Shingle bundles for 600 sq ft of roof
These counts are for 600 sq ft of actual roof surface, measured on the slope. Most architectural and 3-tab shingles come three bundles to a square (100 sq ft); some heavier premium shingles take four. Suppliers sell whole bundles, so each count is rounded up.
| Waste allowance | Squares to order | Bundles (3 a square) | Bundles (4 a square) |
|---|---|---|---|
| None (exact) | 6.0 | 18 | 24 |
| 10% (simple gable) | 6.6 | 20 | 27 |
| 15% (hip, valleys) | 6.9 | 21 | 28 |
| 20% (complex roof) | 7.2 | 22 | 29 |
You will also need about 1 roll of synthetic underlayment (1,000 sq ft rolls with 10% for laps), plus starter strip along the eaves and rakes and ridge cap along the ridges and hips.
If 600 sq ft is the house footprint
Many people know the floor area of the house, not the roof. A roof covers the footprint plus the overhang, and the slope makes it larger again. For a 30 × 20 ft house (600 sq ft) with a 1 ft overhang, the roof covers 704 sq ft in plan, and the table shows how the pitch adds to that. Bundles include 10% waste, at three a square.
| Roof pitch | Roof area (sq ft) | Squares | Bundles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/12 | 742 | 7.4 | 25 |
| 6/12 | 787 | 7.9 | 26 |
| 8/12 | 846 | 8.5 | 28 |
| 10/12 | 916 | 9.2 | 31 |
| 12/12 | 996 | 10.0 | 33 |
The roofing calculator on this page opens on 600 sq ft of roof surface. To work from a house instead, switch "What do you know?" to the house footprint and enter its size, overhang and pitch, or read how to calculate roofing squares step by step.
Weight, nails and edge metal
Architectural shingles weigh about 60 to 80 lb a bundle, so 20 bundles are roughly 1,400 lb (0.7 tons) to lift onto the roof, which is the hard part of the job. Spread bundles across the roof's rafters, never stacked in one spot.
At about 320 nails a square (four per shingle), a 6.0 square roof uses around 1,920 nails, which is a 25 lb box or a couple of coils for a nail gun. Drip edge runs along the eaves and up the rakes: measure those edges and divide by 10 for the number of 10 ft pieces.
A 600 sq ft roof: why the count jumps in whole bundles
600 sq ft of roof is 6.0 squares, which is 18 bundles exactly and 20 with 10% waste. That is the roof of a single garage, a workshop or a large shed. Shingles are sold only by the whole bundle, so the waste allowance here is 2 bundles on top of the exact count.
At three bundles a square, one bundle covers about 33 sq ft, so the spare bundles are about 67 sq ft of shingles for the cuts at the rakes and the ridge. On a plain two-sided roof that is usually enough, and an unopened bundle left over is worth keeping for repairs because a later batch may not match the color.
How much the overhang adds
The roof stops beyond the walls, and that strip is easy to forget. The 30 × 20 ft example house has 671 sq ft of roof at a 6/12 pitch if the roof ends flush with the walls, 787 sq ft with a 1 ft overhang all round, and 912 sq ft with a 2 ft overhang.
In bundles, with 10% waste, that is 23, 26 and 31. On a small building the overhang is a large share of the whole roof, so measure it: hold a tape from the wall to the edge of the eave, and do the same at the gable end, where the overhang is often smaller.
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Tools & materials for this project
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Frequently asked questions
How many bundles of shingles do I need for 600 square feet?
600 square feet of roof is 6 squares. At three bundles a square that is 18 bundles exactly, so buy 20 bundles with 10% for waste on a simple gable roof, or 21 with 15% for a hip roof or one with valleys.
How many squares is 600 square feet of roof?
6 squares, because one roofing square is 100 square feet. With 10% waste you order 6.6 squares, which suppliers round to whole bundles: 20.
What if 600 sq ft is the size of my house, not the roof?
Then the roof is bigger, because it slopes and overhangs the walls. A 30 × 20 ft house (600 sq ft) with a 1 ft overhang and a 6/12 pitch has about 787 sq ft of roof, which is 7.9 squares and 26 bundles with 10% waste.
Related sizes and guides
Estimates only. Results assume standard materials and simple shapes. Supplier products vary, and the final call on quantity, structure and safety is yours. Check your local code and your supplier's guidance before ordering.