I’ve managed a few tile roofs over the years, and honestly, underlayment is what’s saved us from major headaches. Sealants just don’t hold up—especially after a couple freeze-thaw cycles. Like you said,
That’s been my experience too. Synthetic underlayment has outlasted every patch job I’ve tried, especially in spots where tiles shift or crack. Flashing failures are another story... but for keeping things dry long-term, I’d always bet on solid underlayment over any sealant.“looked fine for a couple months, then just cracked and flaked off after our first freeze.”
“looked fine for a couple months, then just cracked and flaked off after our first freeze.”
That’s the story every time up here in the Midwest. I’ve watched sealant patches peel like old paint after one bad winter. Underlayment’s not perfect, but it’s the only thing that’s kept my attic dry through hail and ice storms. Flashing’s a pain, but at least you can see when it fails—sealant just gives you false hope.
“sealant just gives you false hope.”
That line sums it up. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen folks slap on some sealant thinking it’ll buy them a few years, only to be back at square one after the first real cold snap. Underlayment isn’t glamorous, but at least it’s not pretending to be something it’s not. I’d rather deal with flashing repairs than chase leaks from failed sealant patches any day.
