How Many Shingles Are in a Bundle? What About Square Feet?

If you’re repairing or replacing a roof, knowing how many shingles you’ll need to get the job done is important. Different shingles have different measurements. Typically shingles come in three bundles to a square. This handy guide discusses how many shingles are in a bundle, how many shingles you need depending on the type of shingle you're using, and the number of shingles you'll need per square foot.

How Many Shingles Are in a Bundle?

There are anywhere between 15 and 29 shingles in a bundle. Typically, a bundle covers 33 square feet. If math isn't your strong suit, fear not. The formula is fairly simple—you can calculate how many bundles are needed by dividing the square footage of the roof by 33.

Bundles weigh the same regardless of the number of shingles because they’re designed to be carried by one person.

Here are a few examples of bundles depending on the size of shingle you need:

How Many Bundles Are in a Roofing Square?

Roofs are measured in roofing squares, with each square representing 100 square feet of roof. Since a bundle offers around 33 square feet of shingles, you’d need roughly three bundles per square. 

To find how many squares your roof has, divide the total square feet of your roof by 100. Keep in mind that the square footage of your roof is not the same as the square footage of the house—it’s about 50% to 60% more on a one-story home after factoring in the garage. You’ll also need to account for a waste factor between 10 and 20% on most roofs. Roof waste is material that is overlapped or cut off during installation.

How Many Shingles Do I Need Per Square Foot of Roof?

You will need anywhere from one to two shingles per square foot, depending on the type and size of shingle you choose. As stated, a bundle will cover about 33 square feet of roof regardless of type, so the question is not how many shingles you need (because they come in different sizes) but how many shingle bundles you need.

Just take the overall square footage and divide by 33 to get that answer, then add on the waste factor of between 10% and 20% of your roof’s size.

How to Calculate Shingles for a Roof

Once you've determined the roof square footage you need to cover, you can figure out the number of bundles you need by dividing the total square footage by 33.

How to Calculate Roof Slope

The slope of your roof impacts the number of shingle bundles you’ll need. Houses with steeper roofs have more roof area to cover, so make sure you measure the roof properly to know the actual square footage.

A roof slope, or pitch, is measured by the rise of the roof in feet over the run of the roof in feet. Most homes’ pitches fall somewhere between 3/12 and 12/12. These numbers help find the roof pitch multiplier, which then allows you to find the total surface area by multiplying it times the area covered by your roof.

To save some time and brain power, you can refer to the table of common roof multipliers by roof pitch below.

Does the Type of Shingle Impact How Many I Need?

A bundle typically covers 33 square feet regardless of type of shingles you have.

So even though, say, you get fewer architectural shingles in a bundle than a standard shingle, those architectural shingles cover a larger area, so the square footage is about the same.

Should I Order More Shingles Than I Need?

It’s a good idea to include a few extra bundles when ordering for your roofing project for a variety of reasons. Complex roofs especially require additional shingles to cut to fit over tricky roof edges and corners.

Extra shingles will come in handy for repairs down the road, after your roof weathers strong winds and precipitation. An extra bundle or two also helps keep your property matching, should you need additional roofing touch ups on a shed or other outbuilding on your lot.

“If you decide to keep some extra shingles, store them flat in an area that is not exposed to sunlight,” says Ami Feller, Expert Review Board member and owner of Roofer Chicks in New Braunfels, TX. “Shingles will dry out over time and become brittle. This will help your shingles remain usable for a longer period of time. You should especially keep a few extra if you ordered an unusual color or type of shingles—sometimes shingles are discontinued.”

How Much Does a Bundle of Shingles Cost?

Prices for your shingle bundles will vary depending on the material. Asphalt is the most cost-effective option, while copper and slate are the most expensive materials. To determine your roof replacement costs, multiply the cost per bundle by the number of bundles you need.

Installing Roof Shingles Yourself vs. Hiring a Pro

It’s best to hire a professional roofer near you to handle any shingle replacement job, although homeowners with extensive roofing experience can learn how to shingle a roof themselves, as long as they take the proper safety precautions. Besides shingles, you’ll need:

• Roof underlayment

• Roofing nails

• Ladder

• Safety equipment

Roof underlayment will be laid on your roof before any other materials, so it’s vital that you have an appropriate amount. You will need at least a square of underlayment for each roofing square. You should also account for some waste with underlayment. Each row has to overlap the one before it, so it takes between 5% and 10% more than the square footage.

Of course, you’ll want your shingles to stay put. That’s where nails are a necessity. Each shingle should receive at least four nails (six if you live in a windy area).

However, the average homeowner is better off hiring a roofing contractor with the right licensing and experience to tackle this type of job. Not only does roof work pose a safety risk, but any type of improper installation will end up costing you a lot more money in repairs down the road.

Jamie McInerney contributed to this piece.