The roof is one of the primary components of any building, and the projects related to it almost always require major investments in terms of money and time.
Now, if you aren’t related directly to the roofing business, there’s a chance that you’re never heard of roofing terms such as shingles squares. What is a square of shingles on the roof? Find out below.

What is a Square of Roofing Shingles?
Shingles are the term that refers to building material of various roofing types. They protect your roof and are attached to the sheathing. They are the first and foremost defense part of roofing structure that is visible by eyes. By protection here, it means defense against water or UV rays to get inside the buildings.
There are plenty of shingle types based on the materials nowadays, such as slate, tile, and metal. Still, most residential buildings in the USA use asphalt material because it is considered to be more visually attractive, versatile, and more budget-friendly than others.
Now, how many bundles of shingles in a square? Well, it depends. Square is a term that refers to how many shingles are required for 100 sq ft of roof area. Contractors use squares of shingles as the universal measurement for various sizes based on their capacity to cover the specific roofing area. The shingles are available by square and by bundles.
As a square of shingles should cover an equal amount of roofing area, then obviously, the numbers would increase if the shingle’s sizes are smaller.
In conclusion, the total amount of bundles required to create a square of shingles depends on what shingles’ size is used, and the tabs construction installed to roof sheathing.
What Is the Square Footage of a Square of Shingles?
The first consideration you have to take if you’re planning for a re-roofing project is the roof’s size. That way, you’re able to create the correct estimation of materials needed. Roofs in the United States are measured in the unit of square footage. So, the square footage of a square of shingles is a reference unit.
Here’s how to estimate the roof area:
- First, you have to measure the dimensions of your roof by thinking it was flat.
- Measure the roof pitch and then the square footage
- Determine the amount of square footage material that you will need
- After you have estimated the roof area’s footprint, you may calculate the total area by putting the roof pitch consideration into the calculation.
The guide above is meant to be the steps to take if you use a shingles calculator. Using a calculator, you only need to input the pitch, width, and length of your roof area. Then you will find its’ size in the square.
Now you already know what a square of shingles and the square footage, as well as how to calculate them is. The calculation can be handy to estimate the numbers of shingles needed so that you can assess the rough cost calculation.