I’ve seen those “premium” felts hold up okay too, but I’m still not convinced they’re anywhere near as tough as a good synthetic when you get a real storm rolling through. Maybe it’s just the Midwest weather talking, but I’ve watched felt wrinkle or even tear after a heavy downpour if the shingles weren’t on fast enough. Curious—have you ever had to go back and patch felt after a surprise rain? That’s always been my headache with it.
Yeah, I’ve had to patch felt after a sudden storm—never fun. It always seems to wrinkle or get soft spots where water pooled. I switched to synthetic a few years back for that reason. Have you noticed any difference with the newer felts, or is it just more of the same?
- Tried the newer felts last year when I re-did my shed roof.
- Still had some wrinkling after a heavy rain, especially where the pitch was low.
- Didn’t seem much tougher than the old stuff, honestly.
- Price was a bit lower than synthetic, but not by much—made me wonder if it’s worth the hassle.
- If you’re on a tight budget and it’s just a small job, felt’s okay... but for anything bigger or long-term, I’d stick with synthetic now.
- Less patching, less stress when storms roll in.
I had a similar experience with felt on my old garden shed—looked fine at first, but after the first big rain, those wrinkles showed up right where the roof flattens out. I kept wondering if it was just me or if felt just doesn’t handle water pooling well. Have you ever tried any of the recycled or “green” underlayments? I switched to one last year for my garage and, honestly, it held up better than I expected. Not as cheap as basic felt, but less stress about leaks when storms hit. Curious if anyone else has noticed a difference with those eco-friendly options...
That’s interesting to hear about the green underlayments doing better for you. I’ve only ever dealt with regular felt so far—our house is pretty new to us, and the roof’s not ancient, but I’m already paranoid about leaks after seeing how quickly that stuff can wrinkle or bubble up. I totally get what you mean about the stress when storms roll in. It’s like, every time it rains hard, I’m just waiting to spot a drip somewhere.
I’ve looked at some of those recycled underlayments online, but I keep hesitating because the price jumps out at me. The idea of using something more sustainable is appealing, but I always wonder if it’s just a marketing thing or if it really holds up better, especially with our weird freeze-thaw cycles. Did you notice any difference with installation? Like, is it heavier or trickier to work with than felt? I’d probably have to hire someone anyway, but I don’t want to make things more complicated than they need to be.
Honestly, hearing your experience makes me think it might be worth the extra cost, at least for peace of mind. The last thing I need is to deal with water stains or mold just because I tried to save a few bucks. Still, part of me wonders if these new “eco” products are just a trend or if they’ll actually last as long as the old-school stuff. Have you had any issues with it in the cold or snow? Our winters can get pretty rough, and I’ve heard mixed things about how these materials handle ice buildup.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience. It’s reassuring to know I’m not the only one second-guessing felt after seeing it in action. Sometimes I feel like the more “upgrades” there are out there, the harder it is to figure out what’s actually worth it and what’s just hype.
