High Performance Felt Roofing

Service Details

High performance felt roofing, more accurately described as reinforced bitumen membrane (RBM) roofing, has been a core part of our work since the company was founded. Capital Roofing has won multiple national awards for RBM installations, including first place in the IMA Reinforced Bitumen Waterproofing category. Our felt roofing teams are among the most experienced in the country.

Modern high performance felt bears little resemblance to the basic roofing felt that gives flat roofs a poor reputation. Today's reinforced bitumen membranes use polyester or glass fibre reinforcement with polymer-modified bitumen to create a tough, flexible, UV-stable waterproofing layer. When installed as a two or three-layer system with properly detailed upstands, outlets, and perimeter trims, an RBM roof will provide 25 to 30 years of reliable service.

The installation process involves torch-applying the membrane sheets to the prepared substrate, which may be insulation board, plywood, or an existing roof surface. Torch application requires significant skill and experience, because the bitumen must be heated to the correct temperature to achieve a full bond without overheating or damaging the reinforcement. Our operatives have years of experience with torch-on systems and hold the necessary hot works certifications.

We also install cold-applied bitumen systems for situations where hot works are restricted or where the client prefers a flame-free installation method. These self-adhesive membrane systems have improved considerably in recent years and now offer performance comparable to torch-applied products.

Felt roofing is particularly well-suited to domestic extensions, garages, and small commercial buildings where the roof area is relatively modest and the budget needs to be kept reasonable. For larger commercial projects, we often recommend felt roofing as part of a hybrid specification, combining RBM with other systems to suit different areas of the roof.

Maintenance is straightforward with felt roofing. Regular inspections to check for debris, blocked outlets, and any mechanical damage, combined with prompt attention to any issues found, will significantly extend the roof's working life. We offer maintenance contracts that include scheduled inspections and priority response for any repair work.

Our felt roofing work is carried out to NFRC standards and is backed by both our own workmanship guarantee and manufacturer-backed system guarantees where applicable. We have held the NFRC Gold Safety Award every year since 2004, which reflects our commitment to safe working practices on every project.