Felt: The Fabric of America

Felt underlayments are on an estimated 124 million homes – here’s why.

By G.A.P. Roofing, Inc.

Organic saturated felt underlayments are estimated to be on 124 million roofs throughout the U.S.¹ While they are hidden underneath roofing shingles or roof cladding materials, they are hard at work providing additional protection for the roof deck and the home.

Saturated cloths were first introduced in the mid-1800’s when during the Gold Rush years, there was a need for temporary water-shedding materials on structures. In the early 1900’s, cotton fiber rags were first saturated with organics as a low-cost alternative for roll materials. Then in the mid-1900’s asphalt was saturated to papers and fiberglass which became commonly used in roofing and packaging. Today, they are a mandatory part of a roofing system. They serve such an important purpose that their use is required by code in residential construction in the United States.

Felt underlayments are a necessity in the case of severe weather and they offer an additional, secondary weather protection for the roof system should the building experience shingle blow-off or failure.

In addition to secondary weather protection, they serve as a barrier between the wooden deck and the shingles which protects the deck and prevents glue resins from transferring to the shingles. In fact, shingle manufacturers require the use of underlayment to prevent this transfer and to validate the warranties.

They also can even out the roofing surface and extend the exposure time for unfinished roofing surfaces for products that require a longer installation time such as tile, shake, slate and metals. Underlayments also offer protection for workers by creating a safer walking surface during the installation.

In the case of felts and modified peel-and-stick materials they guard against leak protection around nail or fastener penetrations. Organic saturated roofing felts offer a water repellent and a breathable layer that allows trapped moisture to escape the roofing structure, minimizing water damage issues.

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¹ Data based on total units from US 2010 Census, NOAA Storm Damage Data (2002-2016) and industry volume calculations.

G.A.P. Roofing, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of premium roofing underlayments. It was founded by the Passmore family in 1990 when they leveraged their roofing industry experience and started Great Asphalt Products in Pryor, Oklahoma. The company owns its own paper mills and processes, with the belief that utilizing unique raw material formulations and greater attention to product standards and consistency, achieves a better product, lessens lead times and allows for meeting demand when natural disasters arise. GAP Roofing’s headquarters and manufacturing site is located in Pryor, OK and they operate a manufacturing and distribution site in Jasper, FL.  GMC Roofing’s headquarters and manufacturing site is located in Shafter, CA.  For more information, visit www.gaproofing.us  or www.gmcpaper.com.