How to felt a shed roof

Whether you are creating your dream garden or giving your outdoor space a refresh, a vital task you must undertake is felting your shed roof. Some gardens may not have a shed but if you do then it could make a vital difference in their longevity.

In order to felt your shed, you must follow some key steps and in this blog, we will run you through them so that you can reinvigorate your shed and your garden at the same time.

Where do you start?

This depends on whether your shed has already been felted and needs redoing or whether this is the first time it will be felt. In the scenario that the shed has never had felt before, you must carefully measure the length and width of the shed roof. One of the biggest mistakes people make when applying felt is measuring incorrectly.

If you are re-felting the roof, then you will first need to remove the old felt. Carefully take out the old nails with the claw of the hammer. Once the nails have been removed you can take off the old discarded felt.

What is the next step?

You will need to inspect the timber on the roof. This is true if you are applying new felt or doing it for the first time. Check for rot and especially around the nails as this is most likely to be the area in which water would seep in. In some cases, you may need to replace parts of the roof.

Installing felt on a damaged roof would undermine the purpose of applying it in the first place. The area has to be dry when you are fitting the felt and for this reason, it is easier to do this project during the hotter and drier months of the year such as Spring or Summer.

Preparing the felt

Once you have accurately measured the roof cut your felt to size and use enough so that it hangs slightly over the shed roof on the sides. The felt edges can then be neatly folded under. Most commonly you need to measure and cut three pieces of felt in order to complete the project. Two pieces will be on the sides of the shed roof with the third overlying the panels on the sides.

Once the felt has been arranged you can begin nailing it in. Using a hammer put the nails through the top edge of the felt. There should be a space of around 10cm between each nail. Keep the felt tight when you are nailing so that it remains in place and flat again on the roof.

When you reach the bottom of the felt then you can start hammering in the nails with 30cm spaces. Side panels can then be secured followed by the lower edge of the felt. The final stage involves folding down the felt in the corners and using a construction or craft knife to remove any unnecessary parts. Use nails to fold the felt in and create that neat and aesthetically pleasing look.

Why felting your roof is important

Whilst felting can seem like a big task to undertake, it is extremely important that you do it. Making the shed waterproof will not only make it long-lasting but will also protect all the tools and machinery you may keep in there. The last thing you need is to find out you have to replace an expensive lawnmower due to water damage. Furthermore, there are several different types of felt that can be installed and used. Therefore, if your garden has a certain theme or colour scheme then you will be able to find a type of felt that can support this.

It is normal to feel slightly over-awed by the prospect of felting or re-felting your shed however if you take your time and do your research you will find it is a straightforward and even pleasant task, as you get to spend the day in the great outdoors.

However, if you have any further questions regarding felt or you are worried about whether your shed requires additional support due to rot or damage please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our wonderful members of staff. They will be able to provide you with some advice and answer any of your questions.