How Many Bundles of Shingles in a Square?
Short answer: most architectural shingles come 3 bundles to a square, and a square is 100 sq ft of roof. GAF’s Timberline HDZ, for example, covers 98.4 sq ft with 3 bundles (64 shingles), so one bundle covers about 33 sq ft.
To go from your house size to bundles, nails, underlayment and drip edge in one step, use the roofing calculator.
How many bundles do I need?
- Find the roof area. Measure the flat area under the roof (the footprint plus overhangs) and multiply by the pitch multiplier: 1.054 for a 4/12 roof, 1.118 for 6/12, 1.202 for 8/12. Not sure of the pitch? Use the roof pitch calculator.
- Add extra: about 10% for a simple gable roof, 15% or more with hips, valleys and dormers.
- Divide by 100 for squares, then multiply by 3 for bundles, or divide the area by the bundle’s coverage on the wrapper.
Example: a 1,500 sq ft footprint at 6/12 is 1,677 sq ft of roof. With 10% extra that’s 1,845 sq ft, or 18.4 squares: 57 bundles of GAF Timberline HDZ.
Bundles by roof size
| Footprint | 4/12 pitch | 6/12 pitch | 8/12 pitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | 36 | 38 | 41 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 54 | 57 | 61 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 71 | 75 | 81 |
| 2,500 sq ft | 89 | 94 | 101 |
With 10% extra, at 98.4 sq ft per 3 bundles.
Nails per square
At 4 nails per shingle and 64 shingles per square, that’s 256 nails per square, or 384 where 6 nails per shingle are required (GAF). Some local codes and high-wind areas require 6.
Check the wrapper
Not every shingle is 3 bundles a square. Some heavier shingles need more bundles per square, so always check the coverage printed on the bundle. Also check the minimum slope: GAF requires at least 2:12 for its shingles.
Common questions
How many square feet does a bundle of shingles cover?
About 33 sq ft for 3-bundle-per-square shingles (GAF Timberline HDZ: 98.4 sq ft per 3 bundles).
How many bundles for a 2,000 sq ft roof?
2,000 sq ft of actual roof is 20 squares: about 61 bundles, or 68 with 10% extra. Remember that a 2,000 sq ft house usually has more than 2,000 sq ft of roof.
How many shingles are in a bundle?
It varies. GAF Timberline HDZ packs 64 shingles per square in bundles of 20 and 22.