Felt Roof Tiles: What They Are (and What They’re Not)
When customers ask me about “felt roof tiles”, they usually mean one of three things:
- Traditional bitumen felt cut into tile-shaped strips
- Decorative felt or shingle-style sheets made to look like tiles
- A flat roof that someone has tried to “tile” over with felt offcuts
If you ask me, I’ll tell you straight: none of these is a proper replacement for a good torch-on felt flat roof or a correctly tiled pitched roof. They’re cosmetic at best and a leak risk at worst.
In my 18 years on the roof around Brighton, Hove and Worthing, I’ve seen a lot of “felt tiles” used in the wrong place, and nearly every time I’m called out because of one thing: water getting in where it shouldn’t.
Where “Felt Tiles” Usually Go Wrong
Here’s where I most often see felt roof tiles cause problems.
1. On Very Low Pitches (Too Flat for Real Tiles)
Sometimes a builder will create a shallow-pitch roof that’s technically not flat, but far too low for proper clay or concrete tiles. To make it look “tiled”, they lay strips of felt in rows like tiles.
On day one it can look fine. A couple of winters in Brighton wind and rain and you start to see:
- Lifting edges where the wind catches the laps
- Capillary action drawing water back up under the laps
- Cracks where the felt has been stressed over each “tile” ridge
Once that happens, the water rarely shows itself where the problem is. You might see a damp patch in your bedroom, but the real entry point could be two metres up the roof where the first “tile” strip failed.
2. On Porches and Bay Windows for Looks Only
On porches and bay windows, a lot of people want the look of tiles without the cost. I understand that. But trying to fake it with felt roof tiles almost always backfires.
What usually goes wrong:
- Too many joints – every small “tile” piece is another potential leak point
- Poor detailing at the edges and upstands
- Heat movement – sun on the south side of a bay window bakes the felt and curls the “tiles” up
If you want a bay or porch roof that looks neat and stays dry, I’d rather build it properly as a small flat roof with a clean mineral finish than try to imitate tiles with lots of fiddly felt pieces.
3. DIY Patchwork on Old Tiled Roofs
A mistake I see a lot: someone has a few cracked tiles on a pitched roof, they don’t want to pay for scaffolding, so they go up a ladder and glue or nail small pieces of felt over the cracks like “tiles”.
On paper it sounds like a cheap fix. In reality:
- The wind lifts the edges of the patches
- Water runs sideways under the patch and under the original tiles
- Moisture gets trapped, rotting battens and under-felt beneath
By the time I’m called, the damage under the roof surface is usually a lot worse than it would have been if the original tiles were simply replaced and the underlay checked properly.
Felt Roof Tiles vs Proper Torch-On Felt: The Real Difference
When I talk about felt roofing to my customers, I’m almost always talking about a full torch-on felt system on a flat or very low-pitch roof – not little bits cut to look like tiles.
Here’s the important difference:
- Felt roof tiles – lots of separate pieces, lots of joints, mainly decorative
- A proper torch-on felt roof – large sheets, minimal joints, fully welded together as one waterproof layer
Water loves joints. Wind loves edges. The more cuts, strips and “tiles” you add, the more chances you give the weather to beat your roof.
When a “Tiled Look” Makes Sense – and When It Doesn’t
Sometimes people don’t really want felt tiles; they just want a roof that doesn’t look like a big slab of flat grey.
Good Situations for a Simple Felt Finish
- Rear extensions you only see from an upstairs window – here I’d usually recommend a neat charcoal mineral felt finish. It’s flat, simple and watertight.
- Garage roofs – function first. A clean felt finish with good drip edges will outlast any “tiled” felt gimmick.
- Balcony and terrace roofs under decking – no one sees the felt, so I focus on waterproofing properly under the boards.
Where a True Tiled Roof Is the Better Choice
If your roof is clearly visible from the street and at a proper pitch, then instead of trying to fake tiles with felt strips, it’s usually better (and often cheaper in the long run) to:
- Strip it back to sound timbers
- Install a breathable membrane and new battens
- Lay proper interlocking tiles or slates with the correct overlaps
This way, the roof is designed as a tiled roof from the structure up, not dressed up as one with a thin felt disguise on top.
Common Problems I See with Felt Roof Tiles
To give you a clearer picture, here are the issues that make me wary whenever I see a felt “tile” job:
- Short lifespan – the small cut edges dry out and crack long before a full sheet of mineral felt would
- Wind damage – as soon as one “tile” edge lifts, the wind gets under the next one
- Trapped water – overlapping layers in different directions make it hard for water to drain cleanly
- Repair difficulty – you often can’t just patch one area neatly; the whole pattern is compromised
From a roofer’s point of view, I’d rather give you one clean, solid system I can stand behind than a fussy layout that might look clever in photos and then let you down in a storm.
My Honest Advice If You’re Thinking About Felt Roof Tiles
If you’re considering something that’s been sold to you as “felt tiles” or “tiled felt”, here is my honest advice based on what I see in Sussex every week:
- Decide what matters most – appearance from the street, or long-term waterproofing? If it’s looks, then let’s talk about proper tiles. If it’s performance, let’s keep the felt simple.
- Be wary of fancy patterns – the more cuts and strips involved, the more likely you’ll be calling me in five years with a leak.
- Match the system to the pitch – tiles want steeper pitches; felt and membranes are happier on flat or very low slopes.
- Think about access and future repairs – a clean flat felt surface is far easier to inspect, maintain and repair than a pretend-tile pattern.
How I Approach Roofs Where Someone Has Used Felt Tiles
When I’m called out to a roof where felt tiles have failed, I don’t just slap more felt on top. I go through a simple, practical process:
- Inspect the structure – I check the deck, battens, and any existing underlay for rot or movement.
- Work out what the roof should actually be – a proper flat roof, or a proper pitched tile roof.
- Strip back the failed layers – there’s no point building a good roof on top of a bad idea.
- Design one clear system – either a flat torch-on felt build-up, or a full tile and membrane setup.
This way, you end up with a roof that behaves like what it looks like – not something pretending to be something it’s not.
Planning a Roof with “Felt Tiles” in Mind? Talk to Me First
If you’ve had a quote or a suggestion that mentions felt roof tiles, or a flat roof covering that’s meant to “look like tiles”, I’m happy to give you a straight second opinion. I can usually save you money and hassle by simplifying the design and focusing on what will actually last in Brighton and Sussex weather.
If you’d like me to look at your roof and tell you honestly whether felt, tiles, or a mix of both (in the right places) makes sense, just get in touch and I’ll walk you through your options in plain English – no hard sell, no gimmicks.