The Purpose of Starter Shingles - Their Use & Function

The Purpose of Starter Shingles - Their Use & Function

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Every roof has to start somewhere, and that somewhere is at the appropriately named starter shingle (also called starter strip). Starter shingles are the initial shingle products installed on the roof, just before the first course of the finish shingles, which will comprise the visible parts of the roof.

Since the starter shingles will be covered by the roof shingles, it doesn't matter what color they are, (except in special situations – see below). Consequently, starter shingles are generally covered with natural, darker, uncolored roofing granules. And they’re usually a generic rectangular shingle shape, so they can be compatible for use with any overlying shingle style. Otherwise, they are essentially made the same as any other fiberglass-reinforced, asphalt shingle.

IKO's starter shingle product, Leading Edge Plus, offers the latest evolution in roof starter strips. Professional contractors who make the smart decision to use them will find they save time, are easy to install, and are consistently sized. Each Leading Edge Plus starter strip ‘shingle’ is perforated right down the middle so that you get two starter strips out of each roof shingle.

Where do they go?

Historically, starter strip shingles have been used not only at the lower eave edge of the roof, but experienced professionals also use them at the gable, or rake edges of roofs. At the eave, the starters provide a simple way to ‘cover’ the joints between the finish shingles in the first course, ensuring complete water-shedding roof coverage. As well, starter shingles have a sealant strip, and, when positioned correctly, the sealant strip will be on the top surface and at the lowest edge of the roof.

At the roof's rake edges, the starter doesn’t necessarily perform that joint-covering function it performs at the eave, but it is integral in the roof's overall wind resistance. At the rake, the sealant strip will be positioned at the outer roof edge and once warmed by the sun, it will help seal the rake ends of all the finish roof shingles. A simpler and very useful purpose for using starter shingles along the rake edge is that it gives the installer a nice straight line to use as a guide when ending each course of the field shingles.

Whether installed at the eave or the rake, the starter shingles should overhang the edge of the roof by ½ inch to ¾ inch. Typically, the finish shingles are then installed to align with the edge of the starters.

Do they have sealant?

Yes, they do. A critical requirement for starter shingles is that they DO have sealant, down at the shingle’s lower edge (or outer edge at the rake). At this location, the sealant is very useful: At the eave, it seals the bottom edge of the first course of shingles, and, at the rake, it helps seal the shingle ends in each course, mitigating wind uplift. Leading Edge Plus starter shingles have a strip of IKO's aggressive FastLock sealant on each shingle piece to help overall roof system performance.

The Importance of Starter Strips

Starter strips are an important and integral part of an asphalt shingle roof system. They aid the roof's water-shedding function by covering shingle joints at the eaves. They greatly improve the roof's wind resistance by sealing the finished shingles to the roof at eaves and rakes. Whether you choose ready-to-use starters, like Leading Edge Plus, or cut starters manually from three-tab shingles, ensure that your roofers install them along all roof edges.

To learn more about starter strip shingles or to have them installed on your roof, please visit our Contractor Locator to find a local roofer in your area.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Laminated Asphalt Shingle.

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