Shingles Installed With Staples: Should You Worry?
| # | Table of Contents |
|---|---|
| 1 | What the Building Code Requires |
| 2 | What Shingle Manufacturers Say |
| 3 | Why Staples Matter in Wind |
| 4 | How to Tell If Your Roof Was Stapled |
| 5 | What to Do About a Stapled Roof |
| 6 | FAQ |
What the Building Code Requires
The 2024 International Residential Code is specific about fasteners for asphalt shingles. Section R905.2.5 says they "shall be galvanized steel, stainless steel, aluminum or copper roofing nails, minimum 12-gage [0.105 inch (3 mm)] shank with a minimum 3/8-inch-diameter (9.5 mm) head," long enough to go at least 3/4 inch into the roof sheathing, or all the way through thinner sheathing. Staples are not on that list. Section R905.2.6 adds that each strip shingle needs the manufacturer's required number of fasteners and never fewer than four.
The City of Austin enforces the 2024 IRC. In practice, a new asphalt shingle roof or repair installed today should be nailed.
GAF's technical bulletin on staples makes the same point more generally: "Most local building codes do not permit the use of staples" to install shingles, and it is the contractor's responsibility to confirm what local code allows.
What Shingle Manufacturers Say
| Source | Position on staples |
|---|---|
| GAF Technical Advisory Bulletin TAB-R-2011-132 (revised 2016) | Not recommended. Warranty stays in effect, but problems resulting from staples, including wind blow-off, are not covered. Recommends 10 to 12 gauge roofing nails with 3/8 to 7/16 inch heads, at least 3/4 inch into wood decks or through plywood or OSB. |
| Owens Corning installation instructions (2009 WoodStart edition) | "Owens Corning recommends the use of nails as the preferred method." Where staples were used, it set minimums: 16 gauge, 15/16 inch crown, corrosion protected, and long enough to penetrate 3/4 inch into wood decking or through the sheathing. |
The common thread is that nails are the preferred fastener, and where staples were tolerated at all, they had to meet a minimum size and be driven correctly. GAF's bulletin also notes that Underwriters Laboratories now performs its higher wind speed testing only with nails, and that "many current UL wind listings are based on using nails."
Why Staples Matter in Wind
A shingle stays on in high wind because of two things: its fasteners and its seal to the course below. GAF's bulletin explains that UL historically used staples in wind testing up to 60 mph, and that higher wind speed testing has moved to nails as codes increasingly required them for high-wind areas. Since many current wind listings are based on nails, a stapled roof should not be assumed to perform like a nailed one in high wind.
Because GAF excludes problems "resulting from the use of staples, including wind blow-off," a stapled roof that loses shingles in a storm is a repair you will likely pay for, unless your homeowners policy covers the storm itself.
Fastening also affects sealing. GAF's shingle limited warranty conditions its wind coverage on shingles being "fastened and installed strictly in accordance with GAF's application instructions," and notes that shingles that are "not fastened or installed properly may never seal." A shingle that never seals depends entirely on its fasteners in a windstorm, which is exactly where staples are weakest on paper.
How to Tell If Your Roof Was Stapled
- Look at a blown-off shingle. Staple holes are pairs of small slits a little under an inch apart, instead of single round nail holes.
- Look where a shingle is missing. On the exposed course you may see staples instead of nail heads along the fastener line.
- Ask for the inspection report. Home inspectors sometimes note fastener type when they lift tabs, and roofers check it during repairs.
- Know the roof's history. The age of the roof, the original installer and any permit records can all help narrow it down.
Checking means lifting a shingle tab, and a lifted tab loses its seal. Any shingle lifted to check fasteners should be hand-sealed afterward.
What to Do About a Stapled Roof
- If it is holding up, staples alone are not a reason to tear it off; plan to address the fastening at the next replacement. Keep an eye on it after windstorms.
- For repairs, replacement shingles should be nailed to the current code, with the manufacturer's nail count and placement. Our article on high-nailed shingles explains why placement matters as much as the fastener.
- If shingles keep blowing off, especially across more than one slope, the fasteners are telling you something about the whole roof. At that point, a nailed roof replacement with the manufacturer's high-wind nailing pattern is usually the lasting fix.
- When buying a home, ask whether the inspector checked fastener type, and factor a stapled roof's age and condition into the plan for replacement.
Sources: International Residential Code (2024) R905.2.5 and R905.2.6; GAF Technical Advisory Bulletin TAB-R-2011-132, "Staples Vs. Nails For Shingle Application" (revised 2016); Owens Corning WoodStart starter shingle installation instructions (Pub. No. 10011695, October 2009); GAF Shingle and Accessory Limited Warranty (RESWT160L-0426).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can shingles be installed with staples?
Not under the current residential code. The 2024 IRC calls for galvanized, stainless, aluminum or copper roofing nails on asphalt shingles, and GAF does not recommend staples.
Does stapling void the shingle warranty?
According to GAF, no, the limited warranty stays in effect, but any problems resulting from the staples, including wind blow-off, are not covered.
Are stapled shingles more likely to blow off?
GAF notes that UL’s higher wind speed testing now uses nails only and that many current wind listings are based on nails, so a stapled roof should not be assumed to match those ratings. GAF also excludes staple-related blow-offs from its warranty.
Do I need to replace a stapled roof?
Not just because it is stapled. If it is in good condition, keep an eye on it. If shingles keep blowing off, replacement with a properly nailed roof is usually the better investment.
How can I tell if my roof has staples?
Look at a blown-off shingle for pairs of slit-shaped holes, or at the fastener line where a shingle is missing. A roofer or inspector can lift a tab to check and should hand-seal it afterward.
