Guides · Roofing tools and supplies
Roofing tools and supplies guides
40 guides on the tools and supplies of a roofing crew and the shop behind it: tear-off, hatchets and hook blades, roof brackets and ladder gear, seam rollers and single-ply, butyl tape, roof cement and primer, torches, magnet sweepers and tarps, then the general tools every trade asks about: tape measures, chalk lines, squares, saw blades, drill bits, Torx bits, snips, rivets, caulking guns, trowels, shovels, straps and rope, cords and air hose, brooms, mops, rags, hand cleaner and jobsite consumables. Each guide answers the questions people ask about that tool in order, cites its sources, and shows the C&R, Estwing, Keson, GOJO, Marvel and DocaPole items we stock with the part number and the current price.
Roofing tools and suppliesEvery C&R, Estwing, Keson, GOJO, Marvel and DocaPole item we stock for the roof and the shopWhat tools remove roof shingles, and how hard is a tear-off? Shingle shovels vs roofing forks vs spud bars, hand spudders and tine bars, slate rippers and pry bars, how long a tear-off takes, magnet sweepers, and what is under the shinglesThe tool that removes asphalt shingles is a shingle shovel (tear-off spade or shingle remover): a flat steel blade with a serrated or smooth leading edge that slides under a course and pops the nails, and a fulcrum…the C&R tear-off product data on this site (#3 tear-off spades with smooth or serrated…What is the difference between a roofing hammer and a regular hammer? Roofing hatchets and the shingle gauge, magnetic cap-nail hammers, 16 vs 20 vs 22 oz, smooth vs milled faces, framing, claw and drywall hammers, and the Estwing warrantyA roofing hammer (roofing hatchet, shingler’s hatchet) has a square, usually milled face for driving roofing nails, a hatchet blade on the back for cutting shingles and splitting shakes, a notch or slot in the blade…the Estwing and C&R hammer product data on this site (E3-S roofing hatchet, E3-CA…What is a hook blade, and which utility knife blade cuts shingles, felt and membrane? Hook blades vs straight utility blades, roofing and carpet knives, linoleum knives, snap-off blades, blade steel, how to change a blade and when a blade is doneA hook blade is a utility knife blade with the cutting edge curved back into a hook at each end, so it slices downward through shingles, felt, synthetic underlayment, roofing membrane and carpet without the point…the C&R blade and knife product data on this site (208, 208H, 208XL SupraHook, 210X…What is a roof jack, and what are the other names for one? Roof brackets at 45, 60 and 90 degrees, 2x6 and 2x10 planks, slater’s brackets, ladder jacks and hooks, ladder stabilizers and locks, hoisting wheels, and the fall protection rules on a roofA roof jack is a roof bracket: a steel bracket nailed through the shingles into a rafter that holds a 2x6 or 2x10 plank on a pitched roof so a roofer has a level place to stand and stack bundles; the other names are…the C&R product data on this site (RB-45, RB-60 and RB-90 19 in roof brackets for a…Is a seam roller necessary, and what do you use instead? Silicone vs steel seam rollers, 2 inch vs 4 inch, seam probes, weighted membrane rollers, TPO vs PVC vs EPDM, 45 vs 60 mil, what sticks to each membrane, and how a rubber roof is patchedA seam roller is a small hand roller (a silicone, steel or nylon wheel 1-3/4 to 2 inches wide and 2 to 4 inches in diameter on a forked handle) that presses a membrane seam, a tape or a flashing down with…the C&R seam roller and probe product data on this site (silicone rollers 1-5/16 x…What is butyl tape, how do you use it, and what does it not stick to? The types, where it goes on a metal roof, butyl vs silicone, flashing tape, wet surfaces, shelf life, removing old butyl, and what the tape will and will not doButyl tape is a strip of synthetic rubber sealant (polyisobutylene) that never fully cures: it stays tacky and pliable for years, seals by being compressed between two surfaces, and comes either bare (a gray or black…the C&R Butyl Magic product data on this site (foil-backed self-adhesive sealing tape…What is the difference between roof cement and roof sealant, and is asphalt primer necessary? Plastic roof cement (ASTM D4586), wet-surface cement, asphalt primer (ASTM D41), how long cement lasts, patching a leak, and getting tar off tools and handsRoof cement (plastic roof cement, flashing cement, roofing tar in the trade’s loose use) is a trowel-grade asphalt paste with fibers and solvent, made to ASTM D4586, for bedding flashings, sealing around pipes,…the C&R roofing supply product data on this site (asphalt primer by the box of 12What is a roofing torch, and how does torch-down roofing work? Propane roofing torches and weed burners, yellow vs blue flame, the hottest point, modified bitumen cap and base sheets, how torch-down is removed, and the hot-work rulesA roofing torch is a propane burner on a long handle (a 100,000 to 500,000 BTU/hr bell-shaped head on a 3 to 4 foot tube with a hose to a 20 to 100 lb cylinder) used to melt the asphalt on the underside of modified…the C&R Magnum torch product data on this site (C-100 torch combo, L-100S torch,…What does a magnet sweeper do, and which size do you need? Rolling magnet sweepers at 14, 18, 24 and 36 inches, releasable vs fixed magnets, T-bar and wheeled sweepers, hand pickup magnets, sweeping a yard after a tear-off, and rental vs buyingA magnet sweeper is a bar of permanent magnets in a steel housing on wheels or a handle; rolled over a lawn, a driveway, a shop floor or a parking lot, it picks up the nails, screws, staples, metal shavings and wire…the C&R magnet sweeper product data on this site (MA-14 14 in handheld sweeper, powder…Which tarp do you buy: poly or vinyl, 5, 8, 12 or 16 mil, blue or silver? Tarp thickness in mil, cut size vs finished size, the standard sizes, how waterproof a tarp is, how long one lasts, and how to tarp a roof and keep it from blowing offA blue poly tarp is a woven polyethylene scrim laminated between two polyethylene films; its thickness is given in mil (thousandths of an inch) and its strength by the weave count.the C&R tarp product data on this site (blue poly tarps, 5 mil, 24 sizes from 5x7 to…What roller nap do you use, 3/8 or 1/2 or longer? Roller cover sizes and cores, nap for roof coatings and rough surfaces, woven vs microfiber vs foam, why rollers are left in paint, saving a wet roller, tray liners, bucket grids and drill mixersNap is the length of the fiber on a roller cover, and it is chosen by the surface, not the paint: 1/4 inch for smooth doors and metal, 3/8 inch for smooth drywall and plaster, 1/2 inch for lightly textured walls and…the C&R roller cover, frame, tray and mixer product data on this site (RC9 covers in…Rubber or silicone, straight or notched: which squeegee do you use? Floor squeegees for roofs and concrete, notched squeegees for coatings and epoxy, 24 and 36 inch blades, replacement rubber, what professionals use and what to use when you have noneThere are three squeegees and they do three jobs.the C&R squeegee product data on this site (straight squeegees 18, 24, 30 and 36 inAre caulking guns hard to use? Thrust ratio, dripless and smooth-rod guns, sausage and bulk guns, pneumatic guns, why a gun is hard to squeeze, caulking without a gun, opening and sealing a tube, and what size gun fits which cartridgeA caulking gun is only hard to use when it is the wrong gun for the material.the C&R caulking gun product data on this site (CG-300HD, CKDP-5, CKR-10, CKS-5,…What is a margin trowel, a pointing trowel and a notched trowel, and which size do you use? Trowel shapes and what each is for, roofing trowels for cement and mastic, notch sizes for tile, plastering, finishing and brick trowelsA margin trowel is a small, square-ended rectangular blade (2 by 5 inches is the common size) for scooping cement out of a can, mixing small batches and working into corners; a pointing trowel is a small triangular…the C&R trowel product data on this site (2 in margin trowelWhat staples does a hammer tacker take, and is an electric staple gun worth it? Hammer tackers for felt and underlayment, T50 and 1/4 to 9/16 inch staples, loading and unjamming, manual vs electric vs pneumatic, and staple gun vs nail gunA hammer tacker is a stapler swung like a hammer: each blow drives one flat-crown staple, which is how roofers fasten felt and synthetic underlayment and how insulation and housewrap go up.the C&R product data on this site (hammer tacker that uses A-11 staples, A-11 3/8 in…Crowbar, pry bar, wrecking bar or flat bar: what is the difference, and which one pulls nails? Shapes and lengths, wonder bars and roofing bars, cat’s paws and nail pullers, mini pry bars, and the bar for demolition and tear-offThey are all levers; the names describe the shape.the Estwing and C&R pry bar product data on this site (EHB-15 15 in handy pry bar,…What do tin snips cut, and what should not be cut with them? Tin snips vs aviation snips, the red, green and yellow handle code, left, right and straight cut, steel, stainless, galvanized, aluminum and vinyl, and how to sharpen snipsTin snips cut sheet metal: mild and galvanized steel up to about 18 gauge (around 0.05 inch), aluminum and copper flashing, and soft materials like vinyl siding, roofing felt, screen, plastic sheet and strapping.the C&R snip product data on this site (TS-5 straight, TSL-10 left and TSR-15 right…What is the strongest pop rivet, and what does a hand rivet gun do? How a blind rivet sets, rivet sizes and grip range, aluminum vs steel vs stainless, hand vs lever vs pneumatic riveters, rivets vs screws vs welds, and setting a rivet without a gunA pop rivet (blind rivet) is a hollow rivet body with a mandrel through it: the rivet is pushed through a drilled hole from one side, the rivet gun grips the mandrel and pulls, the mandrel’s head flares the far end…the C&R product data on this site (PT-RIVOT pop rivet gunHow do you read a tape measure? Inches, the 1/16 marks, 3/8 and the other fractions, the 16 and 19.2 inch marks, decimals to fractions, accuracy and Type 1 and Type 2 tapes, metric tapes, and how a measuring wheel worksA standard US tape measure is divided into inches, and each inch into sixteenths: the longest line is the inch, the next longest the half (8/16), then the quarters (4/16 and 12/16), the eighths and the shortest lines…the C&R Rock Solid and Keson tape measure product data on this site (RST-260, RSTP-25,…How do you use a chalk line, and which chalk comes off? Chalk reels and refills, blue vs red vs white vs black chalk, permanent and temporary chalk, snapping a line on a roof, wall or slab, the 3-4-5 rule, lumber crayons and keel, and chalk removalA chalk line is a reel of string in a box of powdered chalk: hook the end, pull the line tight across the surface, lift the middle a few inches and let go, and the string snaps a straight chalk mark the whole length.the C&R chalk and reel product data on this site (CH-25 100 ft all-metal red chalk boxWhat does a 4/12 pitch look like on a speed square, and how does it differ from a framing square? Reading pitch and rafter angles, combination squares, L-squares and the 3-4-5 check, torpedo levels, magnetic levels, and the sizes of eachA 4/12 pitch rises 4 inches for every 12 inches of run, which is 18.4 degrees; on a speed square it is the 4 on the common-rafter scale along the long edge: pivot the square on its corner against the board edge until…the C&R product data on this site (M-004 7 in aluminum alloy squareHow many teeth per inch for cutting metal, and can a 10 inch blade go on a 12 inch saw? Hacksaw blades at 18, 24 and 32 TPI, the three-tooth rule, bi-metal and carbide, circular blade sizes, arbor and kerf, 24T vs 60T, and reciprocating bladesTeeth per inch (TPI) is chosen by the thickness of what is cut: at least three teeth must be in the material at once, so thin metal needs fine teeth and thick stock coarse ones.the C&R blade product data on this site (super heavy-duty hacksawWhat drill bit size do you need? Fraction, number, letter and metric sizes, tap drills for 1/4-20 and M16, 5/16 vs 8 mm, HSS vs cobalt vs titanium vs carbide, oil and speed for steel, masonry bits and why a bit stops in concreteDrill bits come in four size series that overlap: fractional (1/16 to 1/2 inch by 64ths), number (#80 small to #1 large), letter (A to Z, above #1) and metric (by 0.1 mm).the C&R bit product data on this site (HSS 135° black oxide drill bits 5/32 to 1/2 inHow do you remove a stripped or broken screw? Screw extractors, forward or reverse, sizing the extractor, what to do when the extractor itself breaks, the rubber band trick, penetrating oil, and the other tools that pull a seized screwA screw extractor is a hardened, tapered, left-hand-threaded bit: you drill a pilot hole in the screw head, set the extractor in it, and turn it counterclockwise (reverse); the left-hand flutes bite harder as the…the C&R product data on this site (SSC-682 screw removerWhat are the common Torx bit sizes, and what is a nut setter? T10 to T55, Torx vs star vs E-Torx vs hex, Phillips and slotted bits, impact-rated bits, nut setters vs nut drivers, magnetic bit holders, and what to use when the right bit is missingThe Torx sizes you meet on a jobsite are T10, T15, T20, T25, T30 and T40: T20 and T25 drive most deck, trim and cabinet screws, T25 is the roofing and siding screw size, T30 and T40 show up on metal roofing and…the C&R bit product data on this site (Torx bits T-10, T-20, T-25, T-30 in tubs of 100What is the smallest Allen wrench, and when do you use a steel vs brass wire brush? Hex key sizes in inches and mm and how to tell which you need, hex vs Torx, wire brush bristles for steel, stainless and paint, locking pliers and sheet metal clampsHex keys (Allen keys, Allen wrenches, L-keys) come in two series that look alike and do not interchange: inch sizes from 0.028 inch up to 1/2 inch (0.050, 1/16, 5/64, 3/32, 7/64, 1/8, 9/64, 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, 1/4,…the C&R product data on this site (30-piece hex key setIs a putty knife a scraper, and what do you use instead of one? Putty knives vs scrapers vs taping knives, flexible and stiff blades, razor scrapers and single-edge blades, carbide scrapers, scraping paint and roofing adhesive, and sharpeningA putty knife is a narrow (1-1/4 to 4 inch) flexible or stiff blade for applying and smoothing filler; a scraper is the same shape with a stiff, usually beveled blade for removing material; the trade sells both under…the C&R blade and knife product data on this site (CR-113 heavy-duty scraper with 4 in…Spade or shovel, square or round, scoop or coal shovel: which one do you use? The three types of shovels, what each blade is for, shank and drainage shovels, handle lengths, steel vs poly scoops, sharpening, and shovels for mulch, gravel and debrisA shovel has a dished blade set at an angle to the handle for lifting and throwing loose material; a spade has a flatter, straighter blade in line with the handle for cutting into ground.the C&R shovel product data on this site (#10 steel scoops and #12 aluminum scoop with…Steel or poly wheelbarrow, and what does 4.80-8 mean on the tire? Wheelbarrow and concrete barrow sizes, 4.80/4.00-8 and 18x8.50-8 tires, flat-free vs pneumatic, replacing a wheel or tray, the 60/40 trailer rule, and utility trailer sizesA steel tray wheelbarrow takes gravel, broken concrete, hot asphalt, shingle debris and a load of mortar without cracking, and it rusts and dents; a poly tray is lighter, does not rust, does not stick to concrete and…the C&R and Big Boy product data on this site (steel concrete barrow with roll plate…How do you use and release a ratchet strap, and how much can one hold? Working load limit vs break strength, S, J and flat hooks, why a ratchet jams and how to free it, winch and endless straps, the DOT tie-down rules, and bungee cordsA ratchet strap is rated two ways: break strength (the load at which the assembly fails in a test) and working load limit (WLL), which is one third of break strength and is the only number to plan a load with.the C&R tie-down product data on this site (101G 1 in x 10 ft ratchet strap listed…Poly, sisal, manila or nylon: which rope do you use, and how strong is it? Breaking strength by size, working load, the standard rope sizes in inches and mm, polypropylene vs polyethylene, sisal vs jute vs manila, and what each rope is forFour ropes cover jobsite work.the C&R rope product data on this site (yellow poly rope 1/4 in x 600 and 1,200 ftWhat gauge extension cord do you need, and how long can it be? 10, 12, 14 and 16 gauge, 12/3 and 10/3, watts and amps by gauge and length, voltage drop at 100 feet, outdoor cords and GFCI, what never goes on a cord, and 30 and 50 amp genset cordsFor jobsite tools the answer is a 12 gauge, three-conductor cord (12/3) up to 100 feet; it carries 15 amps with little voltage drop, which is what a circular saw, a roofing nailer compressor or a grinder draws.the C&R cord product data on this site (12/3 single-tap and triple-tap cords in 50 and…1/4 or 3/8, polyurethane, PVC or rubber: which air hose for roofing nailers? Hose size and length, polyurethane in cold weather, 1/4 NPT fittings and couplers, 3-way manifolds, air tool oil vs compressor oil, and what not to put in an air toolA roofing or framing nailer runs on a 1/4 inch inside-diameter hose up to about 100 feet; 3/8 inch hose carries more air for tools that run continuously (sanders, grinders, impact wrenches) and for runs over 100…the C&R and Marvel product data on this site (blue polyurethane air hose 1/4 in x 50…What makes a good push broom, and are all broom handles the same? Street brooms and palmyra, fine and rough-surface bristles, felt brooms, broom braces, threaded and tapered handles, wood vs fiberglass vs steel, broken handles, and extension polesA push broom is chosen by bristle and width: flagged (split-tip) synthetic bristles sweep fine dust and sawdust off smooth floors and decks; stiff synthetic, palmyra or tampico bristles move gravel, mud and wet…the C&R and DocaPole product data on this site (24, 30 and 36 in synthetic push brooms…Is a dust mop better than a broom, and how do you clean one? Dust mop sizes and frames, cotton vs microfiber vs synthetic heads, washing and drying a mop head, wet mops and mop head adapters, when a mop beats a broom, and how long a head lastsA dust mop is a long, flat head of cotton or synthetic yarn on a swivel frame and a 60 inch handle, pushed in a continuous path so it picks up dust and fine debris on smooth floors instead of throwing it into the air…the C&R product data on this site (36 in dust mop with handle and frameWhat should you not clean with a microfiber cloth, and wet or dry? How microfiber works, what ruins it, washing temperature, bleach and softener, microfiber vs cotton vs terry, how to tell real microfiber, shop rags and box rags, and rags in bulkMicrofiber is a split polyester-polyamide fiber finer than silk that grabs dust and oil by surface area and static, so a dry cloth dusts and a damp cloth (wrung nearly dry) cleans glass, screens and paint without…the C&R rag product data on this site (yellow microfiber cloths in packs of 10What do mechanics and roofers use to clean their hands? Pumice and citrus hand cleaners, waterless gallon cleaners, hand cleaning wipes, what GOJO lists for its heavy-duty cleaners, getting tar and asphalt off skin, and the gallon pump on a truckMechanics, roofers and painters clean their hands with a heavy-duty hand cleaner: a lotion or gel built on a citrus solvent (d-limonene) or a petroleum distillate that dissolves grease, tar, asphalt, adhesive and…the GOJO and C&R product data on this site (GOJO Natural Orange pumice hand cleaner in…What are contractor bags, and how do they differ from garbage bags? 3 mil and 42 gallon bags, 55 gallon drum liners, garbage bag sizes, stretch wrap sizes and how many pallets a roll covers, duct tape vs HVAC tape, and clear vs brown packing tapeA contractor bag is a heavy trash bag, 3 mil thick (three thousandths of an inch; a kitchen bag is 0.7 to 0.9 mil) and 42 gallons (32 by 50 inches), made to hold demolition debris, shingle scraps, drywall, lath and…the C&R product data on this site (42 gallon 3 mil contractor trash bags, 32 x 50 in,…What is in wasp and hornet spray, how far does it reach, and when do you use it? What the label states, the 20 foot stream, why a spray may not reach a nest, when wasps are in the nest, flammability and cleanup, and nests under the eaveA wasp and hornet spray is a pressurized aerosol that shoots a narrow stream of insecticide 15 to 20 feet so the user can hit a nest from a distance; the one we stock is a 14 oz petroleum-based can whose data lists a…the C&R product data on this site (14 oz petroleum-based wasp spray, listed as killing…Where do roofers and contractors buy their tools and jobsite supplies? Roofing supply houses, distributors, hardware stores and online, what a supply house carries that a home center does not, buying by the case, and the crew tool listRoofers buy roofing material (shingles, underlayment, membrane, flashing metal, fasteners) from roofing supply houses and distributors that deliver to the roof by boom truck and sell on account; they buy tools and…the C&R, Estwing, GOJO, Keson, Marvel, DocaPole and Big Boy product data on this site…