Felt Roof Repair
Most felt roof repairs are simpler than people fear. If the felt has split, blistered, lifted at an edge or opened at a joint, and the timber deck underneath is still dry and sound, the damaged area can be cut out and a new piece of felt welded over it. That repair can buy years. If the deck is wet or the whole covering is worn out, patching only delays the bill, and we will tell you so plainly.
- Split, cracked and holed felt patch-welded
- Lifted edges and upstands re-sealed
- Failed joints and laps re-bonded
- Blisters cut out and patched
- Deck checked before we recommend a repair
- Garages, extensions, dormers and bays
The faults we see on felt roofs
Splits and cracks. Old felt hardens with age and sunlight. Where it is stretched over a joint in the boards beneath, it eventually cracks along that line.
Blisters. Air or moisture trapped between layers expands in the sun and lifts a bubble. A blister on its own is not always a leak, but once it cracks it will let water in.
Edges and upstands. The perimeter is where felt roofs fail first: the drip edge lifts, the felt pulls away from a wall, or the trim behind it rots. Water then gets in at the edge and tracks across the deck.
Joints and holes. Laps that were not bonded properly open up, and dropped tools, fallen branches or foot traffic punch holes through the surface.
How a proper felt patch is done
The damaged felt is cut back to sound material, the area is cleaned and dried, and a new piece of cap sheet is torched on with generous laps beyond the damage on every side. At edges, the trim is checked and replaced if the timber behind it has softened. The result is welded into the existing roof rather than sitting on top of it, which is why it outlasts a brushed-on coating.
Lifting a corner first
Before we recommend a repair we check the deck. A patch to a sound roof is good value. A patch to a ponding roof with a soft, wet deck is money you will spend again, because the timber keeps deteriorating under the new felt. If the deck has gone, we show you the photographs and quote a replacement instead, in torch-on felt, GRP or EPDM depending on the roof.
Repair or replace your felt roof?
A repair is right when the damage is local and the rest of the covering is still flexible and bonded. Replacement is the better answer when there are splits in several places, the felt is brittle all over, water is ponding across large areas, or the roof has already been patched more than once.
For more on replacement options see torch-on felt roofing and our flat roof replacement cost guide. For other types of flat roof fault, see flat roof repair.
If it is leaking now
Call 07840 996627, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. We aim to attend the same or next working day for active leaks, weather permitting, and will make the roof safe first. Permanent felt work needs dry conditions, so it is booked in behind the make-safe.
Felt roof repair FAQs
Can a felt roof be patched?+
Yes. Torch-on felt is one of the most repairable flat roof coverings: a damaged area can be cut out and a new piece of cap sheet welded over it with proper laps. It works well on a roof that is otherwise sound.
How much does a felt roof repair cost?+
A patch weld to a sound roof is a genuinely cheap fix. The price depends on the size of the damaged area and access, so we quote in writing after looking at it. If the deck underneath is wet, we tell you, because patching then is money you would spend again.
Why is my roof felt wet underneath?+
Either water is getting through a split, joint or edge, or warm moist air from the room below is condensing on the cold underside of the deck. The first is a repair; the second is a construction problem that a warm roof build-up solves.
Can you repair a felt roof edge?+
Yes. Edges and upstands are where felt roofs fail most often. Lifted edge felt is re-bonded or replaced, and tired timber or trims are renewed so the edge is sealed again.
Can I repair felt roof cracks myself with a tin of sealant?+
It may hold for a short while, but brushed-on sealant rarely bonds well to old, dirty felt and it hides the real condition of the roof. A proper welded patch lasts far longer.
Need Roofing Work You Can Rely On?
Contact Stoker Property Solutions for new roofs, flat roofing, repairs and maintenance across Newcastle, Sunderland and the wider North East.