How to Fill Holes in Shingles
- 1). Remove any seriously damaged shingles. To remove asphalt shingles, smash them with a hammer and then use the back of a claw hammer to remove the nails. To remove wood shingles (such as cedar), wedge a chisel or prybar under the old shingle and pull to break the wood apart, and then use the back of a claw hammer to remove the nails.
- 2). Slide a replacement shingle into place and use at least three nails to secure it, one on either side and one in the center. Make sure that the shingle aligns precisely with the adjacent shingles before nailing.
- 3). Squeeze the trigger of the caulk gun (which should contain caulk or roofing cement) onto the shingle to produce a small amount of caulk.
- 4). Spread the caulk or cement flat over smaller holes or cracks. Use a broken piece of shingle or a putty knife to manipulate the caulk into position. Cover any added nail heads with the caulk or roofing cement.
- 5). Repaint or restain the area as needed, for shingle siding. For roofing shingles, consider rubbing two spare shingles together over the caulk or cement. The resulting shingle grains will mask most of the blemish.
