Felt vs shingles vs steel: what is the best type of shed roofing?

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 roof 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. 

Felt Shed Roofing

Felt is the traditional roof covering and is great for smaller buildings such as a small Apex Shed. For years now, IKO has supplied the felt for our buildings, making sure your contents inside are safe and dry. 

To make roofing felt, a base is made from natural materials before a protective coating is applied. This protective coating usually comes in the form of bitumen which repels water whilst still allowing for any condensation to breathe. This prevents oor sheds from rotting. 

Luckily, IKO felt that we use on our buildings comes with a 10 year guarantee, which means you can enjoy ten years of worry free shedlife. 

Once you grow past our smaller sheds, sometimes dubbed the ‘wee ones’, your roofing needs to graduate to something a bit more substantial. 

Shingles Shed Roofing

Ah, beautiful shingles! These come 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 helps 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! 

Steel Shed Roofing

Our steel has been supplied by Planwell for years now. If you’re in the market for a timber building that is built to last as long as possible, steel is the right choice for you. 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 its 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 is best for not just your timber building, but any.