Slate Roof Without Felt

How to install roll roofing on low slope roofs.

Slate roof without felt.

I have viewed two properties over the last few days that have old roof with no felt until the tiles. Definitely a good move. In wales where we are located there are still many properties with original welsh slate roofs. Both of them are inter war 3 bed semis.

Assuming the roof timbers themselves are ok a re roof usually just entails re felting new battens and then your slate tile of choice. One with a simple. Traditional 30 pound organic roofing felt. It has just one layer so it goes.

It is though difficult to repair so in the long run you are better off striping the roof and felting. Roll roofing is different. You will also want to make sure your rafters and sheathing are strong enough to hold up a heavy slate roof without sagging. Old roof slates no felt draughty but dry daylight visible when looking downhill inside the roof annual wasp nests with ingress between slates.

A typical roof has three layers a felt layer and two layers of overlapping shingles. Some older properties do not have felt and as long as they don t leak its ok. Roofing felt was introduced primarily to act as a secondary barrier against wind driven snow and rain but its use also causes a reduction in air movement within the roof space particularly if the roofing felt is impervious and this effect is often compounded by the introduction of insulation. Often if you have slate and they re in good condition there s no reason they couldn t be reused.