Roofing: is this an acceptable practice?

Mike Hosto
by Mike Hosto

Just had a new roof installed. He's covered up nails with caulk. This does not seem like an acceptable practice that will last for more than a few years. Any professional opinions? With gratitude


  7 answers
  • Annie Annie on Jul 22, 2020

    Hi Mike, what kind of roof is it? Wood shingles?

  • GrandmasHouseDIY GrandmasHouseDIY on Jul 22, 2020

    Hi Mike, how many nails did he cover with caulk? If its a shingled roof there shouldn't be any exposed nail heads. If its a different kind of roof than that however there may be an acceptable reason.

  • Janice Janice on Jul 22, 2020

    Hi Mike, here's some info about roof installations. Unless your roof is flat, usually one row of nailed shingles is covered by the next layer (going from roof line at exterior wall up towards peak of roof) so no nails should be exposed except possibly at the very top, if there.

    Hope this article explains more thoroughly.

    https://www.iko.be/en/blog/most-common-mistakes-made-roofers-%E2%80%93-part-2#:~:text=You%20should%20use%20at%20least,the%20next%20row%20of%20shingles.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jul 22, 2020

    It is something that is an "appearance practice" and over time, any caulk will become brittle. If he has nailed the roofing properly, it should have no issues but you will be able to see the hopefully few that are visible. Most nails (actually roofing tacks) should not be visible because they are put into the shingle and another is laid across it.

  • Oliva Oliva on Jul 22, 2020

    Hi, Mike, I hope he used galvanized rink shank nails, appropriate for the job.

    Is your contract very descriptive? I've never heard of applying caulk over roofing nails.

  • What type of roof did you have installed? Was it a quick re roof over the top of the old roof? Or a complete remove and replace. Where I live there are several building codes to adhere to. Was this person even licensed? When I had my roof replaced (on several homes over the years), they were complete remove and replace jobs. Contractor must be licensed, contractor must pull permits and adhere to the inspection schedule. More info please. And what state are you in? Code varies greatly from state to state

  • EPDM Member EPDM Member on Dec 29, 2022

    Hi Mike, there shouldn’t be any visible nail tips on a shingled roof. However, if the roof is of another type, there can be a justifiable explanation. You can accomplish your roofing repair with our seam-tight roof coating that doesn’t require any difficult method to apply.

    https://www.epdmcoatings.com/seam-tight.php