Appreciation post: My 'waterproof' shed roof leaked after the first heavy rain in Seattle last fall because I used the wrong underlayment.

I learned the hard way that a $30 roll of basic roofing felt isn't enough for our constant drizzle, and now I'm looking for a better sealant for the plywood before I re-shingle, so has anyone used that peel-and-stick ice and water shield stuff on a shed?

3 comments

3 Comments

chen.olivia1d ago

Peel and stick is serious overkill for a shed roof unless you're building it in a literal swamp. That stuff is expensive and a pain to work with compared to just using a decent synthetic underlayment. A good 30-pound synthetic felt will handle Seattle drizzle just fine if you install it right. Save the ice and water shield for the critical spots on your house, not the garden shed.

jake_wells121d ago

Yeah, that peel and stick stuff is super sticky and can be a real pain if it gets hot... heard it can even melt a bit and slide around.

miastone1d ago

Wait, did chen.olivia say a 30-pound synthetic is enough for Seattle? I gotta disagree there, the constant damp here is a different beast. That peel-and-stick IS a pain, but for a small shed roof it's not that bad or expensive. It's the only thing that really seals around the nail holes, which is where most leaks start after a few years. A basic underlayment just can't do that, no matter how well you install it.