Iredell and Rowan County Roof Replacement: Decking Done Right

The photo is a patch of new OSB decking going down on a roof replacement in our Iredell and Rowan County service area. It is the part of the job nobody ever sees. Once the underlayment and shingles go over it, that wood is covered for the life of the roof. That is exactly why it is worth showing you.

What we found under the old shingles

This home has a pool and a sunroom addition, and the plan was a brown architectural shingle roof from Owens Corning. Tear off came first. When the old shingles came off, sections of the decking were bad and had to come out. We cut those sections back to solid wood, checked what was underneath, and set new OSB in flush with the rest of the deck. Only then did underlayment go down over the whole roof. Nothing got covered until the deck was right. That is the order every roof replacement should follow, and it is the step a rushed crew skips.

Why decking gets replaced on a roof replacement

You cannot see decking from the ground. In most homes you cannot see much of it from the attic either, not with insulation in the way. It shows up on tear off day. And it shows up for a reason. Something has been letting water sit on that wood, usually for years before anyone noticed a stain on a ceiling.

• ▸Worn shingles and old nail holes that let water reach the sheathing
• ▸Weak attic ventilation that holds moisture against the underside of the deck
• ▸Leaks at pipe boots, valleys and flashing that were never properly fixed
• ▸Soft spots you can feel underfoot on the roof but cannot see from inside

What it means for your new roof

A new roof is only as good as the wood it is nailed to. Shingle nails need solid decking to hold, and wind is what tests them. Nail into soft sheathing and shingles can lift in the first hurricane remnant that comes through the piedmont. Manufacturer instructions expect a sound deck as well, so covering bad wood puts the whole install at risk. Replacing decking adds a little to the job. It is also the difference between a roof that lasts and a roof you deal with again. As a HAAG certified inspector and a GAF certified installer, that is not a corner we cut. We are a family owned roofing company, working here since 2020, A+ BBB rated, licensed and insured. 5.0 stars across 96 Google reviews is not luck. It is the same crew and the same owner on every roof.

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