When most people think of roofs they typically think of shingles or metal roofing.
Roofing felt paper vs synthetic.
The underlayment provides a secondary weather barrier against wind driven rain and snow.
The shingles are the primary weather barrier.
Additionally synthetic materials can withstand uv exposure much longer than felt paper so if progress needed to halt on a roof before the shingles were laid the material will not be damaged.
In our industry there are two main varieties of underlayment.
Felt underlayment 15 felt.
Asphalt felt and synthetic underlayments are products installed under all the roofing materials and directly on a roof deck.
Generally speaking roofing felt is a felt paper that is soaked in asphalt and other water resistant compounds to produce a membrane.
While felt is weighed by pounds per roofing square 100 square feet synthetics are rated by grams per square meter gsm.
For example interwrap s rhinoroof can be exposed to uv rays for up to 60 days without any potential damage.
Of course it is a bit more technical than that but this is the basic idea behind how felt works.
Felt paper also referred to as tar paper was the standard underlayment material in roofing for decades.
In contrast to regular roof felt synthetic underlayment is typically fabricated from man made polypropylene and polymer substances that are lightweight highly water resistant and very durable.
Anywhere from 40 100 grams per square meter.
Weighs 7 5 to 12 5 pounds per roofing square 30 felt.
Fast forward 170 years and roofing felt is still the most popular roofing material now used as an underlayment being installed today.
Felt paper and synthetic.
For these reasons nj roofing contractors increasingly use these synthetic materials instead of traditional felt.
It will keep your roof dry even when water flows backward and in driving rain.
Synthetic roof underlayment vs.
What is roofing felt.
Felt is commonly sold in either 15 or 30 rolls measuring 36 inches wide.
Weighs 16 to 27 pounds per roofing square.
Roofing felt offers an additional layer.
Prospectors during the california gold rush covered the roofs of their temporary shacks with roofing felt also known as felt paper or tar paper.
But what some may not know is there s another layer of protection directly on top of the roof deck and under the roof covering that performs a critical role in protecting your home from moisture damage.
For decades roofers have fitted a layer of felt over a roof s sheathing or roof deck before installing shingles.
