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Discussion Forum

What Are the Best Shoes/Boots 4 Roofing

JohnNYCT | Posted in Tools for Home Building on June 12, 2005 05:56am

We’re really K&B & finish contractors and I haven’t shingled a roof in years but I’m doing an addition on my on home and re-roofing the whole house this summer so I’m wondering what’s the best thing to wear in the way of footwear up there?

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  1. brownbagg | Jun 12, 2005 06:36am | #1

    cheapy 5 dollar tennis shoes. the one with the rubber toe.

    1. JohnNYCT | Jun 12, 2005 06:50am | #2

      That's actually what I was thinking only basketball sneakers. My son has lots of old pairs and I'm sure he would give his dad a hand-me-down pair. My one concern would be safety. In the shop we all wear steel toe shoes and boots but I was thinking they wouldn't be that comfortable after spending a whole day on a pitched roof.

  2. cliffy | Jun 12, 2005 07:41am | #3

    Your old running shoes and don't use black shingles.

    Have a good day

    Cliffy

  3. User avater
    Sphere | Jun 12, 2005 07:47am | #4

    hehehheheee..flatest you can get. Soft compound. I just got another pair of the Brahmas for less than 25..steel toe too.

    Here is where we stick..

    View Image

      Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    Time, time, time look what's become of us..
    Time is all we have, spend it wisely with fervor..dance for no reason, love with out plans and live without worries..we all can.

    1. theslateman | Jun 12, 2005 11:48am | #7

      NICE looking roof.

      Are you guys forming 8' pans on a brake for your runs or do you use a pan former

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Jun 12, 2005 01:16pm | #8

        Green Cu here fabs em all in his shop....10' to be exact.  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        Time, time, time look what's become of us..Time is all we have, spend it wisely with fervor..dance for no reason, love with out plans and live without worries..we all can.

        1. VaTom | Jun 12, 2005 07:48pm | #9

          I was thinkin' of you yesterday.  Farm auction, a huge one, 2 auctioneers all day.  'Way dwarfed my collection of junk.  Sawmill building was easily 5000 sq ft, and stuffed.  One of several buildings.  The sawmill only brought $2800, but it was more than I wanted to move.

          Around 1200 lbs of copper, but unusually wide, maybe 28".  I let somebody else have it for less than half new price (I have that much surplus here now and no immediate project).  Then there were 2 pairs of foot seamers.  Bid on both, but somebody else wanted them more.  I can still borrow a set whenever from my retired friend.

          For this thread, I find Bean boots great for traction and comfort.  But I wouldn't know anything about asphalt shingles.

          You didn't answer the question about the Greencu's pan forming.  I was hoping for a 10' brake yesterday at the auction, but all he had was a 5'.  And both metal lathes were too big.  Maybe the next auction...

           

           PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!

          1. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 12, 2005 08:07pm | #10

            I apologize for missing the question..LOL

            G has a serious shear and a brake to die for..all "good ol" stuff.

            We're talking tons here...

            Did you know ya don't really need both crimpers?  The seconday folder will lock the first fold ( and if the grind the weld outta the jaw, it won't leave a monkeybutt ) just use it opposite way.

            I found that out the hard way..carried two tools when one would suffice.  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Insert your favorite George Harrison song  HERE.

          2. VaTom | Jun 12, 2005 08:32pm | #11

            You lost me.  Back when I was searching for seamers Greencu posted a pic of a hand seamer, used for what I thought were his pans.  As I understood it, only one tool needed.  He was surprised when he realized what I was looking for.

            These are "stompers" used with tong-formed pans of whatever length.  I routinely ran +12'.  One seamer is 1/4" shorter (off the pan bottom) than the other.  Pretty sure I'd have to start with the longer one to get a decent looking fold.  And it wouldn't fit in to make the second fold at all.

            We talking about the same thing?  A brief Google didn't yield a pic and as I was too cheap, I got nothing to photograph.  PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!

          3. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 12, 2005 08:48pm | #12

            I sorta recall that thread..I know the tools are blue and yellow..primary lock is a bit shorter cuz ya don't need quite as much ooomphh, as ya do to fold the final crimp.

            I have not seen the "stompers" yet...sounds like a blast.. (riiiiigggghhht)..  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Insert your favorite George Harrison song  HERE.

          4. VaTom | Jun 12, 2005 09:22pm | #13

            Found it: 52169.13

            Links don't work anymore, but I remember what they looked like.  He also mentions one tool being adequate.

            Stompers are fun on a chicken ladder.  Contortion time if you want to hang onto the ladder while you stomp and hold the tool handles with the other hand.  But these tools make 1 man installation quite simple.  After the contortions you go down the ladders to make another pan, carry it up, and do it all over again.  No brake or forming machine required.  All the tools fit in the trunk of your car.  Well, maybe not the ladder.

            Health club?  I don't need no stinkin' health club.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!

          5. User avater
            Sphere | Jun 12, 2005 09:34pm | #14

            Oh god..don't say make a pan by hand.  BTDT around the chimennies....3 on this one.

            I made a pretty cool prep tool for the locks on top an bottom..

            I took a 1/2 " bar of soft alummieeieum..and ripped it to 2" wide..A common increment for the stand up at a penetration...then made a kerf slightly off center and about 5/8ths deep.

            Make the reliefs on the pans corners and slide the prep over the 1/2 or so "tail" of bendable distance..the tool follows the depth of your relief cuts..real handy for the running locks.  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Insert your favorite George Harrison song  HERE.

          6. theslateman | Jun 12, 2005 10:43pm | #15

            The blue and yellow tools are German made -System Rau .

            Stortz handles them as well as N.A. Boecker.They work really well for first and second locks as you stated.

  4. dIrishInMe | Jun 12, 2005 09:28am | #5

    Assuming you are talking about asphalt shingles, don't wear shoes with lugged soles.  When the roof gets hot, the rough tread shoes tear up the roof surface somethin' fearce.  Get a piece of foam rubber like from an old couch cushion.  You sit on that on the side of your a$$ and it gives great traction.
     

    Matt
  5. Gumshoe | Jun 12, 2005 09:39am | #6

    I'm a remodeler/carpenter, and I recently re-roofed an entire (small) building, mostly by myself, with a little help from my teenage daughter. I would add this piece of advice: No matter how comfortable your shoes are, don't go up there and spend 8 hours, or anywhere near it, on day one. You'll pay a heavy price if you do.

    Allow yourself only a few hours roof-time each day, and work up to a full day over an extended period of time. You have to give your body time to acclimate to the very different balance/muscle-use required for working on a canted surface for extended periods of time.

  6. Piffin | Jun 13, 2005 01:22am | #16

    I saw trhis had a lot of resoponces and figured there were a lot of roofers already telling you how to lace up, but seems to be some offtopic posts.

    So here is my two cents worth - partly it depends on the pitch of th eroof and the type of materials.

    LLBean gum rubber is great for gription on steel or plywood as long as it is clean. I used to weaar them roofing in winter, which this ain't, and if you are still doing this job by then, it might be time to hire it done.

    Sphere is right for sure about soft material and flat bottoms. hard polyurethene soles are WAY too slick, and large lugs will damage asphalt shingles, while the flat surface puts more material in contact with the roof for more friction which equals gription.

    Speaking of friction, if the shoes/boots don't fit fairly snug, your feet will slide inside them, and the friction willl give you blisters. Hot roofs can give you blisters too. I always wore two pairs of socks for roofing. learnmed that from hikeing and backpacking in younger days. That way, much of the sliding and friction occours between the pairsof socks instaed of between sock and skin, soi you get fewer problems of that kind. The double ply also helps shield the foot from heat off the roof. They are going to sweat anyway, so ignore the trapped body heat. It is less than the other.

    I never card for sneakers, They are too flimsy for support, which your ankles might need. Running or basketball shoes can be OK - hightops.

    I like leather work or upland hunting boots with flat soles, myself, but no need to buy special just for one roof.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. FramerT | Jun 13, 2005 02:38am | #17

      I see roofers with plain-jane square chunks of foam rubber...the stuff used in your sofa.Use it to sit on, set tools on,etc.

    2. User avater
      xxPaulCPxx | Jun 13, 2005 02:44am | #18

      I've found full length gel soles help some of my wider footwear fit better.  Not the Dr. Scholes though - their tread pattern collapses and makes them too thin.  Feet feel less tired at the end of the day too.

      As far as damaging the shingles, if you have no choice but to work in the heat you may want to look into starting from the top and working down.  FHB has a writup on how to do this.  I may be doing this just because I am a total clutz.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

      Also a CRX fanatic!

      1. Piffin | Jun 13, 2005 03:39am | #19

        In the deep south, we worked above the shingles, but pitches are lower theere. Up north pitches trend to run much steeper and it gets uncomnfortable doing a dep enough squat to do anything steeper than 6/12 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  7. User avater
    Dinosaur | Jun 13, 2005 07:59am | #20

    When I'm stripping, I usually wear my ordinary work boots. But once the new roof is going up, I wear an old, beat-to-snot pair of cheapie suede sneakers with a natural rubber sole worn smooth. It is very hard to find 'gum' or 'crepe' rubber-soled sneaks these days; all the stuff sold in the stores seems to be made with EVA outsoles, which are too hard, not sticky enough, and too thick. You can't feel the roof through 'em, which I like to do so I know what I'm stepping on before I commit to that foothold....

    It it's real hot, we start at 4:30 or 5:00 am and knock off about 10ish (unless there's a north face that doesn't get any sun). Go swimmin' or siesta whatever ya like. Back up on the roof again about 4pm and go until about 9:00 when it starts to get dark....

    I got a small one starting in a few days; if the current weather is any guide, it's gonna be like that....

    Dinosaur

    A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...

    But it is not this day.

    1. User avater
      xxPaulCPxx | Jun 13, 2005 10:04am | #21

      Based on what you just said, you should try on a pair of "Vans" shoes.  They were popular in the 80's with some of their checkered styles, popular with skateboarders as well.  They have very sticky gum soles that you can definitly feel the ground underneith - nearly like being barefoot.  They were too much for my feet to walk around in, but turned out to be good starter shoes for playing raquetball.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA

      Also a CRX fanatic!

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