I hear you on the spray stuff not sticking to dirty or damp surfaces—had the same issue after a spring storm. For me, the peel-and-stick membrane held up way better, but it was a pain to get it to lay flat on older shingles. Has anyone tried using roof cement with mesh for a quick patch? Wondering if that combo lasts longer in wet climates.
Tried the roof cement and mesh trick last fall when a branch punched a hole through my old asphalt shingles. I’ll say this: it’s messy, and if you’re not careful, you end up with more on your hands than the roof. The patch held up through a couple of heavy rains, but by the third storm, I noticed a bit of seepage around the edges. Maybe I didn’t feather it out enough, or maybe the cold weather made it stiffen up too quick.
Honestly, in my experience, nothing really sticks for long if the shingles are curling or the surface is damp. I’ve had better luck with the peel-and-stick stuff too, but like you said, getting it to lay flat on older roofs is a pain. The cement and mesh combo might buy you some time, but I wouldn’t count on it as a long-term fix—especially if you’re somewhere wet like the PNW. At some point, I just had to bite the bullet and replace a few shingles. Not fun, but at least I stopped playing whack-a-mole with leaks...
- Had a similar situation last winter—branch went through two layers of 3-tab on my 90s roof. Used the mesh and cement, but honestly, it was more like a temporary bandaid than a real fix.
- Tried to save a few bucks with the peel-and-stick patches too. They held for a bit, but once the temps dropped below freezing, everything started curling up at the edges again.
- Totally agree about the mess. I had to throw out a pair of gloves after that job... stuff gets everywhere.
- In my case, I ended up cutting out the worst shingles and sliding new ones underneath. Not fun in the rain, but at least it stopped the constant drip by the bathroom vent.
- For anyone trying to stretch things: tarps work in a pinch, but they flap around and look awful. Still, better than waking up to water on the floor.
- If your shingles are curling or cracked, nothing really lasts long-term. Sometimes spending a little extra upfront (like on a bundle of new shingles) saves money—and headaches—down the line.
- Just my two cents from patching things up on a tight budget.
Yeah, I hear you on the “bandaid” repairs—mesh and cement never held up for me either, especially once winter hit. Tarps are ugly, but sometimes you just have to pick the lesser evil till you can get real work done. Honestly, patching with new shingles is the only thing that’s lasted more than a season for me. It’s a hassle, but you’re right—spending a bit more upfront saves a lot of headaches (and buckets) later. These quick fixes are really just buying time.
Tarps are ugly, but sometimes you just have to pick the lesser evil till you can get real work done.
Yeah, I totally get that. I’ve had a blue tarp flapping on my roof for a whole winter once—looked awful, but it kept the water out (mostly). I tried that mesh patch stuff too and it just cracked after a couple freezes. New shingles are pricier up front, but honestly, less stress in the long run. Still, when money’s tight, sometimes ugly and temporary is all you can swing.