What is a Roofing Square?

Roofers often throw around terms that most homeowners aren’t super familiar with, which unfortunately can lead to some confusion and misunderstanding during conversations early in the roofing process. 

Our whole goal with this blog is to clear up any confusion, and answer your questions, so that you feel informed and prepared before you even talk with someone from a roofing company. So today, we are going to define and discuss one of the terms we see most often causing some confusion: “squares.” 

“Uh, squares? But squares are... squares.” 

That’s correct! But also, not. roofing squares are squares, but they are not necessarily squares. 

Isn’t that confusing? That’s exactly what we’re going to clear up in this blog. We’ll talk about what exactly a roofing square is, why it’s used as a measurement, and how much one costs! 

What is a “Roofing Square?”

The short, easy answer is that a roofing square is a unit of measurement that roofers use to more easily calculate the amount of material needed for a roof replacement. As such, squares become one of the most important measurements used in estimating the cost of your roof replacement. 

As for the actual measurement, squares are essentially equal to 100 square feet of roof space that needs to be covered by material.  For example, if your roof is 2650 sq. Ft., then your roof would be 26.5 squares. 

Why are roofing squares used?

While it may seem arbitrary and unnecessary, roofing companies use squares on purpose, in order to have a more standardized, larger unit of measurement for purchases than square footage. This helps with the communication process between the roofing company, supply company, and installation crews. 

Squares also ensure that the company doesn’t underestimate the amount of material they will need for a job. For the example we used above, the roof is measured at 26.5 squares, but because of what we will talk about in the next section, the company will likely order material to cover 27 squares, depending on what kind of shingles or materials are being used. This also allows for the company to have extra materials on hand in case they are needed, so you won’t have to wait longer just because some shingles broke during the installation. 

How much does a roofing square cost?

Since it’s so frequently used for estimating cost and ordering materials, how much does a square of roofing material even cost? 

As with everything roofing related, it depends! For most asphalt shingles, one square will require three bundles of shingles to cover, but the price of those bundles will vary depending on the shingle. For example, GAF's Royal Sovereign 3-Tab Shingles cost around $33 per bundle at Home Depot, leading to the square costing around $100. For the more commonly used Timberline HDZ architectural shingle, Home Depot will charge $37.50 a bundle, or approximately $112.50 for a square.

The material you’re using is the main factor here, as slate tiles cost more than ceramic tiles, which cost more than designer asphalt shingles, which cost more than three-tab shingles. The quality of the material plays a large role in how much one square costs, and not just because it’s simply more expensive. Typically, the higher up you go in quality, the heavier the material is, and the less you can fit in one bundle, or on the truck going to a job site.

All of that leads to more bundles needing to be used to cover the square, which means more cost. 

Want to measure your roof in squares? 

After reading all of this, you might be wanting to know how many squares you’d need to cover your roof.  

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as dividing your home’s square footage by 100, as your roof has plenty of other factors that need to be taken into consideration, including the pitch of your roof, and how much it hangs over the side of your home. For some instructions on how to do just that, check out our blog on How to Calculate the Size of Your Roof! 

However, if you live in the Raleigh, NC area and your roof is more complex, or you’d rather have a professional measure it, reach out to us using the Contact Us button below! Just fill out the form there and we’ll get you in touch with our representative for your area!