Roofing Felt Vs Tar Paper

Of course it is a bit more technical than that but this is the basic idea behind how felt works.

Roofing felt vs tar paper. Felt is commonly sold in either 15 or 30 rolls measuring 36 inches wide. For this article we will just call it felt underlayment or felt paper. Prospectors during the california gold rush covered the roofs of their temporary shacks with roofing felt also known as felt paper or tar paper. Although tar paper has traditionally been the standard undercoating for shingles as of 2010 synthetics are becoming more popular as an underlayment.

Asphalt felt underlayment is known by many different names including felt paper roofing tar paper felt underlayment asphalt soaked felt and so on. Roofing felt offers an additional layer. Tar paper also called roofing felt is used under shingles. The sheathing paper specified by code irc is astm rated type 1 paper astm d226 an asphalt saturated felt tar paper which weighs a minimum of 11 5 pounds per square.

Roofing felt is comprised of a base made from natural materials such as wood cellulose or synthetic ones such as fiberglass or polyester and then coated or saturated with a. Roofing felt or tar paper is infused with a petroleum based solution to provide an additional layer of roof protection under shingles. For decades roofers have fitted a layer of felt over a roof s sheathing or roof deck before installing shingles. Felt paper also referred to as tar paper was the standard underlayment material in roofing for decades.

In our industry there are two main varieties of underlayment. It also offers fire resistance required for home construction. Synthetic or felt roofing underlayment which is better. Per square 100 sq.

Felt underlayment is an all over roofing accessory made of a natural wood cellulose natural fibers etc or synthetic. Ft or unrated 30 lb. Felt paper and synthetic. It was easy to use durable and even had alignment lines to help with the shingle installation.

Roofing felt also known as tar paper provides a protective underlayment over the roof deck and beneath the shingles. Generally speaking roofing felt is a felt paper that is soaked in asphalt and other water resistant compounds to produce a membrane. Most of the felt paper stocked by lumberyards today is either unrated 15 felt which typically weight around 7 or 8 lbs. Fast forward 170 years and roofing felt is still the most popular roofing material now used as an underlayment being installed today.