Felt Roofing in Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset
New multi-layer felt roofs, and replacement of old felt that has blistered, cracked or started to leak.
Modern Felt Roofing, Properly Installed
Felt roofing is a flat roof covering built up in bonded layers of bitumen-based sheet, giving a waterproof surface. We install new felt systems on garages, extensions and larger buildings, and we replace old felt roofs that have failed. Modern felt is built up in several layers, unlike the single-layer felt many homeowners remember.
Felt is a cost-effective choice for garages, porches, sheds, extensions, and smaller roofs, and we also install felt systems on commercial and school buildings.
We replace old and failing felt roofs as well as installing new ones. The warranty details are in the FAQs below.
When Felt Fails
Felt does not last forever. As general guidance, torch-on felt typically lasts 15 to 20 years. Failures we have dealt with on real roofs fall into three groups. If one detail has failed rather than the whole covering, see our flat roof repairs page.
A felt roof that has started to fail often shows it first at joints, edges and low points where water collects, so it is worth having a roof looked at when you first see a blister, a split or a damp patch indoors.
- Blistering and cracking. At Canford Cliffs Road the felt was blistered and cracked, and we advised removing it. At Bournemouth parts of a felt roof were beginning to crack, with the property at risk of water ingress.
- Poor installation. At Branders Lane, Christchurch a poorly installed felt roof was failing badly, with blistering and water trapped under the system. At Lilliput an incorrectly installed felt roof was letting condensation into the house, and water sat on the surface because it could not run off.
- Rotten decking beneath the felt. At Kings Park the decking under a felt roof had not been installed properly and was completely rotten, so we removed it and replaced it.
Where the covering has failed across most of the roof, replacement is usually the better route. Our flat roof replacement page explains what it involves.
Recent Felt Work
These are jobs from our own project pages. Each link goes to the full write-up.
- New felt, school extension. Broadstone First School: a new insulated warm roof in Strata-Cap SBS felt on a plywood deck with 150mm insulation, finished within the summer holiday.
- Failing felt replaced, Christchurch. Branders Lane: stripped to the joists and insulation, re-decked in new 18mm marine plywood and covered with fully adhered Evalon VSK.
- Cracked felt replaced, Canford Cliffs. Canford Cliffs Road: old felt removed, new 18mm ply laid to run water to the guttering edge and Evalon VSK 1.2 fully self-adhered, with water check and drip trims.
- Old felt replaced, Ferndown. Ferndown: the old felt roof across a house and its extension replaced with 18mm plywood and single ply membrane in under two days.
- Felt replaced, Lilliput. Lilliput: the badly installed felt removed, timber installed as a new base and a membrane roof laid at a slight incline so water runs off.
- Felt refurbished, Kings Park. Kings Park: rotten decking removed and replaced, and the existing felt cleaned and overlaid with Evalon VSK self-adhered membrane.
- Felt overlaid, Bournemouth. Bournemouth felt overlay: a complete Evalon VSK overlay on a failing felt roof, which kept costs down for the client.
Why Choose Felt Roofing
Excellent waterproofing from a strong, layered construction
Cost-effective for garages, porches, sheds and extensions
Durable and hard-wearing
Old and failing felt roofs stripped and replaced
A 10-year Insurance-Backed Guarantee and a 20-year warranty
How We Install Your Felt Roof
Survey and quote
We look at the roof covering and the deck below it and explain the options. The survey is free and the written quote is itemised.
Strip and prepare
Old felt comes off, and rotten or damaged decking is cut out and replaced so the new felt has a sound base.
Build up the layers
The felt is laid in layers, with upstands, edges and outlets detailed so water runs off the roof.
Handover
We check the finished roof with you and confirm your 20-year warranty and 10-year Insurance-Backed Guarantee.
More Ways We Can Help
From surveys to finishing touches, we cover every part of the job.
Lightweight, seamless waterproofing for flat and low-pitch roofs.
Rainwater goods replaced and maintained.
Roof windows supplied, fitted, and sealed.
Every roof assessed from above before we quote.
Hidden leaks pinpointed to the millimetre, without tearing up the roof.
Living roof systems for a cooler, greener property.
What Our Customers Say
★★★★★“Our garage roof had leaked for months. They replaced the felt, explained what had gone wrong, and it has been dry ever since.”
★★★★★“Our old roof had been patched up for years. They stripped it back, replaced the lot properly, and the warranty gives us real peace of mind.”
Old felt roof past its best? Get a free replacement quote.
Get a Free QuoteFelt or Single Ply?
As general guidance, torch-on felt typically lasts 15 to 20 years and single ply membrane 25 to 30 years or more, with Alwitra systems 40 years or more when correctly installed. Felt is a cost-effective option for garages and smaller roofs. Single ply is laid as one sheet with heat-welded joints and often suits larger roofs and extensions; see our single ply membrane page. Several of the failing felt roofs above were replaced with single ply. We survey the roof and recommend the system that suits your property and budget.
Felt Roofing Across Dorset & Hampshire
We are based in Poole and our felt roofing work takes in Bournemouth, Christchurch, Ferndown, Broadstone, Lilliput and Canford Cliffs, as the jobs above show, as well as the wider Dorset and Hampshire area.
If you are not sure we reach your postcode, call and ask.
As general guidance, torch-on felt typically lasts 15 to 20 years when installed correctly and maintained. Every installation comes with a 20-year warranty and a 10-year Insurance-Backed Guarantee.
Yes. We strip the old covering, check and repair the deck, and install a new felt or single ply system. See our flat roof replacement page for what the work involves.
Yes. Felt is a reliable, cost-effective option for garages, porches, sheds, and other smaller roofs.
Every roof we install comes with a 20-year warranty and a 10-year Insurance-Backed Guarantee.
Yes. The survey is free and the written quote is itemised, with no obligation to go ahead.
On the roofs we have worked on, the causes were blistering and cracking as felt ages, poor installation that traps water or lets condensation in, and rotten decking beneath the felt.
Get a Free Quote
Unit 5, Wessex Trade Centre
Ringwood Rd, Poole, BH12 3PF