Free Roofing Materials Calculator
Shingle Calculator
Enter your roof size and shape to see how many squares and bundles of shingles to order, plus starter strip, ridge cap, underlayment, drip edge, and nails. Every assumption is shown. No signup, no email.
Shingle type
Roof shape (sets the waste factor)
Roof area
Enter your roof area above
Hip roof + 15% waste
Optional: edges and ridges
Eaves are the bottom edges where gutters hang. Rakes are the sloped edges at the gable ends. Used for starter strip and drip edge.
Ridges are the peaks. Hips are the sloped outside corners where two roof planes meet. Used for ridge cap.
Enter your roof area to see how many squares, bundles, and accessories to order.
How Many Bundles Of Shingles Per Square?
Roofers order shingles by the square: 100 sq ft of roof surface. Shingles are packed in bundles light enough to carry up a ladder, so it takes several bundles to cover one square. How many depends on how thick and heavy the shingle is:
- 3-tab shingles: 3 bundles per square, about 33.3 sq ft per bundle
- Architectural and Class 4 impact-resistant shingles: usually 3 bundles per square
- Heavyweight designer shingles: often 4 bundles per square, about 25 sq ft per bundle
- Premium designer and shake-look shingles: up to 5 bundles per square, about 20 sq ft per bundle
The formula is simple: roof area ÷ 100 × (1 + waste factor) × bundles per square, then round up. You can't buy part of a bundle, and running short mid-job means a second delivery and, sometimes, a color lot that doesn't quite match.
Worked Example
A 2,400 sq ft hip roof with 220 LF of eaves and rakes and 90 LF of ridges and hips, using architectural shingles:
- 2,400 sq ft ÷ 100 = 24 squares
- 24 squares × 1.15 (15% waste) = 27.6 squares
- 27.6 × 3 bundles per square = 82.8, rounded up to 83 bundles
- 220 LF ÷ 100 LF per bundle = 3 bundles of starter strip
- 220 LF + 10% for laps ÷ 10 ft = 25 pieces of drip edge
- 90 LF ÷ 25 LF per bundle = 4 bundles of ridge cap
- 27.6 squares ÷ 10 = 3 rolls of synthetic underlayment, plus about 69 lb of nails
Why A Pro Uses More Than A Calculator
A calculator gets you close enough to budget and sanity-check a quote. A real material order for a Colorado roof also accounts for things you can't see from the ground:
- Starter and ridge are measured, not guessed. We measure every eave, rake, ridge, and hip so starter strip and ridge cap come out right, not padded.
- Valleys add material. Each valley needs ice and water shield and either valley metal or extra shingles for a closed-cut or woven valley, and the cuts push waste up.
- High-wind nailing. Front Range downslope winds are a big reason shingles blow off. We use the 6-nail high-wind pattern on every shingle, placed in the manufacturer's nailing zone, which many local building departments and enhanced wind warranties require.
- Hail. Class 4 impact-resistant (UL 2218) shingles hold up far better in Denver hail, and many Colorado insurers offer a premium discount for them. Most still pack 3 bundles per square.
- Decking and tear-off. Soft or rotted decking only shows up once the old roof is off, and it has to be replaced before new shingles go down.
Learn more about asphalt shingle roofing and what goes into a full roof replacement, or get your starting number with our roof size calculator by address.
Frequently asked
Questions
Every home and homeowner is different, which is why clear communication is at the heart of what we do. To help you better understand our process, products, and what to expect when working with us, we've gathered a list of frequently asked questions and straightforward answers here.
SCHEDULE AN ESTIMATE →Want An Exact Material List?
A free, in-person estimate takes about 30 minutes. We measure every ridge, hip, valley, and edge, so the shingle order is right the first time and the price is in writing.