Tools of the Trade – Tools for Roofing and Roofers

The job of a roofer requires many tools and a lot of safety equipment that we’re all familiar with, albeit modified slightly for the specific task of roofing. Roofing also requires some tools that are specialized versions of standard tools. Up on the roof you’ll be needing tools to remove and fasten shingles to the roof as well as seal cracks and other crevices. You’ll also want to make sure you don’t fall off and protect the parts of your body that are at risk up on the roof. Here at Haus of Tools, we carry what you need to get your roofing done quickly and safely.

Of course to do roofing, you first have to get up, get your stuff up there and you have to stay up there. Of course you’ll need a ladder, and a ladder hoist to get your materials up to the roof. But before that, important gear topside will be a safety harness with the right rope and have that fastened to the appropriate anchor at the peak of the roof. Roof brackets will also help you on a steep roof so you have a flat spot to stand on when one isn’t otherwise available. These in conjunction with some slip resistant, soft-soled shoes/boots will keep you from slipping off. An option to consider for your footwear is steel toes which have their plusses and minuses. Lastly, you’ll want your standard hard hat, safety glasses, kneepad and work glove ensemble. Safety is always job one, so make sure you are safe if nothing else.

Getting to the actual roofing, if you’re working on an existing roof, chances are you’re going to need to rip up old shingles. A good ripper or pry bar will be indispensable to getting shingles and nails removed without damaging the roof. Shingle removal shovels will also help you with this task as well. Once you have a clean surface to work with, in addition to a nail gun, you’ll want a roofing hammer that doubles as a hatchet. This will help you do some lite nailing when a nail gun isn’t going to work and the hatchet will help you tear shingles and remove nails. If you need a few more options for trimming roofing material, your standard tin snips, cutters and tile nibbler can all come in handy.

Some other useful things to keep on hand are marking tools, mostly chalk in some form or other like chalk reels or carpenter chalk. Caulk guns, seam rollers and moisture detection tools will also help you make sure that your work is protected. There are many other specialized tools to use and we’re working on adding those to our store as well.

The job of roofing is a dangerous one requiring a lot of safety gear and precautions in addition to specialized tools to get the work done and we carry a lot of the stuff you’ll need to succeed as a roofer, and what we don’t have we will eventually. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to learn more!