The problem of covering a roof involves in reality two separate problems-first, selection of the kind of material to use (shingles, slate, tile, tin, etc.); second, proper placing of this material. Choice of material will be determined by cost, appearance, durability, fire resistance, etc. The structural application of the material calls for the exercise of special care. The main thing is to avoid the possibility of leaks, even through the water backing up during a driving rain or through the formation of ice in winter.

Shingling Hip Ridges.-In slating or shingling a roof, great care should be taken at the hips, ridges, and valleys. Where the roof is shingled, two or three courses should be left off at the ridge until the two sides are brought up; then the courses left off should be laid on together, and in such a manner as to have them lap over each other alternately. In valleys, the tin laid in should be sufficiently wide to run up the adjacent sides far enough to prevent backflow running over it. Ample space should be left in the gutter to permit the water to flow off freely. There is a general tendency to make these waterways too narrow, which is frequently the cause of the water backing up under the shingles, causing leakage and decay.

There are several methods of shingling over a hip-ridge; one is the old and well-tried method of shingling with the edges of the shingles so cut that the grain of the wood runs parallel with the line of the hip, as shown in Fig. 158. Here it will be seen that the shingles next to those on the hip have the grain running up and down at right angles with the eave. In Fig. 159 we show a front view of the same hip, which will give a better idea of what is meant by having the grain parallel with

the line of hip. abcd show the cut of hip shingles and nnnn the common shingles.

The proper way to put in these shingles is to let the ends run over alternately and then dress them to the bevel of the opposite side of the roof; this is shown better at obd, where the edges of the shingles are shown that are laid on the other side of the roof, and are not seen in the drawing. Another method now frequently used is to cover the hip with strips of tin; this is used quite extensively and found to be one of the best methods in

use.

Method of Shingling.

There is an unwritten law that all carpenters know how to shingle-much better than they really do. Our observation has been that shingling is one of the most important matters in house construction. In the early days a house consisted of practically nothing but a roof to keep the rain out. And even to-day, no matter how well the foundation and floors are made, or how plumb and beautiful the walls are, or how well decorated on the inside, or how nice the roof was framed by one skilled in roof framing, or how well it was sheathed, it is practically worthless unless it is well shingled. There is no place like the roof for a carpenter to show his mechanical skill, for any one that can saw to a line and drive a nail can lay a floor, put on siding and put up inside finish.

We wish to impress on the mind of the young mechanic that no matter what part of the trade he is working at, it is of some importance, and there is always an opportunity to learn something.

Some old mechanics that have had twice as much experience in house building say nail as high as possible. They say the higher in the shingle you nail the more air will get to all parts of the shingle and it will last longer, which is undoubtedly true. Another with possibly even more experience will say nail just as low as possible and have the nail covered with the next course, and gives for his reason that high winds and heavy rain and snow storms will not drive in.

Some mechanics think there is nothing like a six-inch shingle for a roof, and point to what a nice roof is made of slate all of the same size. It is all right for slate, but in the opinion of some all wrong for wood shingles, for if one cracks, and near the center as they generally do, it makes a crack three courses long, and should a few more crack there are bound to be bad leaks in the roof.

Fig. 160 shows three courses of shingles being laid on the roof to three chalk lines, and you will

notice that not a single joint comes over another, not even from the first to the fourth courses, so if one should split right at another joint it only makes a crack less than two-thirds the length of a shingle. By driving the nails one a little above the other they are not as liable to crack as if they were right opposite each other.

Fig. 161 is an end view and shows that not only is there practically three courses on all parts of a

roof, but a good part of the fourth should be there also.

Fig. 162 shows an old-fashioned way, and when we got so high we had to get a new rest for our feet we nailed brackets on the roof with tenpenny nails, and put a plank on them. Fig. 163 shows a more modern way and how it is done. It is now the most common way, and does not make a leak, as the tenpenny nails would, although sometimes a shingle nail makes a hole. To avoid that, drive

FIG. 162

FIG. 163

FIG. 164

the shingle nail below where the nails were driven in the roof when you take it down, and it makes the holes break joints.

Some carpenters to avoid the danger of leak just mentioned, put the shingle on tip end up, shingle it in, and then saw it off when the scaffold is taken down. Others shingle over it and drive it out with a hand ax.

Fig. 164 shows a very simple iron bracket,