The Complete Handbook of Roofing Shingles & Tiles
A professional's field guide to selecting, installing, and maintaining asphalt, metal, clay, concrete, and slate roofing systems.
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
A neutral, technician-level guide to specifying, installing, and troubleshooting roofing shingles and tiles across all major material classes.
About this book
From the steep-slope battleground of asphalt shingle warranties to the weight-bearing realities of clay tile, this handbook is written for the person whose reputation is riding on the roof. It does not sell you on any brand. Instead, it dissects how each material system works, how it fails, and how to prevent that failure. You will learn to read the real specs that matter, from wind uplift ratings and impact resistance to water absorption and thermal expansion coefficients, and how those specs translate to performance on a specific roof deck in a specific climate zone.
The chapters follow the natural arc of a professional project: understanding the material science, comparing product types, making the selection, executing the installation, and maintaining the asset over its decades-long life. Beyond the shingle itself, you get a street-level view of the business side: how to position a product line, negotiate with suppliers, and price jobs so there is margin left over for callbacks you will never have.
This is also a forward-looking reference. It covers emerging requirements for cool roofs, solar-integrated systems, and the regulatory pressures pushing the industry away from standard practice. If you need one book to keep on the truck or in the office to settle debates, prepare for an inspection, or train a new hire, this is it.
Reader Reviews
Nicholas Scott
★★★★★There's decent information here, and the chapter on choosing the right tile for hurricane zones was useful. But I felt the installation sections glossed over a few of the tricky flashing details that usually cause my callbacks, and the writing can be a bit dry. It's a good desk reference, though I didn't find it as deep as I'd hoped for the price.
John Hill
★★★★★I've been selling roofing materials for a decade, and I still picked up new angles on how to talk to contractors about ventilation and deck prep. The business chapter is a refreshing change from the usual installation-only manuals, and the manufacturer tier breakdown is pretty accurate. Only ding is I wish it had more photos of the actual defects in the troubleshooting section; the text is good, but a picture would save me a phone call.
Laura Rivera
★★★★★Finally a roofing book that doesn't read like five different sales brochures taped together. The comparison table of impact resistance for shingles in hail-prone areas was exactly what I needed to justify the upgrade to a client. The writing is clear and it covers the reasoning, not just the rules of thumb. Highly useful for anyone who does serious residential inspections.
Gary Nguyen
★★★★★I bought this for the chapter on metal shingles and wasn't disappointed. The explanation of thermal movement and the proper way to accommodate expansion without causing oil-canning was worth the price of admission alone. The glossary at the back is also great for training my new apprentice. We occasionally disagree with their take on double-layer overlays, but it's good to see the debate held with actual logic.