A double garage in Egremont had a leaking felt roof that had been patched repeatedly over the years. Our EPDM rubber roofing team stripped the old felt, replaced damaged decking, and installed a ClassicBond EPDM membrane in a single sheet — providing a 50-year solution at an affordable price point.
This detached double garage in Egremont had been re-felted twice in 20 years, with each covering lasting shorter than the previous one. The current felt — a basic three-tab mineral felt — was only 7 years old but had already developed cracks at the overlaps between strips, blisters across the low-fall areas, and complete debonding at the rear wall abutment. Multiple patches of bituminous mastic had been applied over the worst areas, creating an unsightly patchwork that was no longer keeping water out. The homeowner was using the garage as a workshop and the persistent dripping was damaging expensive woodworking equipment. The chipboard decking had been re-used through both previous re-felting jobs and was now severely compromised — soft, swollen, and no longer providing a viable substrate for any covering. The homeowner wanted a permanent solution that would end the cycle of repeated felt replacements and was attracted to EPDM rubber for its proven longevity.
We stripped all existing felt, mastic patches, and the failed chipboard decking down to the joists. The joists were in good condition — the garage has open sides at the eaves providing excellent ventilation that had prevented condensation damage. We installed new 18mm OSB3 boarding with firring pieces creating a 1:60 fall to the front edge where the gutter sits. A ClassicBond EPDM membrane was then installed in a single factory-cut sheet measuring 7m x 5m — large enough to cover the entire garage roof with 300mm surplus at all edges for dressing over the trims. The membrane was mechanically bonded using ClassicBond water-based adhesive, applied to both the OSB and the membrane underside, with the sheet carefully rolled into position and pressed with a broom and roller to eliminate air pockets. Pre-formed EPDM edge trims were bonded at all four edges with QuickSeam tape providing a secondary seal at every junction. At the rear wall, the EPDM was dressed 150mm up and terminated under a new lead flashing.
The garage now has a single-piece EPDM rubber roof with absolutely no joints, seams, or weak points across its entire surface. The homeowner has been using the workshop throughout all weather conditions since installation with zero water ingress. The improved falls ensure water drains within minutes rather than pooling, and the EPDM's permanent flexibility means it will never crack or blister regardless of temperature. The ClassicBond system offers a full 20-year product guarantee, but the membrane itself is expected to last 50+ years — meaning this will be the last roof this garage ever needs. The total cost was only marginally more than another felt replacement would have been, making EPDM the clear winner on value.
ClassicBond is a premium EPDM rubber roofing membrane manufactured from ethylene propylene diene monomer with a 1.2mm thickness. The single-sheet factory cutting service means this garage roof was covered with one continuous piece of rubber — no field joints, no seams, no weak points. EPDM remains permanently flexible through all temperature extremes, never becoming brittle or cracking regardless of weather conditions. The material is inherently resistant to UV radiation, ozone, and atmospheric pollutants, providing maintenance-free performance for 50+ years.
The solvent-free, water-based bonding adhesive provides strong, permanent adhesion between the EPDM membrane and the OSB substrate. Full bonding prevents wind uplift and eliminates the membrane flutter that can cause noise and stress on mechanically fixed systems. The water-based formulation is safe to use in the enclosed environment of a garage workshop.
ClassicBond QuickSeam is a factory-cured EPDM tape with aggressive adhesive on both sides, used to create secondary seals at all edge trim junctions and perimeter details. This belt-and-braces approach means every EPDM termination has two layers of waterproofing — the dressed membrane and the sealed tape — providing exceptional long-term reliability.
The 18mm moisture-resistant OSB3 boarding provides an ideal substrate for EPDM roofing — flat, stable, and resistant to dimensional change from moisture. The oriented strand construction gives consistent strength in all directions and excellent screw-holding properties for the edge trim fixings.
End the cycle of repeated felt repairs with a permanent EPDM rubber roof. Our team serves Egremont, Whitehaven, Workington and all of West Cumbria with professional EPDM installations. We also offer GRP and felt options. Contact us for a free quotation.
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