Haha, sounds like something I'd accidentally do myself... I'm still learning the ropes with roofing stuff. Just curious, is there a big difference between staples and nails when installing underlayment, or is it more about how carefully you place them?
I've used both staples and nails, and honestly, placement matters more than you'd think. Staples can be quicker, but I've had a few tear-outs on windy days... Nails feel sturdier, especially if you're working solo. Learned that one the hard way on a breezy afternoon.
"Staples can be quicker, but I've had a few tear-outs on windy days..."
Haha, been there—nothing like chasing underlayment across the yard to make you rethink your choices, right? Ever tried cap nails? They're a bit slower going in, but man, they hold tight when the wind picks up. Placement definitely matters, but sometimes it's just about having the right hardware to save your sanity on those breezy afternoons...
Cap nails definitely hold better, no argument there. But honestly, I've had mixed luck with them too. Last summer, we were roofing a place right by the lake—wind was relentless. We used cap nails thinking they'd be bulletproof, but even then, a few sections started flapping loose overnight. Turns out placement matters way more than I thought. If you don't space them close enough or hit the overlaps just right, even caps won't save you from a windy nightmare.
Ended up switching to a heavier synthetic underlayment after that job, and it's been night and day. Costs a bit more upfront, but it lays flatter and doesn't tear nearly as easy. Staples or caps, doesn't matter as much now—it's just tougher stuff overall. Still skeptical about relying solely on hardware to fix the issue... sometimes it's just worth upgrading the material itself.
I've had pretty good luck with synthetic underlayments too, but honestly, I wouldn't totally discount hardware choices either. Couple years back, we reroofed my brother's cottage—also near a lake, similar wind issues—and went with a premium synthetic material thinking we'd solved all our problems. It definitely held up better overall, but we still had a couple spots that lifted slightly after a big storm rolled through.
Turned out the crew had gotten a bit lazy near the end and spaced the fasteners way too far apart, figuring the tougher underlayment would compensate. Lesson learned: even top-notch materials won't make up for sloppy installation. Since then, I make sure to double-check fastening patterns myself. The combo of quality underlayment and proper spacing seems to be key... neither one alone is foolproof.
