Painted line on laminated shingles, to aid in the proper placement of fasteners.

When a nail is not fully driven, it sits up off the roof deck. This will eventually push through shingle creating a hole.

A piece of lumber, preferably treated, that is secured to the deck, walls, or to premanufactured curbs. Nailers are used to receive fasteners for roof membranes. Generally, nailers are installed wherever it is necessary to secure base flashings and edge metal. Also see Blocking

Refers to a specific method or pattern at which nails are applied. For instance, a nailing pattern for base sheets on plywood roof decks can be "Nine and Eighteen". This means one row of nails on the outside edge of the sheet set at nine inches (9") on center, and two rows in the center of the sheet, each set at eighteen inches (18") on center.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is one of the largest trade associations in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, DC, NAHB's mission is "to enhance the climate for housing and the building industry. Chief among NAHB's goals is providing and expanding opportunities for all consumers to have safe, decent and affordable housing."

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), is a measurement standards laboratory which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce.

he National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) was established in 1886. NRCA is one of the construction industry's oldest and most respected trade associations and the voice of professional roofing contractors worldwide. NRCA offers extensive roofing industry information for roofing professionals, including technical information, Special Reports, insurance and safety information, an industry calendar and the latest industry news. NRCA provides a wide range of information and services to help homeowners and building owners make informed decisions about replacing and maintaining their roof systems.

A synthetic rubber produced by polymerization of Chloroprene for use in liquid-applied and sheet-applied elastomeric roofing. Neoprene in general has good chemical stability, and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range. It is used in a wide variety of applications, such as laptop sleeves, orthopedic braces (wrist, knee, etc.), electrical insulation, liquid and sheet applied elastomeric membranes or flashings, and car fan belts.

To overlay existing shingles with new shingles and butt the top edge of the new shingle up against the bottom edge of the existing shingles.

The area permitting unrestricted air flow.

In the meter-kilogram-second system, the unit of force required to accelerate a mass of one kilogram one meter per second per second (s².)

To temporarily seal the edge of a roof membrane in order to protect it from moisture entry. A.K.A. Night Tie-Off and Water Cut-Off.

Granule-surfaced or fiber glass or organic felt roll roofing that has a mass of approximately 90 pounds per 100 square feet.

A shingle made of one solid strip of material.

In reference to metal, inert or inactive.

A membrane that does not permit water vapor or air to permeate it.

Material with no measurable flash point.

Refers to a material’s inability to be crushed or pulverized into a powder.

The portion of a material that will not evaporate.

A material that retains its thermoplastic properties throughout its service life.

Random arrangement of the reinforcement fibers of a scrim sheet or mat.

Metal flashing bent at a 90º angle and is installed around roof perimeters, curbs, platforms, etc. in order to protect the edge of the roofing system. Nosing should not be used in place of drip edge. To see the difference in the two, click here.

National Tile Roofing Manufacturers Association