Though many homeowners may not know anything about roof underlayment, it is a crucial part of every roofing system. The underlayment goes directly over the roof deck, providing a waterproof barrier between the rafters and the roofing material. If you are a homeowner who wants the best for your home, it’s important that you have the right roofing components, including a durable underlayment.
Over the last few years, underlayments have seen several developments, and now they have become even easier to install, thanks to a peel and stick, self-adhering backing.
In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to the top eight peel and stick roof underlayment choices for 2023.
#1 Titanium® PSU30 by Owens Corning
Homeowners seeking unparalleled roof protection should look no further than Titanium PSU30. This remarkable underlayment is a game-changer in roofing technology. Its distinctive feature is the patented Sure-Foot® walking surface, providing exceptional slip resistance on steep slopes, even in challenging conditions like rain or dust. What sets Titanium® PSU30 apart is its compatibility with various roofing shingles, including metal, tile, wood shake, and natural slate. It’s your shield against ice dams and wind-driven rain, making it ideal for roofs with slopes of 2:12 or greater.
Other features include its gray color and its granular-free design, which maintains a stable temperature during installation and helps the underlayment last longer, even in extreme temperatures. Plus, it comes with a lifetime limited warranty, giving homeowners peace of mind for years to come.
#2 WeatherWatch® Mineral-Surfaced Leak Barrier by GAF
When it comes to ensuring your home is shielded from the harshest elements, the GAF WeatherWatch Leak Barrier stands out as the go-to choice. This cutting-edge underlayment is engineered to provide homeowners with the utmost peace of mind. WeatherWatch incorporates advanced fiberglass reinforcement, guaranteeing resistance against wrinkling and buckling over time.
Installing WeatherWatch is a breeze, thanks to its adhesive properties. Even if adjustments are needed, it allows for one-time repositioning. Plus, this peel and stick underlayment not only meets, but surpasses ASTM D1970 standards, and comes with GAF’s limited lifetime warranty.
#3 StormGuard® Film Surfaced Leak-Barrier by GAF
As a homeowner, you know the weather here in Georgia is usually pleasant but can take a turn for the worse. That’s why it’s important that you provide additional protection for your roof by installing GAF’s StormGuard® Film Surfaced Leak-Barrier.
This synthetic-surfaced peel and stick leak barrier is second to none. It excels in safeguarding the most vulnerable areas of your roof, including eaves, rakes, valleys, skylights, and chimneys. StormGuard goes above and beyond in preventing unsightly and expensive interior wall or ceiling stains, which can result from leaks caused by wind-driven rain, ice dams, and clogged gutters.
#4 Grace Ice And Water Shield®
GCP has been an industry leader when it comes to roofing underlayments; The company actually invented the fully adhered roofing underlayment.
When it comes to safeguarding your home against the harshest elements, Grace Ice and Water Shield emerges as the gold standard in fully adhered roof underlayments. Its latest peel and stick roof underlayment range is also popular among both homeowners and roofing contractors.
Coming to its features, the product is known for its robust adhesion to the roof deck, ensuring a watertight seal that fortifies your roof against even the most severe weather conditions. Also, its innovative ripcord release feature adds to its ease of installation. This makes waterproofing intricate areas, such as valleys, chimneys, and roof-to-wall transitions, a breeze.
#5 Wind & Water Seal™ by MFM
Meet the Wind & Water Seal by MFM, the roofing underlayment designed to take your roof’s protection to the next level. This robust 40 mil underlayment features a unique composition, consisting of a non-slip polymer film firmly laminated to a high-temperature rubberized asphalt adhesive. A split-release film safeguards the adhesive, ensuring it’s ready as the underlayment is installed.
Like most of the products we previously discussed, the Wind & Water Seal is also engineered for versatility suitable for use under all roofing materials, including metal, asphalt shingles, shake or concrete shingles, and clay tiles.
This is an ideal choice for high-temperature areas where durability is paramount, as you can leave it exposed for up to 60 days.
#6 Grace Ultra™ Butyl Underlayment
Our next roofing underlayment is also from GCP. While the Grace Ice and Water Shield we talked about earlier is quite popular and perfect for moderate weather conditions, Grace Ultra takes it a step further.
When it comes to safeguarding your roof against extreme temperatures and demanding conditions, Grace Ultra underlayment stands as the ultimate choice. This fully adhered, smooth surface roofing underlayment is tailor-made for high-temperature roof assemblies, setting a new standard for water protection.
Grace Ultra’s remarkable heat resistance, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 300°F, is unmatched. Its 100% butyl adhesive is ideal for elevated temperatures and is compatible with copper and zinc roofs, or any application demanding superior heat resistance.
#7 IB3 StormStopper™ by MFM
Our next product, IB-3 StormStopper, is manufactured by MFM Building Products. This self-adhering, 50 mil underlayment is a true champion, designed to enhance the longevity of your roof, whether it’s shingles, tile, or any other material. Its construction features a layer of mesh firmly bonded to rubberized asphalt that is coated with black stone granules. What sets it apart is the non-removable selvage edge, ensuring a secure seal on overlaps for unmatched reliability.
This roof underlayment is designed to self-seal around fasteners, eliminating worries about potential leaks and providing added peace of mind.
This peel and stick underlayment is also available in another high-temperature variant. However, unlike the Wind & Water Seal underlayment we mentioned earlier, which comes with a 10-year warranty, the StormStopper underlayment comes with a 5-year warranty.
#8 PlyStik™ Plus by Epilay®
Our last, but certainly not least, top pick is the PlyStik Plus roofing underlayment.
With its substantial 48-mil thickness, this underlayment is engineered for exceptional durability and ease of use. Its unique design, coupled with outstanding tear strength and superior adhesion, makes it the ideal choice for contractors who need a roofing underlayment that’s not only reliable, but also manageable.
PlyStik Plus is available in convenient 2-square rolls, ensuring that it’s the perfect fit for a range of roofing projects. Its Class A fire rating provides peace of mind, making it suitable for areas where wildfires may be a concern.
The company also shows its commitment to the environment—as the product is 100% recyclable at the end of its lifespan.
Give Your Roof The Best Protection!
If your roof is showing signs of wear and tear, or if you’re considering a roof replacement, it’s time to put the knowledge from this guide into action. At Division Kangaroof, we’re not just here to provide information, we’re here to ensure your roof is in its best condition.
Our expert team is well-versed in offering top-notch roof replacement services, and we exclusively use the best underlayments to ensure your home remains safeguarded against the elements. Contact us today!
