Adding shed felt installation to the roof of your shed is one of the best ways to extend the life of your garden building. Adding insulation to your shed roof is a weatherproofing measure that stops moisture from penetrating the wood and causing damage. Roofing felt will also protect your garden building from the sun’s UV rays and retain heat in the winter, making your shed or garden building usable no matter the weather.
In this ‘How To,’ we answer the question ‘How to install roofing felt on a shed roof’ and lay out the best way to put felt on a shed roof, making this job possible for all levels of DIY enthusiasts.
Tools, materials, and safety gear required for shed felt installation
The first task you will need to do before the shed felt installation is to gather all the tools and materials you need to complete the job efficiently. Preparation is important when working out the best way to put felt on the shed roof. Below is a list of essential tools and materials and some safety gear recommendations you need to get started:
Essential tools
You need a step ladder or scaffold tower (for larger garden buildings), a claw hammer, a utility knife (also known as a roofing knife), a level or straight edge, a measuring tape or chalk line and a brush to apply adhesive.
Materials needed
You require shed roofing felt, timber roof battens, felt adhesive and roofing nails or felt tacks (these are designed to be waterproof).
Safety gear
The use of gloves, safety glasses and appropriate footwear and protective clothing is vital for working on a roof.
Enhancing the appearance and structural integrity of your shed
You can potentially add barge boards to your shed roof. Barge boards cover the exposed end of a timber roof; they add strength and structural support to sheds with apex roofs and add a degree of aesthetic appeal.
Another option to increase the overall look of the shed or garden building is fascia boards; unlike barge boards, these run horizontally along the lower edge of the shed roof (where the roof meets the exterior wall) to offer weatherproof protection but mainly as an attractive visual addition.
Step-by-step guide: How do you put felt on a shed roof?
The best way to answer the question ‘How do you put felt on a shed roof?’ is to offer a step-by-step guide that clearly explains how to measure and cut the felt, prepare the shed roof, attach the first strip of felt, overlap and secure additional strips, and finish the edges and corners. So, let’s get started!
Step 1 - Measure and cut the felt
Measuring and cutting your felt accurately is the key to the entire job, so to spare yourself the stress and expense of incorrect measurements – measure twice and cut once.
- Use a measuring tape - to record the accurate size of your shed roof; measure the length and width on each side of the shed roof; pitched or apex roof slopes should be measured separately
- Unroll the felt - on a flat surface, and use the chalk line or your straight edge to mark the felt according to your measurements
- Place your roofing felt - onto a hard surface or wooden board, then use a sharp utility knife or roofing knife to cut along your marked lines
Step 2 - Prepare the shed roof
Preparing your shed roof for installation is vital to ensure the felt remains intact and does its job over time:
- Clean the shed roof - any dust or dirt will stop the adhesive from working properly
- Sand the shed roof down - if necessary to avoid any lumps and bumps that prevent smooth installation
- Remove any sharp objects - like nails or anything that protrudes through the roof, as sharp objects will puncture the felt
Step 3 - Attach the first strip of felt
Attaching the first strip in the correct position is the most critical part of this process; following our advice here will ensure a neat finish:
- Take the first strip - you cut and measure and position it at the bottom edge of the shed roof, allowing some felt to overhang. The overhang allows rain to run off
- After preparing the roof - as noted in step 2, ensure the felt lies flat on the surface without any lumps or bumps
- Secure - with a nail or adhesive. If you are using nails, place them 6-8 inches apart along the edge and the middle of the roof surface. Check that the felt is in place and aligned correctly. If not, adjust as necessary before the adhesive dries or all the nails are added
Step 4 - Overlap and secure additional strips
Continue the process with the next strip:
- Place the next strip - and any additional strips to overlap each strip as it is laid. The overlap area should be 2-4 inches on each strip
- Continue this process - for each additional strip, making sure each new strip overlaps the previous strip and is securely fastened without any gaps
- Check each strip - as you lay it and adjust accordingly to avoid gaps and spaces where weather can penetrate
Step 5 - Finish the edges and corners
The final step of “How do you put felt on a shed roof” is as important as the first step. Finishing the edges and corners neatly will ensure the longevity of the shed roof and will improve the shed’s overall aesthetic appearance.
- Trim the excess felt - with your utility knife along the edges of the roof, making sure the felt is flush with the edges
- For added protection - rather than cutting the excess felt, you can fold over the edges and pin the felt underneath; this method helps to secure the felt from windy weather
- Reinforce the corners - by adding extra nails or adhesive and firmly pressing the felt into place
At this point, you may wish to add barge boards or fascia panels.
Best practices for shed felt installation
We hope we have covered the best way to put felt on a shed roof in detail. We would also like to share the best practices for shed roof installations in shorter bullet points to cover the vital considerations.
1) Weather considerations
Wet weather is the enemy of all types of building work, particularly shed felt installation. Apart from making a pleasant job disagreeable, the main reason for avoiding wet conditions is that shed adhesive will not stick to damp wood. Always opt for shed roof felt installation in dry and mild weather to ensure a job well done.
2) Securing the felt
The best way to secure roofing felt to your shed is by using nails and adhesive. This combination ensures durability and longevity. Make sure you pay extra attention when installing felt to your shed roof edges and ridges. Consider folding the felt over the edges and pinning it underneath.
3) Avoiding common mistakes
The most common mistakes when installing your roofing felt on your shed roof are not leaving enough overlap, leaving gaps and not securing the felt properly in the first instance. Attention to detail can help you avoid common mistakes
How to install roofing felt on a shed: Flat vs pitched roofs
Let us examine the impact that roof types, such as apex, reverse apex, pent, and curved, have on roofing felt installation, as well as the differences between flat and pitched roofs.
Installing felt on a flat roof
Installing felt on a flat roof comes with its challenges. Flat roofs often suffer from water pooling and thermal movement and are more susceptible to uplift from windy conditions. To avoid problems on your flat roof, implement the following application technique.
- Preparation is vital - just as in step 2 above. Prepare the surface
- Layer your felt - start with a base layer, then add one or two more layers for added roof protection
- Increase your overlap - (step 4) by an additional inch to 4 inches, and pay extra attention to your seams and edges
- Use a combination of adhesive and nails - to secure as in step 3; apply extra adhesive along the edges for security and longevity
- Inspect the roof - for gaps, bubbles and loose areas and adjust accordingly
To avoid adjusting the roof felt during installation, measure and prepare your roof felt and installation technique.
Installing felt on a pitched roof
Installing your felt on a pitched roof is not dissimilar to laying it on a flat roof but felt used on a pitched roof is susceptible to gravity-based slippage if not adequately secured. The main installation point is to attach the felt at the bottom edge of the roof and work your way up in strips. The bottom-up approach with a wider overlap ensures the water runs off properly.
Roof type considerations: apex, reverse apex, pent, and curved
Each shed roof type has its own felt installation method:
Apex and reverse apex roofs
These classic pitched roofs have a central ridge. Felt is installed on apex roofs from the bottom up, so each layer overlaps the last for water to run off. Reverse apex roofs have a similar installation but may require extra attention to the ridges.
Pent roofs
Single sloped, pent roofs have water running off one side only. Attach felt to the lower edge, work up and use extra adhesive on the higher edges to prevent slippage.
Curved roofs
May need more flexible material like EPDM rubber which bends better than felt. When applying felt to a curved roof, use extra adhesive on the edges to prevent peeling.
Differences in materials
Shed roof felt is a generic term for roof covering but there are several other materials you can use to cover your shed roof.
- Asphalt shingles
- Bitumen felt roofing
- EPDM rubber
- Green or plant roofing
- Metal roofing materials
- Polycarbonate panels
- Slat tiles
- Wood Shakes
If your shed has a pitched roof, use EPDM rubber, bitumen, metal, or polycarbonate roofing materials. Wood shakes, asphalt shingles, slate tiles, and green or plant roofing materials are better suited for a flat roof, the adaptable aspect of a flat roof is all the other materials in this list are suitable.
Tips for maintaining your shed roof after felt installation
We also recommend these tips for keeping your felt in optimum condition:
- Regular inspection – once installed, it is a good idea to check your handy work regularly; that way, you can spot problems before they become bigger issues
- Repairing small tears - if, after inspection, you find small tears or imperfections, you can repair them by adding additional layers of roofing felt or sticking down any loose edges.
- Replacing the felt— if you follow our instructions, conduct regular inspections, and quickly initiate repairs, the felt on your shed roof should last 10-30 years. However, we must stress this timescale depends on how well you installed it in the first place, how vigilant you are about your regular (every six months) inspections, and how quickly you make minor repairs.
With all your shed felt installation queries answered, you can purchase your wooden shed safely, knowing that no matter what other problems present, your shed felt roof installation is not one of them.
Conclusion
Adding felt to your shed is the best way to protect it and extend its life. Properly fitted felt creates a weatherproof barrier that keeps your shed dry and damage free from rain and snow. It also keeps the interior warm in winter and cool in summer, so the space is usable all year round. If you want to make your shed more durable, then fitting felt is a simple and essential job for any DIYer. Regular checks and repairs will keep your shed roof in top condition for years to come.
Contact us
Contact the team at Buy Fencing Direct for advice about buying felt and how to install roofing felt on a shed, and related topics.
Contact us in the following ways:
- Telephone – call us today at 0333 003 0515
- Emails – send emails using our contact form, which is embedded in our contact page
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