Roofing Felt Installation

If the roof is made of wood, asphalt or shingles, then it is a must to add another protective layer under this primary roof in order to waterproof your house. Roofing felt serves the purpose of protective layer. The material for roofing felt comes in the form of roll of cardboard or paper.

This roll is saturated with asphalt and impregnated with bituminous coal and tar which makes it waterproof. You can cut the roll according to the required length. This roll also varies in thickness. In order for it to remain intact and last long, it should be well maintained.

The signs of a damaged roof are damp spots, pores on the roof, cracks, blisters, etc. You might also observe a change in the color of the roof. Patches on the roofing felt also indicate damaged roof. Read the roofing felt instructions given below which will help you in the maintenance of the roof, thus increasing its life.

Before you start with the actual roofing felt installation process, the decking should be cleaned thoroughly. Make sure the decking is free of debris, moisture and also check for damaged areas. Damaged area should be replaced or repaired before you start with the actual installation process.

Remove all the nails and wood splinters. You can remove the nails with the help of a flat headed shovel. After you have done all this, you can start with the process of roof felt installation. Also check if the sheathing is dry. Wet sheathing must be dried well to avoid the presence of water under the roofing felt.

In order to increase the water shedding capacity of the felt, the roofing felt should be installed from the bottom of the roof in horizontal layers. The bottom edge of the deck should be covered by the first layer of the felt. The arrangement of the edges should be planned before you lay the felt on the roof deck.

Immediately after roof felt installation, install a primary roof covering. Each strip should be smoothed after being placed. Else, this might give passage for the air to pass which in turn can damage the sheathing or the felt.

• The first step is to chalk a line which is 33 5/8 inches above the eave line. Doing this will help you get an overhang of 3/8 inches for the first strip of the roofing felt. Other lines which are moving up the roof should be separated at every 34 inches.

• Now after completing the chalking, begins the actual installation process. Start from the eave edge and roll the felt from one rake to the other.
• Around the center of the roof, tack the paper. This will not allow the paper from blowing or falling off the roof.

With a utility knife, cut the paper flush at the rake. While doing this, take care that you adjust it along the chalk line drawn previously. After you have done this, check if the overhang is 3/8 inches.

• Adjust the paper properly and smoothly and with a staple or roofing nails, nail to its lower half.Till you reach the ridge, repeat the process.
• Allow the paper to overlap where it meets end to end.At ridges,hips and valleys, it should be overlapped by six inches. If you want to accommodate the paper around a vent pipe,then slit it and adjust it over the pipe.

The best time to lay a felt sheet is warm weather as you cannot leave the work halfway and finish it at a later stage.

Be careful and follow all the precautions while doing the job. Roofing felt installation is a difficult process, but if the steps and instructions are followed properly, it will simplify the work to some extent.