US Roofing Underlayment

US Roofing Underlayment

US demand for roofing underlayment is forecast to increase less than 1.0% per year, reaching 208 million squares in 2027 – a sharp deceleration from the growth seen between 2017 and 2022. This slowdown is largely attributable to a decline in conventional housing starts that began in 2022 and is expected to continue through 2024, with sluggish growth throughout the remainder of the forecast period. Demand for roofing underlayment is closely linked to that of roofing as a whole, particularly in steep-slope materials; as roofing demand has started to fall, so too has demand for roofing underlayment.

In value terms, roofing underlayment demand is expected to remain flat at $1.7 billion in 2027. This reversal in rapid growth stems from the high material prices seen in the base period of 2022, in conjunction with expected price moderation.

Shifts in Product Mix Will Impact Overall Underlayment Pricing Levels & Trends

As synthetic underlayment has taken market share away from asphaltic products – the former increased from a 51% share in 2017 to 64% in 2022 – average underlayment product prices have increased. Following near-term price moderations, this trend is expected to resume. Synthetic underlayment has historically been costlier than asphaltic types, and the rising prevalence of building codes and regulations that call for more durable underlayments will generally boost overall price levels over the long term (durability usually equates with underlayments with thicker layers).

Waterproof and self-adhesive products are also gaining market share, and they are usually more expensive than water-resistant and mechanically attached underlayment. Self-adhesive underlayments allow contractors to complete roofing jobs in less time; with the ongoing shortage of trained installers, it is projected that these types of underlayments will continue gaining market share into the near future.

Roofing Underlayment Innovation Will Prioritize Sustainability & Long-Term Performance

Rising concern over extreme weather events and changing climate conditions will influence future developments in roofing underlayment. Innovations will focus on increasing durability and reducing energy consumption and waste. Increasing roof durability, in particular, reduces both maintenance costs and waste and significantly limits the environmental impact associated with roof replacement. In addition, current building codes and regulations (and those that are likely to be enacted in the future) will encourage the adoption of roofing underlayment that meets sustainability and energy efficiency requirements because homeowners and legislatures are increasingly concerned with the environmental impact of construction materials.

Study Description

This Freedonia industry study analyzes the 203.5 million squares US roofing underlayment industry. It presents historical demand data (2012, 2017, and 2022) and forecasts (2027 and 2032) by product (asphaltic and synthetic), by market (residential and commercial), by application (new and reroofing), by installation method (self-adhesive and mechanically attached), by barrier property (water-resistant and waterproof) and US geographic region. The study also evaluates company market share and competitive analysis on industry competitors, including GAF Materials, Owens Corning, Atlas Roofing, Polyglass USA, and CertainTeed.