Shiplap Roof Decking

What is Shiplap Roof Decking?

Shiplap roof decking was widely used in the 50 through 80’s era when plywood hadn’t yet made its way into new construction. Being ideal for asphalt shingles in the early days of its creation, shiplap sits beneath the roof of many homes about thirty years old. Shiplap is now considered an enemy of asphalt shingles. In fact, most shingle manufacturers will not warranty a roof that is sitting directly on shiplap.

Moving and shifting shiplap is one of the major reasons why there is a problem laying shingles directly over this inferior roof decking. In the winter and summer seasons all shiplap expands and contracts, some more than others and as a result the shingles tend move when they were not designed to move. Overtime, this in turn, can cause the roofing nails or staples to back their way out of the roof deck (“nail pops”). In some cases, I have actually seen roofing nails pop directly through the surface of the asphalt shingles and in other cases on an entire roof deck causing a plethora of leaks and other water related damage.

if you have shiplap on your home, the best thing you could do when reroofing (to avoid a serious and expensive repair later on down the road) is to insist on having your roofing contractor install new plywood sheathing/decking. This is the most reliable and proven method of reroofing your home under today’s roofing industry standards.