How Many Bundles of Shingles Do You Need for 1,000 Sq Ft?

Short answer: 1,000 sq ft of roof surface is 10 squares, or 30 bundles of standard shingles. Add waste and you order about 33 bundles for a simple gable roof or 35 for a hip roof. But if 1,000 sq ft is the size of your house, you need more. Here is how to tell which number you have.

The math in one line

A roofing square is 100 sq ft of roof surface. Most 3-tab and architectural shingles come 3 bundles per square (about 33.3 sq ft per bundle). Some heavy and designer shingles are 4 or 5 bundles per square, so always read the wrapper. ⌈ ⌉ means round up, because suppliers don't sell partial bundles.

Bundles for 1,000 sq ft by waste and shingle type

Starter strip and hip & ridge cap are extra, covered below. Not sure which waste figure fits? The waste factor calculator works it out from your hips and valleys.

Is 1,000 sq ft your roof or your house?

This is the most common mistake. Floor area isn't roof area. A roof is bigger than the footprint for two reasons:

• Slope. A sloped surface is longer than the flat distance it covers. At 6/12 the roof is 11.8% bigger than its footprint. At 9/12 it is 25% bigger. See the pitch multiplier table.
• Overhangs. Eaves and rakes usually stick out 12 to 24 inches past the walls on every side.

Going the other way, a two-story house with 2,000 sq ft of living space may have only a 1,000 sq ft footprint, so its roof is sized like a 1,000 sq ft ranch.

Bundles by house footprint and pitch

For your own numbers, use the roof area calculator and then the shingle bundle calculator. The full shingle calculator also adds underlayment, starter, cap and nails in one go.

Don't forget starter and ridge cap

• Starter strip runs along the eaves, and usually the rakes too. A bundle covers roughly 80 to 120 linear feet depending on the product. The 42 × 27 ft gable above has 84 ft of eaves and about 60 ft of rakes, so about 145 LF, or 2 bundles.
• Hip & ridge cap covers about 20 to 35 LF per bundle. A 42 ft ridge at 25 LF per bundle is 2 bundles. Hip roofs need much more, because every hip gets capped as well. The drip edge and ridge cap calculator does both.

Weight and delivery

Standard architectural bundles weigh about 60 to 80 lb each. That puts 33 bundles at roughly a ton (2,000 to 2,600 lb). Most suppliers will rooftop-load for a fee, which is worth it, since otherwise you're carrying every bundle up a ladder. Have them spread the bundles along the ridge instead of stacking them all in one spot.

For roofers: ordering tips

• Measure (or buy a report on) the roof surface and order by the square. Don't order from the homeowner's living area.
• Round up to full squares on every color you order. Returns of opened bundles are often refused, and a short order costs more than one leftover bundle.
• Keep 1 or 2 bundles from the same lot for the homeowner, for future repairs. Color varies between production runs.

Coverage per bundle varies by product. The wrapper (or the spec sheet) gives the exact square feet per bundle and bundles per square. When it disagrees with this page, go with the wrapper.

Last reviewed 2026-10-10. Results are estimates for planning; confirm quantities with your supplier and requirements with your local building code and the manufacturer's instructions.