Roofing Square

Definition

A roofing square is the standard unit of measurement in the roofing industry. One square equals 100 square feet of roof surface area. Roofers use squares instead of square feet because most materials — shingles, underlayment, ice and water shield — are priced and packaged per square. A typical residential roof in the US is between 15 and 35 squares. Always measure actual roof surface (not house footprint) to get the correct square count, since pitch adds surface area beyond the footprint.