# felt paper and rain



## critterlover (May 20, 2011)

Hi - i'm getting my roof redone but we discovered the front porch was completely rotted. It took a couple of days to tear down the porch and rebuild. The roof above the porch is felted with #30 paper and now it's raining. Is that really ok to have just the felt on in the rain for the next couple of days. It kind of makes me nervous.


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

Ideally, you should only tear off what you can cover with shingles in the same day. Felt paper is very prone to ripping and coming loosed during heavy winds. I hope you didn't use a slap stapler on it.


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## siding247 (Jun 10, 2011)

its called a tarp


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## loneframer (Mar 27, 2009)

Felt will only hold out water for a short period of time. As felt is wetted, it will expand and begin to wick water through.

It's actually a neat process, but not great for long term water hold out.


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## critterlover (May 20, 2011)

I'm not the one puting the roof on. I hired a roofer and he insisted this is fine, but we're expecting more rain before he finishes next week. I can't go up on the roof and tarp it sothat's why i'm asking what i should do?


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## Slyfox (Jun 13, 2008)

Assuming it's installed properly, 30# felt can set exposed to the weather for a couple to a few weeks with out any problem.


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## critterlover (May 20, 2011)

I just went out to look at it after last night's rain and it's kind of rippled. Will that straighten back out when it dries completely or should i make him tear it off. I'm replacing an old roof that's all rippled and i don't want another. (not the same roofer)


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## Slyfox (Jun 13, 2008)

critterlover918 said:


> I just went out to look at it after last night's rain and it's kind of rippled. Will that straighten back out when it dries completely or should i make him tear it off. I'm replacing an old roof that's all rippled and i don't want another. (not the same roofer)


Felt expand/contacts with the weather, it will straighten out if the roofer/s allow it time to do so.
(Time as in an hour or so to dry out, not days or weeks)


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## Roofster (Jun 6, 2011)

Felt paper can wrinkle when wet. IMO you do not rip what you cannot roof. If for some reason you cant finish what you've ripped it should be tarped.


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## loneframer (Mar 27, 2009)

critterlover918 said:


> I just went out to look at it after last night's rain and it's kind of rippled. Will that straighten back out when it dries completely or should i make him tear it off. I'm replacing an old roof that's all rippled and i don't want another. (not the same roofer)


The rippling is an effect of the felt absorbing moisture. When it dries, it will flatten back out and typically shrink just a bit from it's original size.

Contrary to popular belief, felt paper, or tar paper as most folks call it, is not waterproof.

More accurately stated, it is moisture resistant at best.

Whether or not that is a pro or con is a long argued matter.


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## critterlover (May 20, 2011)

Thanks - i talked tom y roofer earlier. He does not plan to leave that paper on. He will rip off and replace with new paper when he does the roof this week.


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## Slyfox (Jun 13, 2008)

critterlover918 said:


> Thanks - i talked tom y roofer earlier. He does not plan to leave that paper on. He will rip off and replace with new paper when he does the roof this week.


Kewl, I'm glad he put your worries to rest.


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## Dave88LX (Nov 10, 2011)

Roofster said:


> Felt paper can wrinkle when wet. IMO you do not rip what you cannot roof. If for some reason you cant finish what you've ripped it should be tarped.


I'm not a roofer, just a homeowner, so bear with me. When you put down shingles, you work from the bottom up, so how does this work? Or are you talking more side-to-side?


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Dave88LX said:


> I'm not a roofer, just a homeowner, so bear with me. When you put down shingles, you work from the bottom up, so how does this work? Or are you talking more side-to-side?


Boy, you move around a lot. You work from the eaves to the ridge usually from left to right. The directions are on every bundle of shingles you buy, and on the manufacturers web site. Pay strict attention to where you nail. Most newbies nail too high and miss the headlap, possibly resulting in tab lifting and blow off. Use six nail method per shingle with three tabs.


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## Oh-Fudge (Sep 1, 2011)

Just passing by and read this and am curious why the guy above said not to use a slap stapler on roofing felt? How do you attach it?


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

Oh-Fudge said:


> Just passing by and read this and am curious why the guy above said not to use a slap stapler on roofing felt? How do you attach it?


Button cap nails. Slap stapling can tear the felt. It also is less resistant to winds. We never slap staple unless we are shingling it the same day. We rarely use felt anymore. Most of the time we use synthetics which hold up much better and are almost impossible to tear.


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Oh-Fudge said:


> Just passing by and read this and am curious why the guy above said not to use a slap stapler on roofing felt? How do you attach it?


Roofing nails through plastic caps. Just enough to hold it down till you bring up the shingles. Furring strips at rakes if windy.


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