Roofing Nails Calculator

Last reviewed September 27, 2026 · How we calculate

Every shingle is held by a set number of nails, and that number goes up in high-wind areas. This counts the nails a shingle roof takes, and converts the count into pounds and into coils for a nail gun.

How the calculation works

Take the roof area in squares, including waste, and multiply by the number of shingles in a square and by the nails in each shingle. Divide by the nails in a pound or in a coil to know how much to buy.

A worked example

A 1,250 sq ft roof with 10 per cent waste is 13.75 squares. At 80 shingles a square and four nails each, it takes 4,400 nails. At about 140 nails to the pound that is roughly 31.4 lb, or 37 coils of 120. With a six-nail pattern the count rises by half, to 6,600.

Four nails or six

Four nails a shingle is the standard pattern for most asphalt shingles. Six are usually required in high-wind areas and on very steep slopes, and some warranties depend on it. The shingle manufacturer instructions and your local code set which applies. Where the nails go matters as much as how many: they belong in the nailing strip printed on the shingle, not above or below it.

What this leaves out

Starter strip and ridge cap need nails of their own, and ridge cap usually needs longer ones to reach through the extra layers. Roofing nails should go at least three-quarters of an inch into the deck, or right through it where the deck is thinner.