By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Shingles are bought in bundles and installed three bundles to the square, but the accessories are what people forget: starter strip along the eaves and rakes, ridge cap along the hips and ridge, and about 320 nails per square. This calculator totals all four.
Bundles, starter strip, ridge cap and nails.
Bundles = squares × 3 Starter strips = eave & rake length ÷ 3 ft Ridge cap = ridge & hip length ÷ 3 ft Nails ≈ squares × 320
Starter strip comes in 3 ft pieces that cover the same length; ridge cap pieces cover about 3 linear feet each when lapped. Nail counts assume six nails per shingle in the field and eight at hips.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Roof area in square feet. |
| S | Squares (100 sq ft each). |
15 squares need 45 bundles, about 4,800 nails, and 60 linear feet of ridge cap for a 60 ft ridge.
Continue with the Roof Pitch Calculator, Rafter Length Calculator, Roof Truss Calculator, or the Roofing Calculator — or browse more roofing and all construction calculators.
15 squares × 3 bundles = 45 bundles, plus 10% waste, so 50.
Results use standard construction estimating arithmetic: volumes from measured area and depth, unit weights from published material densities, and code-referenced spans or clearances where the page names a code. Quantities are rounded up to whole saleable units and include the stated waste allowance. These tools are planning aids, not structural design, and do not replace a licensed engineer, a local code check, or a contractor's site measurement.
Reference material used to build and check this calculator:
Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
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Content updated: September 2026