In November 2026, Stanley Roof and Solar replaced the roof and gutters on Garett’s newly purchased four-unit building in the Lents neighborhood of Portland, OR. The 18-year-old roof was leaking in several areas, so we replaced 12 sheets of rotted plywood and 160 linear feet of rotted barge rafters and fascia, improved the attic ventilation and installed a complete Malarkey roofing system with new white gutters.
Project at a glance
- Location: Lents, Portland, OR
- Completed: November 2026
- Services: roof replacement and gutter installation
- Shingles: Malarkey Vista AR, Silverwood
- Underlayment: Malarkey 1040 Secure Start Permeable
- Repairs: 12 sheets of plywood, 160 linear feet of barge rafters and fascia
About the area
Lents is a neighborhood in outer Southeast Portland, named for settler Oliver P. Lent. Johnson Creek and the Springwater Corridor trail run through it.
The challenge and how we solved it
The challenge: Garett had just bought this 2½-story building with four units. The roof was leaking in several areas, and the gutters leaked at the corners from poorly sealed joints and end caps. The decorative dormers had been built without proper underlayment, so their plywood and barge rafters had rotted, and the attic showed moisture from poor ventilation. Builder-grade shingles and the original workmanship had let an 18-year-old roof fail early.
The solution: the crew replaced every piece of rotted wood before roofing, which took two extra days. They installed breathable underlayment and added a ridge vent and new bird-block intake vents so the attic can dry out, then finished with new gutters. The owner received a Malarkey Pro warranty.
What we did
- Removed the old roof.
- Replaced 12 sheets of rotted plywood with new 5-ply structural CDX plywood.
- Replaced 160 linear feet of rotted barge rafters and fascia, including on the decorative dormers.
- Installed Malarkey 1040 Secure Start Permeable underlayment with Stinger plastic cap nails, plus Malarkey 401 Arctic Seal and Smart Start starter shingles.
- Installed Malarkey Vista AR shingles in Silverwood with EZ-Ridge hip and ridge caps, Lifetime Tool pipe flashings and a new bath vent.
- Added a ridge vent and new bird-block intake vents.
- Installed new 6-inch K-style gutters in white to match the building.
The finished project
What the homeowner said
Garett R.
Just wow… I recently purchased a large 2 1/2 story multifamily property that apparently the previous owners maintenance strategy was to just hope for the best. Some of the items we uncovered I did not know about until the tenants brought it up. There was so much rotten wood on the roof and around the roof. It took an extra two days for the Stanley crew to repair or replace it all.
Joe with Stanley kept me updated every step of the way with these cool drone pictures. They showed up ever, early and worked as late as light allowed. Entering the rainy season here in Portland and not a lot of parking in Lentz kind of necessitated them working as many hours as possible and I’m glad they did.
I could not be happier with Joe, Luke, and the rest of the guys. They get my highest recommendation.
Why these materials
Malarkey Vista AR shingles in Silverwood. Vista AR has the same Class 4 hail impact rating and NEX rubberized asphalt as Vista, plus 3M copper granules that Malarkey says help prevent the black streaks caused by blue-green algae, backed by a 25-year algae warranty. Malarkey lists twice the rain seals of standard shingles and up to 130 mph enhanced wind warranty.
Malarkey 1040 Secure Start Permeable underlayment. Malarkey’s breathable synthetic underlayment. It is designed to keep water from getting into the roof while helping attic moisture escape, which helps the attic on this building dry out after years of poor ventilation.
Malarkey 401 Arctic Seal. A waterproof, self-adhering underlayment that Malarkey makes for the areas of a roof most likely to leak. Its self-sealing sheet protects against leaks around nails.
Malarkey Smart Start starter shingles. Made with NEX rubberized asphalt, with rubberized adhesive bonds that Malarkey says give extra seal-down and wind protection at the eave and rake edges, where wind usually gets under a roof first.
Malarkey EZ-Ridge hip and ridge shingles. High-profile hip and ridge caps color matched to the field shingles. Malarkey rates them UL Class 4 for impact resistance and adds Scotchgard Protector for algae resistance.
Lifetime Tool pipe flashings and bath vents. Pipe penetrations are one of the most common leak points on a roof, so every plumbing vent got a new pipe flashing and the bathroom fan got a new roof vent.
Plastic cap nails for the underlayment. The underlayment is fastened with Stinger plastic cap nails instead of plain staples. The wide plastic cap holds the sheet flat and seals around the nail, so the deck stays dry if rain arrives before the shingles go on.
Ridge vent and bird-block intake vents. Air comes in through the new intake vents at the eaves and leaves through the ridge vent, which keeps moisture from building up in the attic.
6-inch K-style gutters in white. New gutters replaced the old ones that leaked at the corners, finished in white to match the building.
Keeping your roof in good shape
- On older buildings with decorative dormers, have the dormer underlayment and trim checked. These dormers had no proper underlayment, and that is where most of the rot started.
- Watch for moss. Damp, shaded roofs in the Pacific Northwest grow it fast, and moss holds water against the shingles. A roof maintenance visit can treat it before it lifts the shingle edges.
- Clear fir needles and leaves out of the valleys and off the roof after fall windstorms, so rain can run off instead of pooling behind the debris.
- Clean the gutters at least twice a year, in spring and fall, and every 3 to 4 months under heavy tree cover. Clogged gutters overflow onto the fascia and eaves, which is how eave boards rot.
- Look the roof over from the ground after big wind or rain events. The National Weather Service Portland office issues wind and storm warnings for Clark County and the Portland metro, and missing or lifted shingles should be checked before the next storm.
- Keep the attic vents clear. Insulation or stored items blocking the intake vents cuts off the airflow that keeps the attic dry.
Frequently asked questions
Sometimes a lot. This Lents building needed 12 sheets of plywood and 160 linear feet of barge rafters and fascia replaced, which added two days to the job.
On this building, the decorative dormers had no proper underlayment and the shingles were builder grade, so water got in long before the roof should have worn out.
Yes. After the roof was finished, Stanley installed new 6-inch gutters in white on this Lents building.
Yes. Stanley Roof and Solar replaced the roof on this four-unit building in the Lents neighborhood in November 2026.
Planning a roof project in Portland?
Stanley Roof and Solar inspects roofs across Clark County and the Portland metro and tells you honestly whether you need a repair or a replacement. See our Portland, OR roofing services, learn about our roof replacement process, see our gutter installation, browse more Stanley Roof and Solar projects, or get a free estimate.