But I’ll admit, that synthetic stuff didn’t have a single tear after all those years, while my old felt was basically confetti by the time we got to it.
That’s been my experience too—synthetic just shrugs off the years, but man, it’s stubborn when you try to remove it. I’ve noticed some brands claim to be recyclable, but I haven’t actually seen a recycling option offered locally yet. Maybe that’s still catching up? For now, I guess it’s trading easier install and longer life for a tougher teardown later.
I ran into the same thing when I redid my garage roof last year. The synthetic underlayment was a breeze to roll out and staple down, and it held up through a couple months of rain before the shingles went on. But when I had to pull up a section to fix a flashing issue, that stuff did not want to let go. It was like it had fused to the decking in spots.
I do like that it doesn’t just shred like felt, especially if you’re working solo and need to reposition things. But yeah, disposal is a question mark. I asked at our local dump and they just shrugged—no recycling option yet. Felt, on the other hand, is a pain when it falls apart, but at least it’s easier to tear off in chunks.
If I had to do it again, I’d probably still go synthetic for the durability, but I’d be more careful about placement so I don’t have to mess with it later. And maybe check with waste management ahead of time... didn’t think of that until after the fact.
- Been there, done that... except my “easy install” turned into a wrestling match with the wind and a stapler that jammed every five minutes.
- Totally get what you mean about synthetic not wanting to let go. Felt basically disintegrates if you look at it wrong, but at least it’s not superglued to the wood.
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Same story here. I had a pile of synthetic scraps and nobody knew what to do with them. It’s like the stuff is built to outlast civilization.“I asked at our local dump and they just shrugged—no recycling option yet.”
- Still, after seeing how felt fell apart in my neighbor’s yard after a storm, I’d probably stick with synthetic too. Just gotta plan ahead before the shingles go on—or you’re stuck with a new roof tattoo.
Yeah, synthetic is a pain to get rid of—my truck bed was full of scraps for weeks because nobody around here wanted to touch the stuff. But honestly, after watching a buddy’s felt underlayment basically dissolve after one bad windstorm, I’d take the hassle over having to redo half the job. Felt’s cheaper upfront, but if you get caught with a few days of rain before shingles go on, it just turns into mush.
That said, synthetic can be a nightmare if you don’t anchor it down fast enough—caught myself chasing a roll halfway across the yard once. And I’ve had those staple jams too... nothing like being on a steep pitch and your gun decides to quit. But in terms of holding up over time? I’d still pick synthetic. It’s not perfect, but at least you’re not dealing with leaks or replacing underlayment every few years. Just gotta plan for the disposal headache later.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen felt hold up surprisingly well if it’s installed right and the weather cooperates.
That’s true, but in drier climates or during a tight install schedule, felt can be more forgiving—especially for repairs. Synthetic’s great for long exposure, but it can get slick as ice on a steep roof. I’ve had a couple close calls. Disposal’s a pain either way, honestly.“if you get caught with a few days of rain before shingles go on, it just turns into mush.”
