Can you use felt on shed walls?

Felt is a commonly used finish for roofs to protect them from rainfall. Sheds are an outdoor storage space, typically standing on their own and is exposed to the outdoor elements. The question now is if it’s practical to put up felts on your shed walls for additional protection.

Yes, you can have felt installed on your shed walls. The primary purpose of the felt is to provide a vapor barrier between your wall and the outside while still having some permeability( the characteristic of a material to transfer water vapor) that lets any moisture inside your shed escape.

Read on as we’ll be going into felts and how to make the most out of it for sheds. We’ll also be going into other considerations you should also make for weatherproofing sheds.

What is felt?

Felt is a cloth with paper-like qualities made of wood, polystyrene, wool, etc. It’s made by compressing these materials so densely that the end product is durable yet still flexible, which is excellent considering the shapes and sizes of roofs.

Felt is used in the industry as a vapor barrier and is often located on the exterior side, which generally entails that felt is used in warmer climates that experience humidity and rainfall.

Compared to other vapor barriers, the great thing about felt is the extra durability and utility it provides when used in conjunction with different finishes. For example, felt can increase the fire-rating of your roof or make the installation of other finishes easier.

The great thing about felt for DIY is that it’s incredibly light; it weighs less than a pound per square foot, making it an easy finish to work with and won’t require you to do any heavy lifting. A staple gun alone should be enough to fasten felt to your walls and roofs.

Why would a shed need felt?

Let’s face it; sheds aren’t exactly a top priority when it comes to home construction. It’s barely used and is only there to act as storage.

With that said, it’s a good practice to build things well. You want to ensure that your structure can last as long as it can without major repairs, which will save you a lot of headache and money in the long run.

The main consideration that would make you consider adding a felt finish to your shed walls are if you have any materials that are sensitive to moisture inside your shed(ex. Junction box, Breaker box, etc.).

When should you have felt installed on walls?

You should install felt if you live in a climate with high humidity and heavy rainfall throughout the year. This will allow you to significantly reduce the chances of moisture damage and prevent your stored items from getting damaged.

Another good reason to have felt installed is if your shed is made out of materials that need protection from moisture. Wooden sheds, the most common type as it’s the easiest to build and repair, will begin to rot if it’s continuously exposed to moisture.

Luckily, felt is relatively cheap and is easy to install. If used in conjunction with other moisture-protective finishes, you’re shed will be much more durable and will go without repairs longer.

When not to install felt on a shed

If you have a metal shed, commonly made with corrugated galvanized iron sheets, then it’s not advised to have felt installed since metal is almost impermeable when it comes to liquids. It’s better to opt for an impermeable vapor barrier, like a plastic sheet, instead.

If you have a plastic shed, you do not need to install felt at all since plastic does not deteriorate due to moisture. An air barrier would suit you better if you find that your plastic shed’s interior is too humid.

How to install felt on shed walls?

Felt is commonly installed on the exterior side of the walls since this is the part of the wall that gets directly wet by rain. Installing felt on a shed is relatively easy. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to do it for your shed wall.

Measure the felt

Measure the height and width of your shed’s wall. Add around 6 inches to each dimension and get the area, based on your dimensions plus the 6 inches. Now you know how much felt you’ll need to cover that wall.

Make sure to leave some allowance to allow the felt to overlap. It’s recommended that you install felt horizontally rather than vertically, as if it’s shiplap, to make sure water can’t get in.

Cutting the Felt

Felt can easily be cut with a basic knife or a pair of scissors. Cut based on your measurements earlier and make sure that you cut the felt properly to avoid weak spots when you start fastening them to the wall.

Staple it to your wall

Staple your felt in such a way that doesn’t leave any openings for water to enter. The felt should be stretched a bit when you staple it onto your wall.

Since sheds are so simple, you’ll probably only end up having to make a hole on your felt for your door. To cover walls with openings, you can either opt to cut smaller pieces of felt or have a big part of felt and have a hole cut into it.

Remember that felt is usually supposed to be an underlying finish, and it shouldn’t be the most exterior type. You can opt to put up a shiplap wood finish for your exterior walls to add some protection.

What else does my shed need?

You can also consider having an air barrier put up, which are specific openings where air can freely enter/exit a room. An air barrier can simply be the gap between your roof and your wall.

This helps out your shed because it allows water vapors to move in and out of it, which is a good thing as the last thing you want to do is to trap in the humidity inside your shed since you have a felt, acting as a vapor barrier, installed. Moving air is also much less likely to damage materials compared to stagnant air.

Additionally, since felt is a permeable material, what’s going to happen is that the other materials of your shed will STILL get some amount of moisture. If your shed is made out of wood or metal, then this can cause some deterioration in the long run. This is why it’s important also to treat or paint your wood/metal to lessen the chances of rot/rust.

Best finishes to put on top of felt for shed walls.

Now that you’ve got your felt installed. The next thing that you’ll need to do is to find a finish to put over it. We’ll be going over the most common and beneficial finishes for your shed that you can consider installing.

Plain Boards

Boards made out of gypsum, fiberglass, etc., can be viable exterior parts of your shed’s walls. These materials come with benefits such as added fire protection, moisture protection, and stability for your shed. If you plan on adding things inside your shed’s wall then this is the finish for you since boards make it easy to access the inside of your wall.

Shiplap

Also made out of boards but arranged in smaller horizontal panels that overlap, this type of finish is an excellent choice since it provides extra protection against weathering. This type of finish is ideal if you live in a place that experiences strong winds, as the shiplap can reduce wind loads by a considerable amount.

Using felt by itself.

This is also a great option; just make sure that the felt you installed is made for this and that the material your felt is covering is already somewhat durable. The main benefit of using felt like a finish is the number of options you have for customization and design. You can think of it as if you’re using heavy-duty wallpaper for shed walls.

Other ways to have felt installed

If you don’t want to go through having to measure, cut, and fasten the felt to your walls. You can opt to install pre-felted wooden boards to replace your existing shed walls. The main benefit of doing it this way is that some assurance of quality and some manufacturers even do the installation for you.

Conclusion

Felt is a great way to help weatherproof your shed, especially if you live in areas that need that moisture protection. They’re straightforward to install and cost very affordable too, which makes them great. It should only be installed if your shed is made out of wood, and remember to choose the right type of felt for it.

Homeowners should also pay attention to their sheds as it’s well worth it to go through the initial effort to make sure they’re well built and to avoid running into problems down the road.