Refelting a Summer House Roof

Refelting a summer house roof is quite a big job but its definitely something you don’t want to put off.

Book yourself a day to do it, you may finish in half a day but take your time and don’t rush it.

Like they say… It is always cheaper to do the job right the first time.

To make this job easier, grab a Friend and follow my guide to re-felting a summer house roof.

Refelting a Summer House Roof, What Tools Do I Need?

Re-felting a summer house roof doesn’t need any specialised tools.

All you need is a tape measure, a pencil, a straight edge or long piece of timber, a Stanley knife, a claw hammer, gloves and a ladder.

Rubble sacks or strong waste bags for the disposal of the old felt.

I know its not a tool, but great weather too!

Refelting a Summer House Roof, What Materials Do I Need?

I’ve put together a shopping list for you to download and print out. Take it with you when you go to your local DIY store.

The shopping list will have everything you need from tools to materials, just tick them off.

How Many Rolls Of Roofing Felt Do I need?

Before you start removing the old felt you need to make sure you have the right amount for the job.

Using a tape measure, measure the length of the roof from one end to the other. Once you have that measurement note it down on some paper.

Next measure the width of the roof. Measure from one side of the summer house to the ridge and then back down to the other-side

You may need a step ladder to take this measurement, and again, make a note of that measurement too.

Now you have both measurements, you need to add at least an extra 100mm to the LENGTH’S measurement. The extra 100mm will give you a 50mm overhang on each side of the felt for fixing.

Sherlock Maintenance Tip: I like to add an extra 200mm to the length’s measurement instead of a 100mm, Its abit of an insurance policy just in case you make an awkward cut.

The majority of roofing felt comes in 1 metre widths and ranges from 8-10 metres in length. Roofing felt is laid in strips along the length of the shed (as shown in the picture below).

It is recommended that each strip overlaps the previous one by 75mm, but again in my experience more is better.

Now, if your good at math you can easily work out how many rolls of felt you will need.

But if math isn’t your forte, follow the steps below and measure out your widths to find out how many rolls you need.

Step One – Measure your first 1 metre width at the edge of the roof, making sure 100mm of the tape measure hangs over the edge, mark with a pencil.

Step Two – Do the same again for the other side.

Step Three – Follow the same process for the next pieces making sure each measurement overlaps the other by 100mm.

Example of how felt is laid on summer house roof

Step Four – One last strip is needed to cap the ridge of the roof. This piece will finish the roof off aesthetically and also provide maximum protection.

Picture showing how felt is laid for the ridge

The summer house in the picture was 3.5m x 3.5m , following the above steps, I found that I needed 5 strips of felt in total to recover the roof.

How to Remove Felt From a Summer House Roof

Before you put your new felt on, the old stuff needs to come off.

Using a claw hammer, a pry bar (optional) and a drill (optional) begin gently removing any fascia boards first. this will reveal the ends of the old felt.

Using your claw hammer begin to remove the old clout nails

Then begin removing the old felt, using a Stanley knife to cut the felt into manageable pieces.

Also have some rubble bags at hand to put the old felt into.

When all the felt is removed check for rogue clout nails, staples and anything else that could damage the new felt.

Check for any damaged or rotten wood and replace.

I’m a big believer in treating the roof of a summer house or shed before the new felt goes on.

Grab a fence brush and some fence/shed paint and apply 2 coats , waiting for the drying time between coats.

How to Fit New Felt On a Summer House

Using the measurements we marked on the summer house roof earlier, I want you to follow those measurements across the entire length of the roof using a straight edge and a pencil, don’t worry about the ridge piece yet.

Following the markings, lay out the first edge pieces of felt, you will need some clout nails and a hammer to affix the 2 pieces.

First two peices of felt laid and fixed with clout nails

Then the next two pieces, making sure the overlaps are equal on both sides of the roof for that aesthetic look and protection.

…And then the felt for the ridge can finally go on. Make sure this piece is dead centre.

Once your happy with the position, fix the ridge piece using clout nails at 100mm apart.

Once all the felt is fixed to the shed, its time to tidy up the edges.

Using a Stanley knife carefully cut the overhanging felt to a length that will allow you to fold the felt underneath each edge of the roof.

When it comes to the corners, follow the pictures below to help make cutting the corners easy.

Then refit all fascia boards and gutters.

Do I Need to Use Felt Adhesive?

This question is frequently asked in DIY forums and my take on it is, yes if you want to, but no if your getting a good overlap on each strip.

90% of sheds around the UK have no felt adhesive, just a good overlap and plenty of clout nails.

Felt adhesive is great if your summerhouse or shed has no shade from high winds or heavy rain, adding that extra adhesion plus the clout nails, will definitely ensure the felt doesn’t get lifted or torn.

The only downside to felt adhesive is that it can turn a tidy job into a messy job.

If you apply it when its too hot outside it tends to run, if by any chance you tear any of your new roofing felt while fitting it, the sticky adhesive can turn into a nightmare when removing the torn piece.

So if you want that added security then Yes, by all means use it, but its not necessary.

Can You Felt Over Old Felt?

I wouldn’t recommend it because the leak you have, would have certainly affected the structural parts of the roof.

It is always best to remove the old felt and check the condition of the roof and repair where necessary.

Felting a roof is a costly job, and your summer house wasn’t cheap so why would you cut corners?

Can You Recycle Roofing Felt Once Removed?

In short, yes.

Most recycling centres will accept roofing felt for recycling. Its always good practice to give your local recycling centre a call or check their website.

Roofing felt is made using oil and because oil is a resource that is becoming scarce, the reuse of roofing felt its very important for the environment.

Did This Post Help?

Hopefully this post has helped you understand the processes of re-felting a summer house roof?

If it did, let me know in the comments section below.

Each and every week I put my heart and soul into providing you with great content to help with any DIY jobs around the home.

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