That’s pretty much how I landed on felt, too. We’re in north Texas and the sun just cooks everything. Our last roof had synthetic underlayment and it felt like it started breaking down almost right away—especially where the shingles lifted a bit after a storm. Like you said, repairs are way easier with felt. Not saying all synthetics are junk, but for this climate, tried-and-true wins out for me.
Our last roof had synthetic underlayment and it felt like it started breaking down almost right away—especially where the shingles lifted a bit after a storm. Like you said, repairs are way easier with felt.
That’s been my experience too, especially in places where the sun is basically a flamethrower half the year. North Texas is brutal. I tried one of those “super tough” synthetics on my shed as a test run, thinking I was being all high-tech and eco-friendly, but after two summers, it looked like a tortilla left on the dashboard. Not ideal.
Here’s how I look at it now (and maybe this helps someone else who’s stuck deciding):
Step 1: Think about your climate. If you’re somewhere with relentless sun or wild temperature swings, felt just seems to handle the abuse better. It might not be fancy, but it doesn’t get brittle or weirdly slippery when you’re up there fixing stuff.
Step 2: Consider repairs. Like you mentioned, if a shingle gets peeled up by wind or hail (which happens every other Tuesday around here), felt is way less of a pain to patch up. Synthetics can tear in weird ways and sometimes don’t seal back down right.
Step 3: Check what your roofer actually likes working with. I’ve had two different crews tell me they’d rather deal with felt because it’s predictable—no surprises hiding under there when you go to fix something.
I will say, though, not all synthetics are created equal. Some of the pricier ones do hold up better, but then you’re paying more and still rolling the dice with how they’ll age in your exact conditions. And if you’re trying to keep things green, there are some recycled-content felts out there now that aren’t half bad.
Anyway, for my money and sanity, I’m sticking with felt until someone invents an underlayment that laughs in the face of Texas UV rays... or at least doesn’t turn into roof confetti after a couple storms.
I’ve actually had the opposite luck with synthetics, at least on some of my properties. Our main building has a pretty low-slope roof and we went with a mid-grade synthetic underlayment about six years ago. It’s held up better than the old felt ever did—no leaks, no weird curling, even after a couple hailstorms. I will say, though, we’re in central Oklahoma and don’t get quite as much sun as North Texas, so maybe that helps.
One thing I noticed is that installation makes a big difference. The first time I tried synthetic on a rental, the crew didn’t fasten it down right and it tore up within a year. Second time around, different contractor, no issues at all. Maybe it’s just luck of the draw or maybe some brands really are better than others.
I still use felt for quick repairs or smaller jobs, but for bigger roofs where I want to avoid redoing things every few years, synthetics have worked out—at least so far. Guess it depends on the building and who’s doing the work more than anything else.
Our main building has a pretty low-slope roof and we went with a mid-grade synthetic underlayment about six years ago.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the install can make or break it. I had a buddy who used a “cheaper” synthetic on his garage roof and it started bubbling and tearing after just one summer—turns out the crew barely tacked it down. Meanwhile, my folks’ house is still solid after four years with a different brand. Felt always seemed easier to work with for patch jobs, but on bigger roofs, I’d rather not risk redoing everything every couple years. Guess there’s no one-size-fits-all answer…
I’ve got to say, I’m still not totally sold on synthetics for every situation. I’ve seen some of the newer brands hold up well, but I’ve also had a couple properties where the synthetic started to degrade after just a few years—especially on flatter roofs where water tends to sit longer. Maybe it’s just bad luck with installers, but it makes me wonder if the extra cost is always justified.
Felt’s definitely easier to patch in a pinch, like you said, and I’ve had fewer headaches with it on smaller jobs. But then again, tearing off old felt after a decade is a pain—especially if it’s stuck down in layers. Anyone else notice synthetics seem to get brittle in really cold winters? I’m in the Midwest, so we get those freeze-thaw cycles that seem to mess with everything.
Curious if anyone’s actually had a synthetic underlayment last 10+ years on a low-slope roof without issues. Or is it just marketing hype?