Is Roofing Paper The Same As Roofing Felt

What is roofing felt.

Is roofing paper the same as roofing felt. Lighter than felt synthetic underlayment is just as easy to work with and is just as durable if not more so than felt paper. It also offers great protection for the wood or other roofing material it covers and it can be used under any type of roofing material. Synthetic underlayments are now a commonplace item and many contractors are choosing to use this superior alternative over the old organic felt paper. Of course it is a bit more technical than that but this is the basic idea behind how felt works.

Roofing felt roofing felt also known as tar paper is probably the most common type of roofing paper. Felt roofing underlayment is typically available in two types. Asphalt saturated felt was the go to roofing underlayment until about 15 years ago. Roofing materials and the technology behind them have come a long way in the last 15 20 years.

Tar paper also called roofing felt is used under shingles. Gaf shingle mate 36 in x 144 ft 400 sq ft felt roof underlayment. No 15 felt and no. Felt paper also referred to as tar paper was the standard underlayment material in roofing for decades.

It s created by saturating paper or fiberglass mat with asphalt. For decades roofers have fitted a layer of felt over a roof s sheathing or roof deck before installing shingles. Felt is commonly sold in either 15 or 30 rolls measuring 36 inches wide. It was easy to use durable and even had alignment lines to help with the shingle installation.

That s when synthetic products started gaining in popularity. Commonly referred to as felt paper or tar paper common roofing felt is made of varying blends of cellulose natural plant fibers polyester bitumen or asphalt. Because your roof deck might not lie perfectly straight or flat a layer of roof paper gives an even uniform surface upon which you can install your shingles. It is so widely used because it is one of the best papers for sealing cracks seams and nail holes.

30 felt is typically thicker stronger and may be less prone to tearing or ripping off during installation or weather events. Roofing felt offers an additional layer. Roofing felt or tar paper is infused with a petroleum based solution to provide an additional layer of roof protection under shingles. Generally speaking roofing felt is a felt paper that is soaked in asphalt and other water resistant compounds to produce a membrane.

Synthetic underlayment started gaining popularity in the last decade. Item 656632 model 0903000. Best synthetic felt paper underlayment.