- Midwest weather is brutal on underlayment. I’ve seen synthetic outperform felt by a mile, especially during those crazy freeze-thaw cycles—felt just buckles and tears way too soon.
- Noise is a real thing with synthetics. I remember working on a 10/12 pitch last spring, wind picked up, and it sounded like a sailboat. More cap nails along the perimeter helped, but yeah, still got some flapping in big gusts.
- Traction’s always sketchy on steeper roofs. I tried the kneepads-with-grip trick after a buddy swore by it—definitely gave me more confidence when things got slick. Not perfect, but better than nothing.
- One thing I’ve noticed: lighter-colored synthetics seem to stay cooler and less slippery on sunny days. Black stuff gets crazy hot and feels like ice when there’s any dew.
- Still haven’t found a product that checks every box—durable, quiet, grippy—but synthetic’s the closest for now. Just wish it was a bit less noisy when the wind kicks up...
Noise is a real thing with synthetics. I remember working on a 10/12 pitch last spring, wind picked up, and it sounded like a sailboat.
I gotta admit, the “sailboat” comment made me laugh—my neighbor’s roof sounded like it was about to take off last fall. But here’s my thing: is the noise really that much worse than felt? I had old-school felt on my garage for years and when the wind got under it, it flapped around like crazy too. Maybe not as high-pitched, but still annoying.
Also, am I the only one who thinks the price jump for synthetics is a little wild? I get that they last longer (in theory), but when you’re patching up a shed or a rental, sometimes the cheap stuff just makes more sense. I tried one of those “economy” synthetics once—less noisy, but honestly, it felt like walking on a slip-n-slide after a dew. Not sure if there’s a happy medium out there or if we’re all just picking our poison.
Anyone else just stick with felt and call it good enough? Or am I just being too cheap for my own good...
I’ve wondered the same thing about the noise. When I re-roofed my old shed last year, I went with felt again just because it’s what I knew—and honestly, it was cheap and easy to find at the local hardware store. It definitely flaps a bit in the wind, but I can’t say it’s ever kept me up at night. My cousin did synthetic on his house and swears by it for durability, but he also complains about that “crinkly tarp” sound whenever there’s a storm rolling through.
The price difference is what really gets me, especially if you’re just covering something like a garage or rental and not planning to keep it pristine for decades. I’ve heard some folks say that the mid-range synthetics are quieter and less slippery, but I haven’t tried them myself—just seems like a gamble when felt does the job (mostly).
Does anyone actually notice a big difference in how their roof holds up long-term with synthetic versus felt? Or is it more about peace of mind than anything else?
My place has a low-slope roof and I tried synthetic underlayment the last time I redid it. Honestly, the peace of mind with the extra durability is nice, but I’ve still had to patch a couple spots after big windstorms. Noise-wise, it’s definitely a bit “crunchier” when the wind picks up, but not enough to bother me. If I’m being honest, I don’t think the longevity difference is night and day unless you’re in a really harsh climate or leaving it exposed for ages. For sheds and garages, felt still seems fine to me… especially if you’re watching your budget.
Synthetic underlayment does give a bit more peace of mind, especially after you’ve seen what wind can do to regular felt. I’ve patched my share of seams after storms too—sometimes it’s just the way the wind hits certain spots. The “crunchy” noise is real, but I’d take that over water stains on the ceiling any day. Around here, I’ve noticed synthetic lasts longer if you’re dealing with a lot of freeze-thaw or heavy rain, but for a simple shed or something out back, I still use felt to save a few bucks. It’s all about picking your battles, really.