Felt paper on roof question

[nightice]

When lying felt paper on the roof, is it supposed to be smooth and flat or wrinkles in it. I pointed this out to my framers and one of them said "you can't make it flat 'coz when it gets cold, it will stretch and break." Is this true or is it supposed to be nice, smooth and flat? Also, the higher number the felt, the better and lower not so good?

[Cole]

LOL your framer is a funny guy. When we lay our felt here in texas we keep it real flat and smooth.
Wow that sentence u can tell I am from Texas.

[grumpydasmurf]

Your "framer" is not a "ROOFER". The felt should be reletively flat. If there is a so called blister or wrinkle you can sometimes cut the blister but it's preferred to pick up the felt and lay it smooth with no cuts.

There are many types of "felts" for your roof. Some have no asphalt at all. A 15 lb felt is ok. We use it on garages. A 30lb organic is better than the 15. It's a better protection. You can try the fiberglass reinforced or the "plastic" types like GAF shingle mate or Triflex 30. Those are more premium underlayments. We always use Ice shield in the Chicago climate. That goes at the gutter lines, valleys, and any protrusions like chimneys or skylights.

[Cole]

. I pointed this out to my framers and one of them said "you can't make it flat 'coz when it gets cold, it will stretch and break."

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Tom R]

Yeah, I gotta remember that one! Sheeesh!

[nightice]

trust me..they are people like that out here...no worries.. I have the money and won't pay until it's fixed. I thought I never saw it wrinkled on other houses. One of them told me also "the people who puts your shingles on will cut it and fix it." What an adventure!!! I actually lost sleep over it last night thinking about it. It is just the first row on one side like that. Don't understand it. These same guys even had the nads to *not* use pressure treated wood where required by code...had to put flashing underneath and now use waterseal on the affected lumber (whatever touches masonry/concrete) Will it ever end?!! Can't wait to get to the sheetrock! :shock:

[Cole]

:lol: Are you contracting your house out urself?

[nightice]

more or less until the legal crap is done to get my GC gone. I can choose who I want to do the work, provided I kow someone who does the trade, but he insisted these were "the best". Nice guys and all (framers), but that's not what keeps my house from leaking. I've been saying that for a few weeks, but we have to make sure he can't come back after us to sue. So far, an architect and a judge are reviewing everything. Will know something this weekend about that. I would have been better off doing everything if I were only licensed. :roll:

To be honest, this has been emotionally draining. I hate giving people a hard time, but I and they have to realize it's nothing personal (except with the GC)...this will be the perfect home. I already told the framers not to expect any money until everything passes inspection from the code office. I can't wait to get my license..no way I will do my customers like I have been through.

[mjpliv]

When you first lay 15 lb felt it should be perfectly flat. In an area with higher humidities the paper has a tendancy to "loosen up" overnight if not shingled immediately. The product is fairly permiable and will absord a certain amount of the water vapour that passes through it. This is what causes that type of distortion but should not affect its performace.

[nightice]

Thanks, the felt has corrected and is flat. Looks really good. Had a discussion to the boss about my gc...he himself has had problems with him. The gc told him the square footage and the type of siding (vinyl)..(for a low quote) ... both were way off and wrong. He missed the square footage by over 3000 sq ft and we're not even using siding..he lured them into this job under the wrong information...so, the framer raised his price and is upset with him a lot...especially since he did not frame the fireproof wall (code) and the inspector is coming tomorrow...no pass=no pay. So he is ticked at that, too. He was not told he had to frame that in, and I told my gc that it was code here that it had to be done..he knew it, but did not bother telling the framers they were the ones to do it. Should be interesting to see how things unfold. The framers want their money, but the gc keeps screwing them. Anyone else been through something like this when building? It is almost comical, but it's not.

[grumpydasmurf]

I have been in your framer's position. I started working for a fairly new gc last year. I did a few jobs for them and each and every job went wrong because the GC was totally in-experienced.

The first job I did for them, just after I finished the bulk of the roof work, I received a letter from the home owner stating that the GC was fired. Once the home owner took over their in-experience prevented us from completing and getting paid for months.

LOL carpenters framed a porch extension roof out of sequence and had to tear it down for some brick work to be done first, then re-built. These types of things happens when you don't have a great knowlede of building.