I get why synthetics are popular, but I’ve slipped more than once on those in the morning... not fun. For me, the cost difference is hard to ignore too—felt’s just easier on the wallet if you’re careful about exposure time.
That’s been my experience too. I’ve done a couple of roof repairs over the years (asphalt shingles, nothing fancy), and every time I look at the price tags, felt just makes more sense for my budget. The synthetic stuff is lighter and all, but it’s not cheap. And yeah, it gets slick—especially with a bit of dew or frost. Nearly took a tumble myself last fall.
I do wonder about long-term durability though. I keep hearing that synthetics can last months exposed, while felt starts curling up or tearing if you get a surprise storm before the shingles go on. But then again, if you’re planning your project right and not leaving things open for weeks, does that really matter? I’ve never had felt fail under shingles as long as I got everything covered up within a few days.
One thing I’ve noticed: the heavier 30# felt seems to hold up better than the lighter stuff, especially around weird angles and valleys like you mentioned. My house is a basic ranch, but there’s one spot where two rooflines meet and water always wants to sneak in. The thick felt just seems to hug those spots better.
I’m in the Midwest, so we get a lot of freeze/thaw cycles and some pretty wild storms. I haven’t seen much difference in performance once the shingles are down—felt or synthetic, both seem fine as long as nothing gets torn up during install. But if you’re paying out of pocket and watching every dollar, it’s hard to justify spending double or more for synthetic unless you really need that extra exposure time.
Curious if anyone’s actually had synthetic outlast felt by years under normal shingles? Or is it mostly about convenience during install? For me, as long as I’m careful with timing and don’t cheap out on the weight, felt still wins on price.
I do wonder about long-term durability though. I keep hearing that synthetics can last months exposed, while felt starts curling up or tearing if you get a surprise storm before the shingles go on. But then again, if you’re planning your project right and not leaving things open for weeks, does that really matter?
That’s been my thought too. I helped my uncle redo his garage roof last summer—he insisted on the heavy 30# felt, mostly because he’s old school and likes what he knows. We got hit with a nasty thunderstorm two days after laying it down, but as soon as we got back up there, the felt was still in good shape. No tears or leaks under the tarp we threw over the ridge.
I’ve heard some folks say synthetic is a lifesaver if you’re doing a big job solo or have unpredictable weather windows, but for smaller projects where you can finish in a weekend, felt seems to hold its own. I’m curious though—has anyone had issues with mold or moisture under synthetic long-term? I’ve never seen it myself, but I wonder if it breathes differently than felt. Maybe it depends on attic ventilation?
- Had a similar situation last fall—used felt on my shed, got rained on before shingles went up, but it bounced back fine after drying out.
- For bigger jobs, I probably would’ve gone synthetic just for peace of mind if things dragged out.
- Haven’t noticed any mold with synthetic, but I always make sure the attic’s got good airflow.
- Honestly, if you’re quick with the install and watch the weather, felt still seems solid to me.
- Only real downside I’ve seen is felt gets slippery when wet—almost wiped out once...
Title: Anyone Notice a Difference in Longevity Between the Two?
That’s interesting about the felt bouncing back after rain—did you notice any wrinkling once it dried out, or did it lay flat again? I’ve always wondered if that impacts shingle life long-term. The slip factor with wet felt is real though... had a sketchy moment myself last year on a steep pitch, and honestly, it made me rethink using it for bigger projects.
I do like that synthetic seems to handle moisture better if the weather turns, but I’m not sure about its environmental impact—anyone looked into whether it’s recyclable or just ends up as landfill? Sometimes I worry we’re trading off durability for more plastic waste. But yeah, as long as there’s good attic airflow, mold doesn’t seem to be an issue either way.
For smaller jobs where you can get shingles down fast, felt still seems like a solid choice to me too. Curious if anyone’s actually seen synthetic last longer under real-world conditions, or if it’s mostly just about peace of mind during install.
Curious if anyone’s actually seen synthetic last longer under real-world conditions, or if it’s mostly just about peace of mind during install.
On a couple of storm jobs after hail, I’ve pulled up shingles where the synthetic underlayment looked almost new, even after 7-8 years. Felt, on the other hand, tends to get brittle and tear up when you’re removing old shingles—especially if there’s been any leak history. But I do wonder about the landfill issue with all that plastic. Anyone seen a recycling option for synthetic? I haven’t run across one locally.
