How Roofing Felt Works

The felt keeps the roof deck dry before shingles go on protects against wind driven rain as shingles fail and increases fire resistance.

How roofing felt works. Roofing felt commonly called tar paper is an important component of any roofing system. Istockphoto jfc215 when you think of a metal roof you might have an image of a dilapidated old lean to with a corrugated tin roof. Roofing shingles and materials plus factory certified roofers including ratings from real homeowners from north america s largest roofing manufacturer. See more home construction pictures.

Start at the bottom of the roofline and work up so any water that gets through the roofing material will shed down the tar paper and will not go under it. Begin at the bottom right or bottom left of the roof. Today glass fiber or polyester fabric may be used instead of paper. Next find the center of the roof at the top and the eave then snap a vertical chalk line.

Asphalt saturated heavy duty roofing felt is available in 15 and 30 pound weights. Roofing felt also known as tar paper serves as both an extra layer of protection between the shingles and the plywood and as a temporary moisture barrier until all the shingles are in place. Laying the felt the roofing felt should be applied in layers that overlap. How roofing materials work.

As you work the paper can be tacked down in the center so it won t blow away. Later asphalt was used in the manufacture of roofing felt. First paper was impregnated with coal tar. Using a roll of felt coverage or several rolls provides the roof with additional waterproofing and protects the wood sheathing of a roof until the installation of shingles is finished.

As you roll it out make sure that it remains flat. Start rolling the first layer of felt out from the bottom of one side of the roof. Also known as tar paper roofing felt originated in finland in the 1870 s as a waterproofing underlayment for roofs. Afterward roll the felt away from you lengthwise along the lower edge about 10 feet 120 in.

Today s metal roofs however are a far cry from that image. Why use roofing felt paper. Residential and commercial roofing shingles slate roof ventilation roof underlayments asphaltic and tpo roof membranes. The best weight for roofing felt is the 30 pound product because it provides thicker and.