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How many roofing squares do I need?

Enter your roof footprint and pitch to get roofing squares, shingle bundles, and total roof area — with 10% waste built in.

ft

Ground footprint length, not the slope.

ft

Ground footprint width.

/12

A “6/12” roof rises 6 inches per foot. Enter 6.

You'll need about

14.8

roofing squares (with 10% waste)

1,342

sq ft roof area

45

shingle bundles

13.4

squares exact

Turn your roof measurements into a priced estimate your customer can approve. Build a free estimate.

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How this is calculated

footprint (ft²) × pitch factor = actual roof area · roof area ÷ 100 = roofing squares · squares × 1.10 = squares to order (waste) · 3 bundles per square for standard shingles. The pitch factor accounts for the slope — a steeper roof has more surface area than its footprint.

This is a planning estimate — always confirm against your supplier and the specifics of the job before ordering.

Roofing calculator: FAQ

What is a roofing square?

A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface. Roofers and suppliers quote materials in squares, so a 2,000 sq ft roof is 20 squares.

How many bundles of shingles do I need?

Standard three-tab and architectural shingles come three bundles to the square (100 sq ft). So a 20-square roof needs about 60 bundles — plus roughly 10% extra for waste, ridge caps, and starter strips.

How does roof pitch change the amount?

The steeper the roof, the more surface area it has above the same footprint. A 6/12 pitch roof has about 12% more area than a flat footprint; a 12/12 has about 41% more. This calculator applies the pitch factor for you.

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