Been doing some research lately since we've had more storms than usual...ugh. Narrowed it down to felt paper vs synthetic underlayment for keeping moisture out. Felt seems tried and true, kinda old-school reliable, but synthetic is supposed to be lighter and easier to handle. Anyone have experience with either? Curious which one you'd trust more when the rain just won't quit.
I've used both, and honestly, synthetic is nice to handle—lighter, easier to roll out—but I've seen it tear in strong winds. Felt paper might be old-school and heavier, but it's sturdy stuff. If storms are your main worry, I'd probably stick with felt...just my two cents.
Good points about felt, it's definitely tough stuff. I've also seen synthetic tear, but usually that's because it wasn't secured properly—spacing your cap nails closer together can help a lot. If you do go synthetic, try overlapping your seams a bit extra and taping them down. Felt is solid, though, especially if you're in an area that gets crazy wind gusts...sometimes old-school is still around for a reason, right?
Synthetic can actually hold up pretty well if you prep it right. I've had good luck using button caps instead of regular cap nails—seems to spread the tension better and reduces tearing. Felt's reliable, sure, but synthetic done carefully isn't bad either...
