Taunton Press Roofing, Flashing, and Waterproofing

Why I reached for this roofing guide

A few seasons back, I had a punch list that looked like a tour of common roof failures: a stubborn chimney leak, a dormer with sloppy step flashing, and a low-slope porch roof that had seen better days. I wanted a single, trustworthy reference that could guide both planning and execution—not just a scatter of how-tos. Taunton’s roofing guide fit neatly into that gap. It’s a compact, 160-page eBook, but it reads like a field manual: practical, clearly illustrated, and focused on the little decisions that determine whether a roof lasts a decade or three.

What it covers—and how it’s organized

The book approaches roofing as part of the building envelope, not a standalone trade. That’s its core strength. It lays out material choices, sequencing, and detailing across:

• Steep-slope systems: asphalt shingles (3-tab and architectural), metal, wood, slate, and more
• Underlayments and ice protection
• Flashing at walls, chimneys, skylights, valleys, and penetrations
• Ventilation and moisture control
• Tear-off, prep, and layout

Each section couples a clean, step-by-step explanation with line drawings that highlight critical overlaps, nail placement, and water paths. It’s not bloated with theory, but it does consistently explain why a detail is needed—where water is likely to travel, and how to redirect it—so you can adapt the principle when conditions change on site.

What stood out in actual use

• Roof-to-wall transitions: The book’s breakdown of step flashing and counterflashing sequencing is both precise and forgiving. It stresses keeping each step flashing shingle-width, lapping correctly, and never relying on sealant where a mechanical lap will do better. I used these pages to rebuild a dormer intersection and stop wind-driven rain that had been sneaking behind the siding.

• Chimney flashing: The coverage on base, step, and counterflashing—plus saddle/cricket considerations for wider chimneys—helped me get beyond the “goo and hope” approach you still see in the field. The guidance to mechanically lock counterflashing into a mortar joint (with a proper reglet) and let gravity do the work is exactly what you want in a reference.

• Valleys: The book compares open metal valleys, closed-cut valleys, and woven shingle valleys with pros/cons for appearance, debris shedding, and longevity. I switched a gunk-prone closed-cut valley on a shaded roof to an open valley with a pre-bent metal “W,” and the difference in performance has been dramatic.

• Underlayments and sequencing: It walks through when to use self-adhered membranes for eaves, rakes, and vulnerable transitions, and how to layer drip edge and underlayment so water always laps out and over. It’s the kind of sequencing that prevents mystery leaks without a single bead of caulk.

• Ventilation: The treatment of intake and exhaust balance is concise but enough to correct a common mistake: adding ridge vents without adequate soffit intake. The book’s takeaways made it easier to spec baffles and clear blocked soffits on a reroof.

• Quality control: I like that it highlights telling little mistakes—exposed fasteners in flashing bends, starter course misalignment, overdriven nails—that compromise a roof long before a storm tests it.

None of this is flashy. It’s the blocking and tackling of roofing and waterproofing, presented clearly enough that you can hand it to a crew lead or keep it open on a tablet while you work.

The Kindle eBook experience

On a tablet, the line drawings and photo sequences are crisp and easy to zoom without losing detail. On a phone, some dense layouts become cramped, but the tap-to-zoom gets you there. The table of contents is well-structured, and I relied on the search function constantly—typing “kickout,” “cricket,” or “counterflashing” to jump to what I needed in seconds. For field use, that quick access matters as much as the content.

Where it’s strongest

• Clarity and consistency: The sequencing rules—lap this over that, interrupt the water path here, vent this cavity there—are repeated and reinforced across materials. That consistency builds confidence on site.

• Illustrations that teach: The drawings aren’t decorative; they show exactly where fasteners go, where laps break, and how far to extend a membrane relative to an edge or penetration. They’re also honest about where to stop—no overpromising a “universal” detail that ignores product-specific requirements.

• Breadth without fluff: While it’s not an encyclopedic code manual, it covers the systems you’ll most often see and the failure points you’ll most often inherit.

• Practical problem-solving: For fixes and retrofits, I found the guidance directly applicable, especially for chimneys, skylights, and roof-to-wall joints where water has multiple opportunities to exploit a weak link.

Where it falls short

• Not a substitute for manufacturer specs: For metal, slate, and low-slope membranes, the book gives you fundamentals and best practices, but you’ll still need to cross-check profiles, fasteners, and bend details against specific manufacturers’ instructions. That’s the right message, but it means you shouldn’t expect a single stop for highly specialized systems.

• Dated product references: Roofing materials and accessories evolve quickly. The principles here hold up, but some product mentions (especially underlayments, high-temperature membranes, and integrated flashing kits) will feel a generation old. Treat the text as a standard workflow and verify the exact products available in your market.

• Regional codes and practices: The guidance is rooted in common North American practice. If you work where local codes or customary details differ, use this as a conceptual baseline and adapt accordingly.

• Limited low-slope depth: There’s useful coverage of low-slope basics, but for full-on flat roof systems (EPDM, TPO, modified bitumen) you’ll want a deeper, system-specific manual.

Actionable takeaways I found reliable

• Always build from the water’s point of view. If an overlap depends on sealant alone, you’re one season away from a callback.

• Kickout flashing at roof-to-wall terminations isn’t optional. It’s the easiest way to prevent rot in cladding at those transitions.

• Balance intake and exhaust ventilation. Overventing the ridge without soffit intake starves the system and invites condensation.

• Sequence drip edge and underlayment thoughtfully. Eaves, rakes, and ice protection each require a specific order so runaway water can’t backtrack.

• Protect penetrations with boots and secondary laps, then shingle around them—never through them.

These seem basic, but the book’s reinforcement of them, paired with clean drawings, made the difference in the repairs I tackled.

Who will get the most from it

• Working carpenters and remodelers who handle occasional roofing or frequent tie-ins to walls and chimneys
• Small GC’s and crew leads who need a common reference for training
• Inspectors and owners who want to evaluate workmanship and materials with a practiced eye
• Ambitious DIYers managing a re-roof or overseeing a contractor

If you already specialize in slate restoration, custom standing-seam details, or commercial membranes, you’ll still find the roof-to-wall, flashing, and water-management chapters valuable, but you won’t rely on this as your sole authority.

The bottom line

This roofing guide doesn’t try to be clever. It aims to make roofs and transitions last, and it succeeds by staying focused on fundamentals, backed by clear drawings and sensible sequencing. I used it to plan repairs, supervise install steps, and double-check details I hadn’t touched in years. It won’t replace manufacturer documentation or local codes, and it won’t cover every niche product released since 2015, but as a compact field reference, it’s a steady hand.

Recommendation: I recommend this eBook to builders, remodelers, and serious DIYers who want a reliable, illustration-rich reference for roofing, flashing, and waterproofing. It’s particularly strong for roof-to-wall details, chimneys, valleys, and underlayment sequencing—the places where a typical roof either excels or fails. Pair it with current manufacturer specs and local code checks, and you’ll have a trustworthy foundation for durable roof work.