Honestly, sometimes cheaping out ends up costing more in the long run... learned that lesson myself after a couple callbacks.
That really resonates. I tried using landscape fabric under a small shed deck once, thinking it’d save some cash, but it just didn’t hold up after a couple winters. The freeze-thaw cycle up here seems to chew through anything that isn’t heavy-duty. Have you noticed if ice & water shield ever gets brittle over time? I’ve read mixed things about longevity when it’s exposed to temperature swings.
Also, when you’re laying deck boards on exposed trusses, do you find that the extra thickness of ice & water shield throws off your board height at all? I’ve been worried about creating an uneven surface or trapping moisture between layers. I’m leaning toward using felt for my next project just because it’s thinner, but your point about tearing during install is spot on—especially if you’re working solo and the wind picks up.
It’s always a balancing act between cost, durability, and how much hassle you want to deal with down the road. Good to hear real-world feedback on what actually works long-term.
Ice & water shield definitely gets a bit cranky after a few years, especially if it’s seeing sun or wild temp swings. I’ve peeled up some that felt like old duct tape—cracked and sticky in all the wrong ways. As for the thickness, yeah, it can mess with your board height if you’re not careful. I ended up using felt once just to avoid that “wavy deck” look, but then a rogue gust turned install into a slapstick comedy routine. There’s really no perfect answer... just whichever headache you want to deal with less.
I get the frustration with ice & water shield, but honestly, I’ve had better luck with it than felt in my climate (humid summers, freezing winters). The trick for me was using the thinner stuff—less “wavy deck” and it didn’t mess with my board height as much. Felt just never held up for me, especially after a couple seasons of rain and sun. Maybe it’s just the brands I tried, but I’d rather deal with sticky than soggy any day.
Sticky beats soggy, for sure. I’ve had similar issues with felt—especially on decks that get hammered by sun and then freeze solid in winter. The stuff just curls up or gets brittle, and then you’re chasing leaks every spring. I tried the “economy” felt once and regretted it after the first storm.
The thinner ice & water shield is a good call. I used the heavy stuff once and it was like wrestling a giant fruit roll-up... plus, it made my deck boards sit weirdly high over the trusses. Thinner membrane seemed to lay flatter and didn’t mess with the board spacing as much.
One thing I learned (the hard way) is to keep a stash of mineral spirits handy for cleanup—otherwise, you’ll be peeling sticky bits off your tools for weeks. Not ideal, but still better than dealing with mushy felt after a wet season. If you’ve got exposed trusses, that extra bit of waterproofing really does help keep things solid over time.
That’s been my experience too—felt just doesn’t hold up when you get those wild swings between hot summers and freezing winters. I tried to save a few bucks with the cheaper stuff once, thinking “how bad could it be?”... Well, after one season, I was patching leaks and cursing myself every time it rained. Lesson learned.
I’m with you on the thinner ice & water shield. The thick stuff is a nightmare to handle, especially solo. I remember trying to lay it out and it kept sticking to itself, then I’d have to peel it apart and it’d stretch all weird. Plus, it made my deck boards sit uneven, which drove me nuts every time I walked across it.
One thing I’d add—if you’re on a tight budget, sometimes you can get away with just taping the seams of the thinner membrane instead of covering the whole surface. Not perfect, but it’s helped me avoid the worst of the leaks without breaking the bank. And yeah, mineral spirits are a must... I’ve ruined more than one pair of gloves forgetting that step.