When it comes to finding the best shed roofing felt, you will need to find a material that delivers waterproof – and windproof – coverage around the year.
Roofing felt is the main defence against torrential rain and, over time, roof coverings can become loose or rip and you will then have to replace it to prevent water leaking into your shed.
5 Best Shed Roofing Felts
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Here, the Property Road team looks at the top five of the best shed roofing felts currently available.
#1: Chesterfelt Green Mineral Premium Grade Shed Felt
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- Made in the UK:
- Green in colour;
- Made from bitumen;
- Will last up to 5 years;
- Traditional fibre base bitumen coating;
- Economic shed roof felt choice.
Things to know:
If you need green shed roofing felt, then this Chesterfelt green mineral premium-grade shed felt is for you.
It’s made in the UK and is a quality product that comes with a free pack of nails as well as a tube of adhesive.
It’s a traditional fibre-based bitumen with a decorative and protective green mineral finish.
One of the big attractions for the Chesterfelt is that this is an economic way to waterproof shed roofs.
- UK manufactured for UK weather
- Quick and easy to install
- Pack of nails and tube of adhesive included with every roll ordered
#2: IKO Shed Felt
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- Available in three colours;
- Available in two different lengths;
- Will last up to 5 years;
- Super-grade material that will last up to 15 years;
- Ultra-durable offering;
- Includes a free pack of nails.
Things to know:
Available in three colours, the IKO shed felt is a sound product. The colours are black, red, and green and consists of a fibre-based bitumen coating.
It is an economic way to waterproof not just your shed but also hutches and kennels and other non-inhabited buildings.
Opt for the super grade of shed felt, and you’ll enjoy a polyester-reinforced covering that is harder to tear and more robust.
The super grade also lasts up to 15 years and buyers get a free pack of nails with every roll.
- Iko Shed Felt Shed Roofing Felt 3 Colours 8M 10M Lengths 10M Standard Grade Green
- IKO Shed Felt Shed Roofing Felt 3 Colours 8m and 10m Lengths 10m Standard Grade Green
- Product type: RAW MATERIALS
#3: Felt Shingles Roofing Tiles
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- Felt tiles are easier to use then rolled-up roof felt;
- Tiles available in five colours;
- Attractive mineral finish;
- Easy and quick to install.
Things to know:
There’s a lot to recommend using shed roofing tiles rather than a roll of roofing felt – the tiles are easy to apply and should they tear or become damaged, they are just as easy to replace.
The Felt Shingles shed roofing tiles come in green, brown, red, slate grey, and midnight black.
There are no free nails attached but buying them is easy from Amazon.
Each pack contains four flexible and lightweight tiles which makes them ideal for sheds as well as kennels and summerhouses.
The offering from Ashbrook Roofing means these packs of roof tiles are among the best value bitumen/glass fibre felt shingle tiles on the market.
There are easy to remove and install by simply removing the backing strip and then nailing them into place.
- Bitumen 3 Tab roofing shingle
#4: Ashbrook Roofing Super Grade Polyester Reinforced Shed
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- Super grade felt lasts three times longer than normal felt;
- Easy and quick to install;
- Free pack of nails included;
- Robust and tear-resistant.
Things to know:
If you are looking for a quality material for the long-term waterproofing of your shed, or even a hutch or kennel, then the Ashbrook Roofing super grade polyester-reinforced shed felt is worth considering.
It is ultra-durable, robust, and tear-resistant and comes in a decorative green mineral finish.
Ashbrook says its super grade covering will last up to 15 years, and there’s a free pack of nails included with every roll.
- Polyester reinforced - Lasting up to 3 TIMES as long as standard grade felt
- Quick and easy to install
- UK manufactured for UK weather
#5: Rose Roofing Green Heavy Duty Shed Roofing Felt
Check current stock levels, price, and reviews on Amazon
Features:
- Last up to 25 years;
- Free pack of nails included;
- Available in either black or green.
Things to know:
For those who are looking for a shed roof covering that’s more durable, the 25-year life expectancy from Rose Roofing heavy duty roofing felt will meet your needs.
The roll includes nails and adhesive and is thicker so it will last longer.
It has more durability than regular polyester felt with improved tear resistance.
It needs an underlay and the life expectancy will be achieved if it is installed correctly.
- Each roll is 1m x 10m and includes a Tube of adhesive and nails.
- Available in 2 attractive colours, Black or Green.
- Life expectancy of up to 25 Years
What is the best roofing felt for sheds?
There’s no simple answer to the question, ‘What is the best roofing felt for sheds?’
That’s because the size of your shed, and your budget will have an impact.
While all roofing felts will do the job, some are designed to last longer and are made with tougher materials.
It is available in a range of colours and most are made from bitumen and other materials and either finished in black or green.
Usually, the best roofing felt you should opt for will have a bitumen composition which should last up to 15 years considering the harsh weather sheds will have to put up with.
How long does shed roofing felt last?
As mentioned previously, the quality and thickness of the shed roofing felt you choose, will have an impact on how long it will last.
From our research, a quality economical solution will last for around five years but if you want something more durable, then be prepared to invest in a quality roof covering with a 25-year lifespan.
There are other products that will offer good coverage for a range of years but again a lot depends on where your shed is, how big it is, and whether it will last.
Obviously, an exposed shed roof will have to deal with high winds and driving rain on a regular basis, so it’s worthwhile investing in quality for a long-term investment.
Otherwise, if your shed is protected from high winds, then you could consider cheaper felts to meet your needs and still have the shed last longer than the manufacturer says it will.
Can you felt over old felt on a shed roof?
In answer to the question, ‘Can you felt over old felt on the shed roof?’, will split opinion.
There is no reason why you should remove old felt because it won’t affect how the new one will work or last.
However, you may find it easier to fit a new shed roof felt by removing the previous covering first.
The other issue is that your roof felt may have ripped in one or two places, and you may feel that you can patch it up by simply adding a roll over the top of it.
This will be a quicker and cheaper fix.
Do you nail or staple roofing felt?
Traditionally, shed roof felt has been nailed, but there are reasons to use staples to attach it to the shed roof.
If you are using nails, these need to be galvanised and there should be a 50 cm gap between each nail.
When using staples, you find this is a cheaper solution and often quicker because you don’t have to hammer nails in.
However, you will need a stapler to do the job and appreciate that staples may not offer the longevity that nails will.
You may find that the shed felt roof manufacturer insists on clout nails being used because staples will tend to be made from stainless steel which will rust. If you can find rust-resistant staples, then it is worth considering.
Also, when attaching it, you’ll need to ensure that the nail secures the felt adequately to the wood and staples may not offer this depth.
There is also an issue, potentially, that high winds may be able to tear off staples from the roof and rip the material.
How do I put felt on a shed roof?
Usually, when you buy a roll of shed roof felt, the manufacturer will give instructions on how you should put it on a shed roof.
However, to help, this is a quick guide:
- Remove the previous nails from the roof;
- Remove the felt;
- Check the timber roof;
- Use wood preservative for those areas that are looking worse for wear;
- Clean debris and/or splinters from the timber;
- You may need to use thin plywood or MDF to cover parts of the roof;
- Start from one side of the shed and roll it over the roof and tack it down with nails (or you could use a high-power staple gun);
- If you decide to use adhesive, then must be applied first before the roof covering.
Essentially, if you need to add a new felt roof, then it’s not an involved job, and depending on the size of the shed, it will only take an hour or so.
It’s important that you keep the shed roof in good shape, so you do not wake up to a damaged shed and a roof that is beyond repair.
Do you need adhesive for shed felt?
As mentioned in the previous answer, some people may decide to use adhesive when applying a new shed roof felt.
Usually, galvanised clout nails will do the job but adding adhesive may bring peace of mind and boost waterproofing.
Some may decide to use just adhesive but then run the risk of damage and water leakage in high winds.
Using adhesive is also a quicker and cheaper way of repairing a shed roof covering and it may be the ideal solution if yours is a small shed.
Other considerations when re-felting a shed roof
Along with finding a quality shed roof felt, there are some other considerations when re-felting your shed roof including:
- Safety should always be on your mind;
- Use appropriate clothing;
- Potentially wear a hard hat and thick gloves;
- Ensure that if you use a ladder it is secure.
It’s also a good idea to have a box ready for storing the old nails that you remove so they don’t become a hazard. You may also find you can reuse some of them.
You should never stand on a sloping shed roof as you may become unbalanced and you may find that the roof is not as sturdy as you thought.
It’s always a good idea to use more felt than you think you will need because you will need some for ‘overhang’ so you can secure it.
How many layers of felt do I need for a shed roof?
In terms of the number of felt layers needed for a shed, a single layer is usually sufficient. However, almost all sheds will need to overlap the edges.
That’s because the roof will be much wider that the maximum width of the shed felt roll.
On smaller sheds with apex roofs you may only have two overlapping points. You’ll have layers on either side of the shed, then one that overlaps both layers along the middle. On small pent sheds, you may only have one overlap, generally around halfway along the foor.
On larger sheds, you may have multiple overlapping points, however, you will still only use one ‘layer’. That is, you won’t build up multiple layers of felt except to cover joins.
It’s important to remember that shed felt needs installing horizontally from bottom to top. This is because you need the water to run over the top of the covering and not be able to penetrate any gaps. Since water always runs down, the visible overlap layer should always be on top, covering the join.
Do I need underlay for my shed?
Generally, you will not require any underlay for a standard garden shed. A good quality shed roofing felt will be more than adequate to protect your shed from the elements.
However, if your shed has a pitch of less than 20 degrees, using an underlay will help to prolong the life of any covering you use.
Since the vast majority of commercially available sheds have a pitch that is greater than 20 degrees, underlay will not be required for most people.