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Units of Measureaka: roofing squareaka: SQ

Square (roofing)

In Plain English

A roofing unit equal to 100 square feet of roof area.

Definition

In roofing, a square is a unit of measure equal to 100 square feet of roof surface area. Roofing materials—including shingles, tiles, underlayment, and built-up roofing—are specified, estimated, and priced per square. Contractors measure roof area by calculating the total number of squares, accounting for slope and waste factors, to determine the quantity of materials to order.

Example

A 3,200 square foot gable roof has 32 squares of area; at a cost of $95 per square for architectural shingles installed, the shingle cost is $3,040.

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