Adding an extra layer of weather protection to a roof at a reasonable cost is as simple as covering it with roofing felt. With the correct equipment and direction, this process—whether you’re building a new roof or fixing an old one—can be handled.
Roofing felt, sometimes referred to as tar paper or felt paper, is an asphalt-saturated fiberglass or organic fiber product that is highly resilient. It keeps water from penetrating into the underlying structure by acting as a waterproof barrier underneath the shingles or other roofing materials.
A ladder or scaffolding for safe access, roofing nails, a hammer or nail gun, a utility knife, and roofing felt rolls are needed before beginning. Working on a dry day is also essential to keep the felt from getting slick and challenging to handle.
Make sure the roof surface is clean and dry before starting by clearing away any debris. Look for any sharp objects or nails sticking out that could rip the roofing felt. After that, measure and cut the felt to the exact size of your roof, making sure to leave a small overhang on all sides for proper coverage.
- What is roofing felt and how to choose the right brand?
- Material consumption and required number of layers of roofing material
- Mastic for fastening roofing felt
- Preparing the base
- Video on the topic
- Do-it-yourself roofing felt roofing or how to cover a garage
- Do-it-yourself roofing felt roof repair
- Do-it-yourself roofing felt roofing
- Overhaul of a garage roof in one day / How to cover a garage roof without a burner / Rizolin
- Laying roofing felt on a wooden sheathing
- Do-it-yourself fused soft roofing / BUDGET roof repair
- DIY gazebo 6×4
- Do-it-yourself garage roof repair / soft roof glass-insulated TechnoNIKOL
What is roofing felt and how to choose the right brand?
In the common, conventional sense, a "ruberoid" is a roll of thick cardboard that has been impregnated with bitumen and has a thick outer layer. Contemporary iterations of this material feature a dense fiberglass base instead of a wooden (cardboard) one, which increases strength and water resistance.
Apart from the options mentioned above, there is also euro roofing felt. This type of felt has an extra layer of polymer that melts when it gets hot, allowing you to install it on the base using your hands without the need for mastic.
There are multiple layers to roofing felt coating: an upper protective layer and a lower lining layer. Furthermore, this material’s upper layer contains a scattering, the amount of which determines how resistant it is to damage (the coarse-grained variety can continue to function normally for a considerable amount of time without needing to be repaired).
When selecting roofing felt, pay attention to its purpose and technical specifications, which are denoted by alphanumeric marking symbols:
- The first letter “P” is the name of the material;
- The second letter “P” is lining, or “K” is roofing;
- The third letter in the marking indicates the nature of the top layer: “M” and “K” fine-grained and coarse-grained, the letters “Ch” and “P” indicate the scaly and dusty texture of the top layer.
The density value, expressed in grams per square meter, is indicated by the numbers in the marking.
Material consumption and required number of layers of roofing material
The degree of load (snow load, people walking on the roof frequently), the angle of inclination of the roof, and the reliability of the roof (can it support the weight of multiple layers of roofing felt and mastic) are all necessary to determine the ideal number of layers of roofing felt for dependable roof repair. The number of layers required to achieve adequate water resistance will decrease with increasing roof inclination:
- Flat roofs with a slope of up to 3 degrees need 3-4 layers.
- If the roof slope is up to 6 degrees, 3 layers are enough: roofing and two underlying layers.
- When the angle of inclination is from 6 to 15 degrees, two layers of coating are sufficient.
- When the slope is more than 15 degrees, roofing felt coating is used extremely rarely, much more often preference is given to ondulin, slate and corrugated sheets.
Furthermore, when purchasing materials yourself, remember to account for overlap and allow for installation-related flaws. Only the rounded amount of roofing felt is used for repairs.
Mastic for fastening roofing felt
A particular kind of bitumen mastic, either hot or cold, is used to install roofing felt on the roof. Conversely, since fused euroroofing felt already has an adhesive layer, it doesn’t require mastic. At first glance, cold mastic seems like a perfect, simple solution—all it needs to do is be well combined before using. However, cold mastic takes a long time to dry and does not produce a coating that is sufficiently durable, so developers go back to using hot mastic.
The process of preparing hot mastic for roofing felt installation is a time-consuming one. It is necessary to melt solid bitumen pieces to a viscous consistency before adding filler (this is precisely how they are sold in stores). Typically, mastic is heated over an open flame or with a blowtorch in barrels, buckets, or specialized boilers. When the mastic reaches 150–200 degrees, it begins to foam and form tiny bubbles, indicating that it is ready.
Following boiling, the mastic’s foam is removed, and filler—sand, peat, or fiberglass—is added. The filler should be well mixed and make up about 25% of the total volume. While still hot, the mastic is directly applied to the roof.
Preparing the base
Leveling and drying the base is necessary before applying mastic. Furthermore, in the past, resin was the only material used for installing roofing felt, and any repairs involved filling the roof with resin and leaving it exposed. Resin-filled roofing leaks and cracks very quickly. The roof’s moisture content will rise even more if fresh resin is poured on top of the old resin.
The result will be the same if roofing felt is used to cover old resin. For this reason, it’s crucial to manually remove all of the outdated resin until the screed or reinforced concrete floor is reached. You can create a leveling screed if the coating is uneven.
Mastic can be applied to the cleaned base once it has dried. Wait the amount of time specified on the bitumen packaging after application to give the mastic time to set.
In the event of rainy or damp weather, it is advisable to delay construction until dry days as roofing felt should not be installed.
| Materials Needed: | Roofing felt, nails or staples, hammer or staple gun, utility knife, chalk line, roofing adhesive. |
| Steps: | 1. Prepare the roof surface by cleaning and ensuring it"s dry. 2. Roll out the roofing felt starting from the bottom edge of the roof. 3. Secure the felt with nails or staples, overlapping each row by at least 2 inches. 4. Trim excess felt using a utility knife. 5. Apply roofing adhesive along the edges and overlaps for extra seal. 6. Check for any missed spots or loose edges. 7. Clean up and dispose of waste materials properly. |
A useful do-it-yourself project that can improve your home’s weatherproofing and durability is covering a roof with roofing felt. You can prolong the life of your roof and shield it from moisture by taking a few simple steps. Make sure the roof surface is clear of debris and clean before proceeding.
To stop water from leaking through, carefully roll out the roofing felt, overlapping each row. Using the proper fasteners, make sure the felt is flat and smooth. For a clean finish, trim any extra material off neatly around edges, chimneys, and vents.
To get the best results, it’s important to use appropriate installation techniques and high-quality roofing felt. Frequent upkeep, like checking for rips or loose edges, can avert possible problems and guarantee that your roof will continue to offer dependable protection.
Whether you’re covering a whole roof or just fixing a small area, knowing the fundamentals of installing roofing felt will enable you to properly protect your house. This do-it-yourself project can help preserve the long-term integrity of your property while saving you money if you pay close attention to detail and follow safety precautions.
Adding roofing felt to your roof is a useful do-it-yourself project that improves weather resistance. This article walks you through the simple steps of felt installation, surface preparation, and making sure the seal is long-lasting. With these easy-to-follow guidelines and a few simple tools, homeowners can confidently take on this crucial roof maintenance task to properly protect their homes.
