Is Roofing Felt Needed For Metal Roof

This link will take you to section 1507 requirements for roof coverings to jump to the subsection for your type of material click the name of the material in the code index on the left side of the page you may have to click on the.

Is roofing felt needed for metal roof.

Most synthetic underlayments are mechanically attached with roofing caps and staples while others have a glue backing. By andrew hazleton updated august 20 2018 roofing felt commonly called tar paper is an important component of any roofing system. The steeper the pitch the less likely moisture is to sit and seep into gaps and cracks in the shingles. Extremely dry environments are also one area where felt may not be necessary.

Roofing felt is a layer of tar paper installed beneath the shingles to provide a backup waterproof membrane in case of leakage. Defer putting drip edge on angled gable ends until after the felt is laid so the metal edge will block wind from lifting the felt. Most codes and good roofing practice would require felt. Synthetic underlayment is a newer innovation that is taking over the metal roofing industry as a better more advanced replacement for felt underlayment.

Conversely felt underlayment is appropriate in conjunction with ice dam protection at eaves and other critical transitions in cold climates. For steep pitched roofs felt is often not required. Start the roof felt at one bottom corner of the roof. Using a roll of felt coverage or several rolls provides the roof with additional waterproofing and protects the wood sheathing of a roof until the installation of shingles is finished.

Architectural metal roofs with felt underlayment are best suited for buildings with proper slope and low moisture loads in dry or arid climates. For each type of roofing material you can see the actual language used in the model 2018 international building code at the international code council website. Roofing felt is always recommended but is not actually required by all shingle manufacturers.