Anyone else notice they’re a pain to remove if you ever need to do repairs, though? That’s my only gripe.
That’s exactly why I’m on the fence with peel-and-stick. I get the appeal—no leaks, even in the worst weather. But man, when I had to patch a section after a tree limb came down, that stuff fought me every inch. Ended up spending more on labor just getting it off than I did on the new shingles. For my money, I’ll stick with a good synthetic underlayment on most of the roof, and just use peel-and-stick where it really matters (eaves, valleys, low spots). The cost adds up fast if you go full coverage, and if you’re planning to stay in the house long-term, repairs are almost inevitable.
- Totally get what you mean about the removal—it’s like that stuff’s welded on.
- I had to redo a valley last year and it took ages just scraping off the old peel-and-stick.
- Honestly, I’d rather use it just in trouble spots too. Full coverage feels like overkill unless you’re in hurricane country.
- Synthetic underlayment is way easier to deal with if you ever need to get back under there.
- Plus, if you DIY, your hands will thank you later… trust me.
Peel-and-stick is like the marathon runner who refuses to quit... even when you want them to. I had to pull up a section around my chimney last fall (first time ever doing anything like that), and it was a total pain. I thought I could just peel it up in strips, but nope—half of it stayed stuck to the decking, the rest came off in little shreds. Ended up spending more time with a putty knife than I did actually fixing the leak.
I get why people use it in valleys or around skylights, but doing the whole roof? Not for me, especially in our climate. I’m in the Midwest, so we get some storms, but nothing like the coast. I went with synthetic underlayment for the rest and honestly, it was way easier to handle. Didn’t rip as much, didn’t stick to everything, and my hands weren’t a mess by the end of the day.
Funny thing—my neighbor swears by old-school felt because he says it “breathes better.” I don’t know if that’s true or just nostalgia talking, but after wrestling with peel-and-stick, I’d take anything that doesn’t require a chisel to remove.
If underlayments were in a race, peel-and-stick would definitely be dragging its feet at the finish line... but maybe that’s the point? It just doesn’t want to let go.
Ended up spending more time with a putty knife than I did actually fixing the leak.
That’s the classic peel-and-stick headache right there. It’s a beast to remove, especially after a few years baking in the sun. Around chimneys and valleys, it’s great for ice damming, but I agree—using it across the whole deck in the Midwest is probably overkill. Synthetics are lighter, faster, and way less sticky on the hands. As for felt “breathing better,” it technically does, but it also tears if you look at it wrong. I’d rather deal with a little less “breathability” than have to patch wind rips every spring.
Peel-and-stick is a nightmare to get off, no argument there. I’ve had to chisel it off a deck that was only five years old, and it felt like scraping old gum off concrete. The stuff does its job, but man, you pay for it later if you ever need to do repairs. I get why folks use it in trouble spots—chimneys, valleys, low slopes—but I’m with you: full coverage in the Midwest seems like overkill unless you’re really worried about ice dams every winter.
Synthetics have come a long way. I remember when they first started showing up and everyone was skeptical—now it’s hard to find a crew that wants to mess with felt unless the budget’s super tight. The weight difference alone is huge, especially if you’re working solo or with a small team. And yeah, felt might “breathe” a bit more, but I’ve seen it turn into confetti after one good windstorm. Is a little extra breathability worth the hassle of patching or replacing sections every spring? I’m not convinced.
One thing I’ve noticed, though—synthetics can get slick if there’s any dew or frost. Had a buddy take a nasty spill last fall because he thought he could walk it like old 30# felt. Anyone else run into that? I guess every underlayment has its quirks.
Curious if anyone’s tried those newer “hybrid” underlayments? Supposedly they combine the best of both worlds, but I haven’t seen enough jobs with them yet to know if they’re worth the extra cost. At the end of the day, I’d rather spend my time fixing actual leaks than fighting with a putty knife or chasing wind-blown felt across the yard...
