Felt vs shingles vs steel: what is the best roofing material for a shed?

So you’ve decided that you really want a G&M shed (or other timber building), we can’t blame you really…but have you chosen what roofing materials you are going to go with? 

There are three types of roofing that are most commonly used on timber buildings: 

• Felt 
• Shingles 
• Steel 

Luckily for you, by the end of this blog, you won’t only be able to decide what roof you want for your own building, but you will also be somewhat of a ‘shed roofing expert’ who can help recommend roofing to your Sheddie friends. 

Let’s dive in. 

Is Felt The Best Roofing Material For A Shed?

Felt is the traditional roof covering and for years, we used felt on G&M sheds. But because roofing felt has a shorter life expectancy than your building, felt needs replaced, and is the least watertight of the three roofing materials we’re discussing here.

Because of this, in 2022 we decided that felt no longer provided the high standards we’re known for.

Roofing felt usually lasts around 10 years, or even longer, depending on the weather, and the quality of the felt.

Roofing felt is a more affordable option than steel or shingles, and is a perfectly reasonable option, especially if you’re buying a smaller apex shed. We don’t recommend roofing felt for pent sheds, because the shallower roof pitch can lead to water sitting on your roof. This will test the waterproof qualities of the felt and can lead to leaks.

Are Shingles The Best Roofing Material for a Shed?

Ah, beautiful shingles! This roofing material comes as standard on most summerhouses and with good reason. They are seriously pretty and seriously effective. 

The main difference between felt and shingles is the style and the quality of materials used. Shingles are made of higher-quality materials which help to make them last a bit longer. 

Now that you understand how shingles are made, the only thing left to discuss is the style that you want to go for. We offer rectangular or hexagonal shingles for you to choose from. On buildings such as The Rannoch or The Kindrogan that don’t have shaped roofing, we would suggest rectangular shingles and for shaped roof buildings such as the Deuchny or the Laggan, we recommend hexagonal shingles. There’s a method behind oor madness, don’t ya know?

Shingles come with a bit of a longer guarantee than the felt roofing, instead of 10 years worry free shedlife, they give you 15 years! 

Does it get much better than that? 

Depending on what your needs are, yes! 

Is Steel the Best Roofing Material For A Shed

Planwell has supplied our steel for years now. If you’re in the market for a long-lasting timber building, choose steel. Hey, it also doesn’t look too shabby if we do say so ourselves.

The steel option means that any rainwater will run straight off and prevent condensation. It’s also very durable and for that reason, steel comes with a 20-year guarantee.  

So what’s the best roofing for your shed?

In short, if your timber building is just a ‘wee one’, felt roofing is most likely okay for you. Anything bigger than a ‘wee one’ and you’re onto shingles or steel. If it’s looks you’re after, go for shingles, but if you’re after durability, steel is the choice for you. 

There you have it, you’re a fully-fledged shed-ling and know what type of roofing materials are best for not just your timber building, but any.