Had a client last summer who wanted torch-down on his detached garage. Fire marshal rolled up mid-install—turns out, neighbor called about the flames. That was... awkward. The install crew was legit, but even pros can’t control every variable, especially with old, dry wood underneath. I get why insurance companies get twitchy about torch-down. Peel-and-stick isn’t perfect, but it’s a lot less stressful than babysitting a propane torch on a windy day. Prep still takes forever though—scraping off ancient layers is its own kind of pain.
I’ve always been a little nervous about open flame near old framing, especially on detached garages where nobody’s watching 24/7. For those who’ve done both, does peel-and-stick hold up as well long-term? I’ve heard mixed things about its durability in colder climates.
I get where you’re coming from—open flame on old wood always makes me a little twitchy, especially after seeing what a stray spark can do in a dry summer. I’ve patched up more than one garage after someone got a little too confident with torch-down. As for peel-and-stick, I’ve seen it hold up surprisingly well in cold snaps, but it really depends on the brand and how fussy you are with prep. One winter, a buddy’s peel-and-stick started curling at the edges, but he admitted he rushed it and skipped primer. On my own shed, it’s been five years and still tight as a drum... but I babied every seam. Not perfect, but I’ll take that over fire risk any day.
Had to laugh a little at the “babied every seam” bit—totally get that. I’m always looking for ways to save a buck, so torch-down seemed tempting at first, but the fire risk just made me too nervous. Last summer, my neighbor tried it on his old shed. All was going fine until a gust of wind sent some embers under the eaves... he ended up with a scorched patch and a lot of cursing. Insurance didn’t love that story either.
I went the peel-and-stick route for my own flat roof, mostly because I could do it myself and not worry about burning the place down. Took my time, cleaned everything, and used a roller on every edge. Not gonna lie, I was skeptical, but three years in and no leaks so far—even through a couple nasty freeze-thaw cycles. I think you’re right: prep is everything. It’s not perfect, but for the price and peace of mind, I’ll stick with it over playing with fire.
- I totally get the fire worry—my nerves couldn’t handle torch-down either.
- Peel-and-stick felt way more doable for me, too. Not perfect, but no leaks so far.
- Curious if anyone’s tried those newer liquid-applied membranes? Wondering if they’re as DIY-friendly as peel-and-stick or just hype...
