And most importantly, they will also give you a reserve supply should one or a few shingles become suddenly damaged through intense heat, gales, or rainstorms.

How many bundles of shingles are in a pallet?

Generally, there are roughly between 33 and 42 shingle bundles in a pallet.

But keep in mind that larger architectural shingles will have fewer pieces in a bundle, while smaller 3-tab shingles will have more.

Also, note that the number of pieces in a bundle can be affected by the manufacturer.

Lists of Roofing Services

To help you install shingles on your roof, here are some reliable roofing services:

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