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Reference chart

Shingle bundles per square chart

Bundles per square, shingles per bundle and bundle weight for 3-tab, architectural and designer asphalt shingles, with coverage for ridge cap, starter, underlayment and nails, waste factors and the roof pitch multiplier table.

Bundles per square by shingle type

Bundles per 100 ft² square, shingles per bundle and bundle weight for common asphalt shingles
Shingle type Bundles per square Coverage per bundle
ft² 		Shingles per bundle Shingles per square Weight per bundle
lb 		Weight per square
lb
3-tab 333.326–277860–80180–240
Architectural / dimensional 3–433.320–226670–85210–340
Designer / luxury 4–525.0VariesVaries70–105280–525
Source: Manufacturer data sheets (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed), typical, Coverage per bundle
  • A square is 100 ft² of roof surface, not floor area. Convert footprint to roof area with the pitch multiplier table below.
  • Coverage per bundle is shown for the typical bundle count; the wrapper on your product states the exact coverage.
  • Weights are typical ranges across major brands and vary with product line and climate.

Accessory coverage

Typical coverage of hip and ridge cap, starter strip, underlayment, drip edge and nails
Item Typical coverage Measure
Hip and ridge cap, standard 25–33 lin ft / bundleTotal length of hips and ridges (GAF Seal-A-Ridge 25, CertainTeed Shadow Ridge 30, OC ProEdge 33)
Hip and ridge cap, high-profile 20 lin ft / bundleTotal length of hips and ridges
Starter strip 105–120 lin ft / bundleEaves plus rakes (where the manufacturer requires rake starter)
Synthetic underlayment 10 squares / roll1,000 ft² gross; laps reduce net coverage
#15 felt 4 squares / roll432 ft² gross
#30 felt 2 squares / roll216 ft² gross
Drip edge 10 ft / pieceEaves and rakes; add for laps
Roofing nails 320 / squareAbout 1.5 lb of 1-1/4 in coil nails per square at about 220 per lb (4 per shingle; 6 in high-wind areas)
Source: Manufacturer data sheets (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed), typical, Coverage per bundle
  • Ice-and-water shield is ordered separately by the roll for eaves, valleys and penetrations where required by code or the manufacturer.
  • Coverage varies by product line; the bundle wrapper or data sheet states the exact figure.

Waste allowance by roof complexity

Extra shingles to order for cutting at valleys, hips and rakes
Roof type Add
% 		Squares to order for 30 squares
Simple gable, few penetrations 531.5
Hip roof 1033.0
Cut-up roof: valleys, dormers, multiple hips 1534.5
Very complex: turrets, many valleys, steep curves 2036.0
Source: Roofing estimating practice (rule of thumb), Waste factors
  • Round the total up to whole bundles, not whole squares. Many suppliers take back unopened bundles; ask before you order.
  • Manufacturers give a general allowance of about 10–15% (IKO, GAF); the 5% row is only for a plain gable with almost no cutting.

Roof pitch multipliers

Multiply the roof’s plan (footprint) area by the pitch factor to get the sloped surface area
Pitch
rise/12 		Multiplier Angle
°
0/12 1.0000.0
1/12 1.0034.8
2/12 1.0149.5
3/12 1.03114.0
4/12 1.05418.4
5/12 1.08322.6
6/12 1.11826.6
7/12 1.15830.3
8/12 1.20233.7
9/12 1.25036.9
10/12 1.30239.8
11/12 1.35742.5
12/12 1.41445.0
13/12 1.47447.3
14/12 1.53749.4
15/12 1.60151.3
16/12 1.66753.1
17/12 1.73454.8
18/12 1.80356.3
20/12 1.94459.0
24/12 2.23663.4
Source: Geometry (factor = √(1 + (rise ÷ 12)²)), Pitch factors
  • Example: a 30 × 40 ft footprint (1,200 ft²) with a 6/12 roof has about 1,200 × 1.118 = 1,342 ft² of roof surface.
  • Measure the footprint to the outside of the eaves (include overhangs) for shingle quantities.

How to use the shingle chart

Roofing is ordered by the square: 100 square feet of roof surface. Find your shingle type in the first table to see how many bundles make a square, then multiply by the number of squares on the roof plus a waste allowance. The accessory table covers the items ordered by length or by the roll, and the last table converts a flat footprint to sloped roof area.

Worked example: a 30 × 40 ft house (measured to the outside of the overhangs) with a 6/12 gable roof has 1,200 × 1.118 = 1,342 ft² of roof. Adding 5% waste for a simple gable gives 14.09 squares, or 43 bundles of architectural shingles at 3 per square.

Why bundle counts differ

A bundle is sized so that a roofer can carry it up a ladder, not to a fixed number of shingles. Three-tab shingles are thinner and lighter, so 3 bundles of 26 make a square. Architectural shingles are laminated from two layers, so each bundle holds fewer, heavier shingles. Designer and luxury shingles are thicker again and often need 4 or 5 bundles per square. Always check the coverage printed on the wrapper.

Measuring the roof

Measure the footprint including eaves and rake overhangs, multiply by the pitch factor for your slope, and add each separate roof plane. The roof area calculator applies the pitch factor for you. Then measure the eaves and rakes for starter strip and drip edge, and the hips and ridges for cap shingles.

Common shingle estimating mistakes

  • Ordering by the house's floor area instead of the sloped roof area.
  • Using the 3-tab bundle count for a designer shingle.
  • Forgetting starter strip, ridge cap and the extra waste on hip roofs, where every hip is cut.
  • Stacking every bundle in one spot on the roof instead of spreading the load along the ridge.

Figures are typical manufacturer product data, not the specification of any one brand. Installation instructions, nailing patterns and local code requirements (for example ice-barrier underlayment) govern.

Frequently asked questions

How many bundles of shingles are in a square?

3 bundles for 3-tab and most architectural shingles; some heavier architectural lines and most designer shingles take 4–5. A square covers 100 square feet of roof surface. The wrapper states the exact coverage.

How many shingles are in a bundle?

About 26–27 for 3-tab shingles and 20–22 for architectural shingles, depending on the brand and the shingle's exposure.

How much does a bundle of shingles weigh?

Typically 60–80 lb for 3-tab and 70–85 lb for architectural shingles, so a square of architectural shingles weighs roughly 210–255 lb.

How much waste should I add for shingles?

A rule of thumb is 5% for a simple gable roof, 10% for a hip roof and 15% or more for roofs with many valleys and dormers.

How many feet of ridge cap are in a bundle?

About 33 linear feet for standard hip and ridge shingles and about 20 for high-profile ridge. Starter strip bundles cover about 105 linear feet.

Calculators that use this chart

Reviewed by the Tradesman Calculator editorial team · Figures are from Manufacturer data sheets (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed), typical ; local amendments may apply · Report an error