Who Is Still Using Felt?

davitk

My eighteen year old nephew called me last night, re-doing the roof on his roommates house.

He wanted to know if it needed new drip edge.

Turns out the house is 100 years old, and still has wood shingles over skip sheathing plus two or three layers asphalt.

I think he needs new drip edge

And felt.

davitk

Hey, maybe I should direct him to CT?

bob_cntrctr

1. It protects the deck from light rain and heavy dew during installation

2. It provides an almost, but not entirely, imperceptible smoothing of the deck which reduces bending of the shingles over edges and, I find, just makes the surface look better

3. It will shed small amounts of driven rain and backed up snow melt that might get behind the shingles

4. It certain not to void your warranty

5. The lines provide a straight-line reference if used right

6. It's cheap.

Why would anyone NOT use it?

mattp

What do you guys think of this thought? If true then I think felt would be alot more important then we think now.

PA woodbutcher

I once patched a barn roof that had sections blown off. In some of these spots they had run out the felt paper and left spots that didn't have any. In these places the shingles were dry and brittle while most of the shingles on the rest of the roof were fairly supple. There was definitely a noticeable difference.

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neolitic

I believe that is really the main benefit.
I've seen the difference many times.
Sometimes you could even see it
from the ground.

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(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

MrRoofer

I once read saturated asphalt felt was mandatory underlay for fibreglass base shingles so as to meet the fire code rating on said shingles. Otherwise they burn better .

But I dont recall where I read it, or I would state that as fact.


Regardless, I think felt paper is a good minimum and maximum for underlay...I've seen senile roofs with no granules left on the shingles hold water out because somebody felted the whole thing first.

You can do without, but only under the right conditions, however no book or regulation is going to tell you that .

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MacRoadie

Like I said earlier, if you're building to the IRC or IBC, underlayment is mandatory.

21gun

You're exactly right. The wood will leach the moisture from the shingle and cause premature hardening which then makes the shingles more brittle.

Felt does not in any way help to keep the roof decking dry. Maybe some condensation properties... but that's really minimal.... Proper ventilation is key, many roofs back in the day that didnt have felt, also lacked proper ventilation... and this is why the roof decking on those homes usually seem so bad off. Lack of ventilation also voids all shingle warranties i've ever seen. Not placing the nails in the proper area, amount of nails, all has to be installed properly or they (manufacturer) can opt not to warranty your claim.

(only good shingling and craftsmanship will keep a roof from leaking.)

Gaf Timberlines are a great shingle... now with the elk merge... i dont know for sure any more. I'm layin some now... they are from the elk plant tho, as i know the feel of a timberline... These arent the timberlines i've laid for over 10 years... not as consistant in weight or cut. I'm a lil disappointed in the merge.

Felt is not optional. Put it down. If you dont the warranty is void, the shingles will not last as long and the next guy tearing it off will think you were a tight ass. You're tearing off a roof now to put a new one on? If the shingles are still laying flat and you're with in code limits for number of layers... why not reroof?

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woodworkbykirk

where im working we specialize in additions and we generally ice and water the entire roof to ensure its tight until the roofer gets there.

just wondering is this a bad idea, since my understanding is that the sheathing still needs to breathe per say and since the ice and water seals it completely could we be creating more problems

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davitk

I think it is a bad idea. Try a synthetic underlayment, goes down fast and can be left for several months.

WarnerConstInc.

I guess they will figure out new ways to cut corners with shingles near 90 bucks a square.

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21gun

Thought i should expand on that a little bit... i mean concerning penetrations, boots, flashings, vents, ect... you cant count on felt to make up for good shingling. If there is ice backing up, a dead valley or other consideration then you should use Grace Ice and water shield or similar. Wind driven rain same thing. felt is not meant to be waterproof... i.e. there is no warranty or life expectancy of felt. There are holes in felt from manufacturing sometimes. I dont mean perferated felt either. But a good felt job can keep some water out during construction. In the summer i would only felt what i was going to roof that day as some times it shrinks a good bit and pulls thru the staples. I refuse to use cap nails. I drop more than i smack with a hammer.

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carpet? no, we dont do carpet.
No sir... that spells CARPENTER.

21gun

I have not got any long term proof but i think the H2o shield would not hurt the roof decking or breathability. Think about roofs with 3 and more layers... is the decking really breathing much? I could be wrong here... i have used H2o for low sloped roofs of good size before to ensure the flats lasted as long as the steeper roofs... but really, other than spending good money to cover the whole thing in H20 i see no harm. Some H20 is not meant to be in the elements very long... so check the manufacturers suggestions. the sun can weaken it a bit sounds like.

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carpet? no, we dont do carpet.
No sir... that spells CARPENTER.

21gun

No joke! and there is no reason for them to be so high.... you can almost justify putting on a metal roof if you dont use edge trim... i get 40 year paint finished metal for 2.22 a foot. thats like 74 cents a sq foot.... Dimensional shingles are 90 cents a sq foot. The basic price of labor hasnt changed in years... the customers will be hoping to get some off the labor... but wont work with me. If i cant make 500 a day roofing i'll stay home. 400 minumum. that's at 45 a square labor. Do 10 or 15 square and go home...Hurt, grunt, cry, but love the money and go back the next day.

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carpet? no, we dont do carpet.
No sir... that spells CARPENTER.

MrRoofer

Of course.

However none of that means anything here.

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'I'm living on the edge!'

MacRoadie

Quite true.

The OP, however, doesn't live there, he lives here...

Winchester

Orange County vs. Maine

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Ryan

MacRoadie

America vs. Canuckistan...

We may be almost 3,000 miles apart, but California and Maine use the same building code, just as Alberta and BC do...

Maine

Okay guys, the job is just about done, and it looks outstanding. I have been busting my @ss for 2 weeks now after work and on the weekend, you roofers earn your money!