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How Much Does a Bundle of Shingles Weigh?

Calculating Shingle Weight for Roof Replacement

If you are researching shingle weight, it's safe to say you might be planning a roof renovation on your home or a job site. In case you need to discard your roofing materials yourself, this guide will help you know how much your roofing weighs, the different types of shingles, average weights by shingle type, roofing units of measurement, and roofing dumpster rental resources.

Calculating shingle weight is important to avoid overweight fees from disposing of old roofing or renting a dumpster that's too small for your debris. It also will help you to know how many new shingles you'll need for your roof.

How Much Does a Shingle Weigh?

The weight of a single shingle will vary depending on the type of shingle and the manufacturer. The quality, thickness, and size of the shingle also impact its weight. However, each shingle type does have average weights, which are listed below:

Asphalt shingles: The average weight of an asphalt shingle ranges from 2 to 5 pounds. 3 tab, architectural, and dimensional shingles are some of the most common kinds of asphalt shingles.
Wood shingles: The average weight of a single wood shingle can range from 2 to 4 pounds. The type of wood impacts the weight as well, with cedar shingles, redwood, and pine shingles being the most popular types of wood shingles.
Clay tiles: The average weight of a single clay tile can range from 5 to 10 pounds.
Metal shingles: The average weight of a single metal shingle ranges from 0.5 to 1 pound. The type of metal also impacts weight, with steel, aluminum, and copper being the most popular metal shingles.
Slate shingles: The average weight of a single slate shingle can range from 8 to 12 pounds.
Synthetic shingles: The average weight of a synthetic shingle can range from 1 to 3 pounds.
Rubber shingles: The average weight of a rubber shingle can range from 2 to 4 pounds.

How Many Shingles Are in a Bundle?

The number of shingles in a bundle varies depending on the manufacturer and the type of shingle. A bundle usually contains between 21 to 29 shingles.

How Many Shingles in a Bundle of 3-Tab?

The most common type of shingle is the 3 tab asphalt shingle, which usually comes in a bundle of 29 standard-sized shingles. Other types of shingles may have more or fewer shingles in a bundle. For example, architectural shingles typically have 21 per bundle, and wood shingles have around 25 per bundle.

How Much Does a Bundle of Shingles Weigh?

The weight of a bundle of shingles depends on the type of shingle in question. A bundle of 3-tab shingles typically weighs between 45 and 60 pounds, while a bundle of architectural shingles often weighs 60-80 pounds. Weights can also vary depending on the manufacturer and the number of shingles in the bundle. On average, these are the weights per bundle for these shingle types:

3-tab shingles: 45-60 pounds
Metal shingles: 40-70 pounds
Architectural shingles: 60-80 pounds
Wood shingles: 200-700 pounds
Clay tile shingles: 200-300 pounds

What Types of Asphalt Shingles Are There?

There are many types of asphalt shingles with different lifespans. Asphalt shingles have many subcategories, such as 3-tab, dimensional/architectural, luxury, and more. They vary in price, weight, shape, and quality.

Each type of asphalt shingle will typically last for different periods of time, for example:

3-tab shingles: The most basic type of asphalt shingles, these ones have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years.
Architectural or dimensional shingles: These are thicker and more durable than 3-tab shingles and can last anywhere from 25 to 30 years.
Luxury shingles: The thickest and most high-end type of asphalt shingles, luxury shingles can last up to 50 years or more.

What is a Square of Shingles?

The term "square" is a roofing industry measurement that simply means 100 square feet of roof area. This is equal to a roof section that measures 10 feet in length and 10 feet in width. The amount of squares on a roof depends on the square footage of your roof. If your roof is 1200 square feet, then that means your roof would be 12 squares large, or 1200 / 100.

How Many Bundles in a Square of Shingles?

A roofing square typically will take 3 bundles of shingles to cover, since each bundle covers approximately 33 square feet and a square is 100 square feet.

How Much Does a Square of Shingles Weigh?

As mentioned earlier, the weight of shingles per square can vary depending on the type of shingle. Three tab shingles typically weigh around 135-180 pounds per square, while architectural shingles can weigh up to 240 pounds per square.

3-tab shingles: 135-180 pounds per square
Architectural shingles: 180-240 pounds per square
Rubber shingles: 200-300 pounds per square
Wood shingles: 250-400 pounds per square
Clay tiles: 600-1,200 pounds per square

How Much Does a Bundle of Shingles Cost?

The cost of a bundle of shingles varies depending on the shingle type and manufacturer, however on average asphalt shingles will range from $20-35 dollars, making them one of the less expensive roofing options. Architectural shingles range from $30-50 dollars per bundle, and other types like wood, metal, or slate vary widely and are typically more expensive than architectural shingles.

Shingles can be bought at almost all home improvement stores, such as Lowes, Home Depot, ABC Supply, and even Amazon. The shingles at Home Depot are usually less expensive but may not be as high quality as shingles bought at a specialty roofing store.

Calculate the Weight of Your Old Roofing

To calculate the weight of your old roofing you need to know how many bundles cover your roof. You can figure this out by dividing your roof's square footage by 33, the number of square feet in one bundle.

For example, if your roof is 1500 square feet, you can divide 1500/33 to find that approximately 45 bundles of shingles cover your roof (you can also use this calculation to find out how many new bundles you'll need).

From here, you can multiply the number of bundles by the average weight of that bundle type.

For example, if you have 45 bundles of asphalt shingles on your roof and the average weight of an asphalt bundle is 60-80 pounds, the weight of all the shingles would be between 45 x 60 and 45 x 80, or between 2700 and 3600.

It's also necessary to consider if the shingles are single-layered, or if there are multiple layers of shingles on the roof. If there are two layers, your dumpster needs will increase by double. If there are three layers, by triple.

Calculating Roofing Weight From Shingle Weight

It's also possible to calculate the total weight of your old shingles by starting from the weight of a single shingle. To calculate the weight this way, these are the steps to follow:

Figure out how much a single shingle on your roof weighs. For example, a single three-tab shingle might weigh 2 lbs.
Multiply that weight by the number of shingles in a bundle. For example, there are typically 21 three-tab shingles in a bundle so 2 x 21 = 42 pounds.
Now find the weight per square by multiplying your bundle weight by 3, the average number of bundles in a square. For example, three bundles of 21 three-tab shingles are 42 x 3 = 126 pounds.
Next, find the number of squares on your roof by dividing the total square footage by 100. For example, a 1600 sq foot roof would be 1600 / 100 = 16 squares.
Lastly, multiply the number of roofing squares by the weight per square and you'll know the total weight of your roofing shingles. For example, 16 x 126 = 2016 lbs.

Note: Consider Shingle Material When Calculating Weights

When making these weight calculations, it's important to remember that the material of different shingles heavily impacts their weight. Slate shingles are typically the heaviest type of shingle, weighing from 800 to 1,500 per square. Other heavy types of shingles are clay and concrete tiles, which can weigh between 900 and 1,200 pounds per square. Metal shingles are also heavy, weighing up to 250 pounds per square. The heavier the shingle, the higher the weight limit of your roofing dumpster should be.

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What is a Pallet of Shingles?

A pallet of shingles is a number of roofing shingles stacked and packaged on a wooden pallet for shipping or storage purposes. Pallets of shingles typically contain between 20 and 50 bundles, depending on the manufacturer and the size of the shingles.

How Much Does a Pallet of Shingles Weigh?

The weight of a pallet can vary from 1,500 to 3,000 pounds, depending on the shingles and the number of bundles on the pallet.

How to Dispose of Roof Shingles

When installing or repairing a roof, it's essential to consider the disposal of roofing debris. Roofing debris can be heavy and bulky, and disposing of it can be challenging. Renting a roofing dumpster specifically designed for disposing of shingles, asphalt, and other roofing debris is a great option. With this dumpster, you don't have to worry about separating your debris or hauling the 1000s of pounds of weight to the dump yourself. These dumpsters are available in various sizes and can be rented for however long you need.

How Many Squares of Shingles Will a Dumpster Hold?

20-yard dumpsters are the most common kind rented for roofing projects. This size dumpster will hold approximately 15-20 squares of asphalt shingles and 6-7 squares of slate shingles. For large roofing projects, you may need more than one dumpster.

Whether you're installing a new roof or repairing an old one, it's important to consult with roofing professionals who can provide guidance on the best materials and techniques for your specific needs.

Eco-Friendly Roofing

It's important to consider the environment when starting a roof renovation. From disposal to choosing eco-friendly roofing materials, being a green home starts at the top with the roof.

Eco-friendly roofing options

It's important to consider the environmental impact of roofing materials. Many homeowners and contractors are now opting for eco-friendly roofing options, such as recycled shingles, solar panels, or green roofs. These options not only reduce the carbon footprint but can also help reduce energy costs and increase the lifespan of the roof.

Disposal regulations and roofing dumpsters

When disposing of old shingles, it's important to follow local regulations for waste disposal. Many areas require specific types of dumpsters or recycling facilities for roofing materials so that the debris can be properly sorted and recycled. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines or other penalties.

The easiest way to dispose of old roofing is with a specialized roofing dumpster, which takes in all roofing materials and eliminates the need for you to sort through the debris.

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