Re-felting shed roof

B0bbyEwing

My wooden shed is leaking in at the roof now so it's going to need re-felting. 

I understand there's differing felts so what specific felt am I looking at for this, bearing in mind that I'm a DIY donkey, probably going to mess it up & so don't want to be doing it again for as long as possible?


The shed roof is triangular. I imagine it'll need 3 passes to cover it so any tips in order of pass? I'm assuming you don't simply go from side to side so do you do the centre first & then the sides on top? Sides first with centre on top?

Nails - galv clout nails?

Nails Q again - how does it not leak at the nail points?

Final Q for now at least - do I need to use some kind of felt/bitumen adhesive where the passes of felt overlap and/or at the ends of the roof where they don't overlap?

grumpy_codger

Yes, you need adhesive - everywhere, not only for overlaps. 

If you lay it along the ridge/sides, you do sides first, then the ridge so that it overlays on the top. I think this is obvious.

WIAWSNB

Photo of the shed roof?
And it is in a location where it's seen, so its appearance matters?

stuart45

Get a decent felt. Cheap ones are often used on the sheds you buy. You can rip them easily by hand.

chrisw

grumpy_codger said:

Yes, you need adhesive - everywhere, not only for overlaps. 

If you lay it along the ridge/sides, you do sides first, then the ridge so that it overlays on the top. I think this is obvious.

I've done several shed roofs over the years and I've never used any adhesive. I would think it makes it messy next time it's replaced.

Never used it myself, but many people recommend using rubber EPDM membrane instead of felt for longevity.

Mr.Generous

When I worked in B&Q we sold loads - about 10 to 1 ratio to all others combined - of 38kg green mineral felt. Because of the sales volume it was always at a good price, but I've done quite a few sheds and flat roofs with it. On a flat I always use the adhesive, on a slope you hardly need any depending on the overlap. The nails sink into the felt and make a seal. Doubt this works on the paper thin sanded felts though. On these a dab of bitumin over each nail probably do the trick. Recent sheds I've used PVC trim as fascia boards and used them to hold the felt down and just screw through both into the shed. 

Where that wood is on the front I've just used brown PVC so it never rots. 

Just noticed the image I used is an add for felt from B&Q = details are ...

• 
  

Green Mineral Shed Felt - Premium Shed Roofing Felt - 6.6m x 1m Roll

Sold & shipped by Kybotech Ltd

Available online only and not stocked in B&Q stores

£26.99

XzavierWalnut

chrisw said:

grumpy_codger said:

Yes, you need adhesive - everywhere, not only for overlaps. 

If you lay it along the ridge/sides, you do sides first, then the ridge so that it overlays on the top. I think this is obvious.

I've done several shed roofs over the years and I've never used any adhesive. I would think it makes it messy next time it's replaced.

Never used it myself, but many people recommend using rubber EPDM membrane instead of felt for longevity.

Same here. Never used any bitumen or adhesive, and never had any problems. As Stuart45 mentioned, don't get the cheap stuff.

TELLIT01

My shed needed reroofing and I used the rubber roofing (can't remember the official name).  Single piece covering the entire roof.  No joins so no risk of leaks.  Much stronger and longer lasting than felt.  More expensive, but once and done.

Albermarle

chrisw said:

grumpy_codger said:

Yes, you need adhesive - everywhere, not only for overlaps. 

If you lay it along the ridge/sides, you do sides first, then the ridge so that it overlays on the top. I think this is obvious.

I've done several shed roofs over the years and I've never used any adhesive. I would think it makes it messy next time it's replaced.

Never used it myself, but many people recommend using rubber EPDM membrane instead of felt for longevity.

EPDM is often used instead of felt on flat roofs for buildings, where the performance requirement is much higher than for a shed.
In this case laying an EPDM roof is said to be an easier/more DIY  job than a Torch On Felt roof, depending on the roof layout. 
Maybe EPDM is also used for sheds, but not normally AFAIAW.

B0bbyEwing

grumpy_codger said:

Yes, you need adhesive - everywhere, not only for overlaps. 

If you lay it along the ridge/sides, you do sides first, then the ridge so that it overlays on the top. I think this is obvious.

Thanks for most of your post. Not sure why the final bit was required though. Unless it was to tie in with your username?

WIAWSNB said:

Photo of the shed roof?
And it is in a location where it's seen, so its appearance matters?

Not sure what you mean by location where it's seen. It's not in the middle of some woods out back & beyond. It's in my garden so it'll be seen. Also I'm not fussed about appearance unless we're talking pink felt with spots on kind of thing? 

No photo as I'm at work right now. Speaking of which that's my break up so no time to get the other responses right now. Thanks for them though.



Just to add though - this isn't an off the shelf wooden shed. It was DIY built using tanalised timber by the previous homeowner. Looks like 1inch thick rough sawn stuff

B0bbyEwing

Is that rubber stuff better when it comes to cats claws vs the traditional felt stuff?