The Space Between Shingle Rows Is Part of the Spec

You have chosen a Malarkey shingle, and the roofer has brought a sample. Before you put it away, ask how much of that shingle will remain visible after the next row covers it. That measurement is called exposure. It decides how the rows overlap, and it belongs in the installation discussion just as much as the product name. A roof can have the right shingles delivered to the driveway and still have the wrong spacing once they are installed.

For a St. Louis homeowner, the useful question is specific: what exposure does this product require, and how will the crew check it? You do not need to supervise the installation with a tape measure. You need a clear answer before work starts and a way to have a questionable area checked afterward.

Material and spec

Malarkey's architectural laminate installation instructions specify a standard exposure of 5 5/8 inches. They also list an 8-inch offset between courses and a minimum offset of 4 inches. These are separate measurements. Exposure describes the spacing up the roof; offset describes the sideways separation between shingle end joints in successive rows. The manufacturer provides the dimensions in its architectural laminate installation guide.

Think of exposure as the distance from the bottom edge of one row to the bottom edge of the next, measured along the roof surface. The rest of each shingle sits beneath the courses above it. You cannot determine exposure by measuring the full shingle on a sample board, and you cannot reliably measure it from a photograph taken across the street.

The decorative shapes on an architectural shingle can make the rows harder to follow. A dark patch may look like a joint even though it is part of the shingle's appearance. Before deciding that something is crooked or incorrectly spaced, have the contractor identify the actual bottom edges and end joints in a close photograph.

A small difference repeats across the roof

Consider the arithmetic alone. Twenty course intervals at 5 5/8 inches span 112 1/2 inches along the slope. Twenty intervals at 6 inches span 120 inches. That is a difference of 7 1/2 inches over the same number of rows. This example does not diagnose a roof, but it shows why a fraction of an inch is worth checking.

Spreading rows farther apart changes the overlap and makes a given number of shingles reach farther up the slope. It is not a material upgrade or an acceptable way to make an order stretch. If someone proposes a different exposure, ask for written guidance from the manufacturer for the exact product and application before agreeing.

Keep the discussion tied to the roof in front of you. A measurement from another house, an old three-tab roof, or a different product does not settle the specification for the shingles being installed on your home. Ask the contractor to identify the applicable instructions and keep a copy with your project records.

Where the layout deserves a closer look

A broad, uninterrupted roof plane is easier to follow from the ground than the area beside a dormer. On a house with additions, look at the places where rows disappear around a wall and reappear on the other side. Those are useful locations to request photographs. They give the contractor something definite to explain instead of a general complaint that the roof looks uneven.

An older St. Louis house may also have an eave that does not appear straight. A row that looks tilted from the driveway raises a question, but appearance alone cannot tell you whether the cause is the shingle layout, the underlying roof shape, or the viewing angle. Ask for measurements before accepting either a repair recommendation or an assurance that everything is fine.

A useful inspection photograph includes a ruler or tape resting along the roof surface, with the edges being measured clearly visible. Ask for the roof location to be identified as well. A close picture without context may show a measurement accurately while leaving you unable to tell whether it came from the front slope, the garage, or the area you asked about.

Have the roofer take those measurements. There is no reason to climb onto a roof to resolve a specification question, particularly when frost, wet leaves, or a recent freeze has made access uncertain. If the concern arises during installation, contact the person responsible for the work while that section is still accessible.

What it costs

Correct course spacing should be included in the price of installing the named shingle. It is not an optional detail that belongs in an upgrade column. A proposal does not need to reproduce every installation drawing, but it should commit to following the manufacturer's applicable instructions.

There is no useful flat price for correcting questionable exposure. First, someone must establish whether the spacing is actually outside the applicable requirements. Then the contractor must determine how much roof is affected and what work would be required to correct it. One questionable photograph is not enough to price that work.

If correction is proposed, request a description that identifies the affected slope and the extent of removal. Ask whether the price includes replacement shingles, removal and disposal, and repair of any underlying material disturbed during the work. A number without those details leaves you unable to compare two proposed solutions.

The timing matters to your decision. During a new installation, ask the contractor to explain the proposed correction and any claimed additional charge before work proceeds through the disputed area. On an existing roof, separate the inspection charge, if any, from the price of corrective work. Paying someone to establish the condition does not require you to authorize their repair proposal.

Do not use an unused bundle count as proof that the rows were stretched. Material ordering includes cuts, waste, and rounding to full bundles. Leftover material can prompt a question, but the answer has to come from measurements on the roof.

What to ask

Start with a question that requires a dimension: "What is the specified exposure for the Malarkey shingle you are installing?" Follow that with a request to see the relevant instructions. An answer such as "we keep the rows even" does not tell you whether the spacing matches the product.

• Who checks course spacing as the installation progresses?
• How will you check the layout around dormers and interrupted roof sections?
• Can you photograph a measured section if I have a concern?
• If you find spacing outside the manufacturer's requirements, what correction do you propose?
• Will the final project records identify the shingle and include photographs of any corrected area?

If a completed roof concerns you, describe the location plainly when you call. "The rows above the rear bedroom window look farther apart than the rows over the garage" gives the inspector a starting point. Keep the original photograph, note when you took it, and ask for a written finding that distinguishes a measured installation issue from an appearance concern.

To discuss a Malarkey roof in St. Louis or the greater St. Louis area, call Keys Roofing at (314) 220-2333. Have the proposed product name or a photograph of the bundle label available, along with a wide photograph showing the roof section you want checked.