"Meanwhile, my dad's old-school felt roof is still going strong after 15+ years."
Funny you mention that...my uncle swears by felt too. He put it on his garage back when I was still in high school, and it's survived countless storms and even a couple nasty hail events. Personally, I've had good luck with synthetic, but you're right—installation is everything. Seen plenty of rushed jobs turn into disasters. Guess it comes down to patience and prep work more than anything else.
"Guess it comes down to patience and prep work more than anything else."
Couldn't agree more. I've seen both felt and synthetic underlayments perform exceptionally well, but the real difference always boils down to installation quality. A neighbor of mine opted for synthetic a few years back, and despite it being marketed as "superior," he had leaks within the first two winters. Turns out the contractor rushed the job and skipped critical sealing steps around vents and flashing. On the other hand, my own felt underlayment held up for nearly two decades without issues, simply because the roofer took his time and made sure every seam was properly overlapped and secured.
Materials matter, sure, but attention to detail and workmanship tend to make or break longevity. Glad to hear your uncle's roof is still going strong—sounds like he nailed the prep work.
Interesting points, though I'm still a bit skeptical about felt holding up that long. My roofer swears by synthetic, but honestly, your neighbor's experience makes me wonder if it's worth the extra cost. Seems like proper installation really is the deciding factor. Makes me think twice about chasing after pricier materials when maybe the real investment should be finding someone who actually cares about their work...
I've used both felt and synthetic on different projects, and honestly, felt surprised me. I had a shed roof done with regular old felt about 8 years ago, and it's still holding strong—no leaks or issues yet. Synthetic definitely feels sturdier when you're installing it, but I'm not convinced it's always necessary. Totally agree though, installation quality is key. Even the best materials won't save you from sloppy workmanship... learned that the hard way with my first DIY attempt.
Interesting points raised here. I've worked with both felt and synthetic underlayments quite a bit, and while I appreciate the durability of synthetics, I think felt still has its place. Felt is definitely more forgiving during installation—especially if you're working alone or dealing with tricky angles. It doesn't slide around as much, which can be a real advantage on steeper pitches.
One thing I've noticed though is that climate seems to play a big role in how these materials perform long-term. In areas prone to extreme temperature fluctuations or heavy moisture exposure, synthetic really shines due to its resistance to tearing and wrinkling over time. Felt can sometimes get brittle in cold climates or wrinkle up badly if moisture gets trapped underneath.
That said, I totally agree with you about workmanship being key. I've seen roofs fail prematurely not because of bad materials, but because someone rushed the installation or didn't pay attention to details like proper overlap and fastening patterns.
I'm curious—has anyone here experimented with hybrid setups? Like using synthetic underlayment on valleys and eaves (where water tends to pool or ice dams form) and felt everywhere else? Seems like it might offer a good balance between cost-effectiveness and durability...
