Reference
Roofing Material Weights per Square
How much each roofing material weighs installed, for sizing a dumpster when it comes off and for checking the structure when it goes on.
Installed weight by material
| Material | Per square (100 sq ft) | Per square foot | Per m² (approx.) | Compared with architectural asphalt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt, three-tab | 230 to 250 lb | 2.3 to 2.5 lb | 11 to 12 kg | 0.8× |
| Asphalt, architectural | 250 to 350 lb | 2.5 to 3.5 lb | 12 to 17 kg | 1× |
| Asphalt, designer / luxury | 350 to 450 lb | 3.5 to 4.5 lb | 17 to 22 kg | 1.3× |
| Metal, exposed fastener | 80 to 150 lb | 0.8 to 1.5 lb | 4 to 7 kg | 0.4× |
| Metal, standing seam | 100 to 150 lb | 1 to 1.5 lb | 5 to 7 kg | 0.4× |
| Cedar shakes | 300 to 400 lb | 3 to 4 lb | 15 to 20 kg | 1.2× |
| Synthetic slate or shake | 250 to 400 lb | 2.5 to 4 lb | 12 to 20 kg | 1.1× |
| Concrete tile, standard | 900 to 1,100 lb | 9 to 11 lb | 44 to 54 kg | 3.3× |
| Concrete tile, lightweight | 500 to 700 lb | 5 to 7 lb | 24 to 34 kg | 2× |
| Clay tile | 600 to 1,100 lb | 6 to 11 lb | 29 to 54 kg | 2.8× |
| Natural slate, 3/16 in | 650 to 800 lb | 6.5 to 8 lb | 32 to 39 kg | 2.4× |
| Natural slate, 3/8 in | about 1,400 lb | about 14 lb | about 68 kg | 4.7× |
| Flat membrane (EPDM, TPO, PVC) | 30 to 60 lb | 0.3 to 0.6 lb | 1.5 to 3 kg | 0.15× |
Add about 1.5 lb per sq ft for ½-inch plywood sheathing and about 0.2 for underlayment.
Tear-off debris per square per layer
| Coming off | Per square per layer, with felt and nails | 22 squares, one layer |
|---|---|---|
| Asphalt, three-tab | about 255 lb | 2.8 tons |
| Asphalt, architectural | about 315 lb | 3.5 tons |
| Heavy asphalt | about 415 lb | 4.6 tons |
| Wood shakes | about 365 lb | 4 tons |
| Rolled or built-up | about 565 lb | 6.2 tons |
| Metal | about 135 lb | 1.5 tons |
| Tile | about 1,000 lb | 11 tons |
| Slate | about 800 lb | 9 tons |
What the weights mean for the structure
A change from asphalt to standard concrete tile adds about 7 lb per sq ft to the roof’s dead load: 7 tons on a 2,000 sq ft roof. Framing designed for shingles may not carry that with its snow load, and an engineer should check it before ordering. Metal and synthetic products weigh about the same as asphalt or less. Building codes allow at most one overlay over an existing roof (IRC R908.3.1.1); with an overlay both weights count.
Sources
Manufacturers’ installed weights for each product category (asphalt shingle makers’ product data, Westlake Royal and Eagle tile data, National Slate Association guidance, Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau, metal panel makers’ data sheets); ranges reflect product variation. Tear-off figures add about 15 lb per square per layer for felt, nails and flashing. A specific product’s data sheet weight is always better than a range.
Calculators that use this table
- The roof weight calculator compares the dead load before and after.
- The tear-off weight and dumpster calculator sizes the container.
- The tile calculator, the slate calculator and the synthetic slate calculator report the weight of the roof they count.
The guide tile and slate weight explains when weight becomes a structural question.