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— Residential Roofing · Decking & Underlayment
A roof is only as good as what's under it.
The deck and underlayment are the layers you never see, and the ones that decide how long your roof lasts. Buckshot inspects and replaces rotted roof decking and installs proper underlayment and ice and water shield across Wisconsin and Iowa, so your new roof sits on a solid, sealed foundation.
Free Roof Inspection
WI & IA · We respond in 2 hours
— The Foundation
SEC 01 / 07
The deck is the foundation everything sits on.
Your roof decking is the structural plywood or OSB nailed to the rafters. Shingles, underlayment, and flashing all attach to it, so if the deck is soft or rotted, nothing on top of it can hold, and a new roof won't last.
Years of small leaks can leave hidden rot or delamination you'd never see from the ground. We inspect the deck at tear-off and replace what's failed with code-compliant sheathing.
— No Corners Cut
SEC 02 / 07
We don't roof over rotten wood.
The cheap, fast move is to lay new shingles over a tired deck and hope. We don't. We show you the bad decking before we replace it, swap it for code-compliant wood, and price it per sheet so there are no surprises after the fact.
Doing the part no one will ever see exactly right is what separates a roof that lasts from one that leaks in five years.
"We show you the bad decking before we replace it, never after."
— Warning Signs
SEC 03 / 07
Signs your decking may be compromised.
Some of these you can spot from the ground or the attic. Any of them is worth a free inspection before they spread.
✓A roofline that waves or dips means the deck is flexing between rafters.
✓A roofline that waves or dips means the deck is flexing between rafters.
✓Areas that give underfoot when a roofer walks them during inspection.
✓Water marks or dark streaking on the underside of the deck or rafters.
✓Light coming through the roof boards in the attic is a clear red flag.
✓A damp, musty smell or visible mold points to trapped moisture in the deck.
✓Lifting or rippling shingles can signal an uneven or failing deck below.
— The Water Barrier
SEC 04 / 07
Underlayment built for our winters.
Above the deck and below the shingles sits the underlayment, your secondary water barrier. As a GAF Master Elite contractor, we install a full system, not just the cheapest roll.
Field layer
Synthetic underlayment
Modern, lightweight, and tear-resistant. It stands up to wind and foot traffic far better than old felt, and it's our standard across the roof field.
Vulnerable spots
Ice & water shield
A self-adhering membrane that seals around every nail at the eaves, valleys, and penetrations, exactly where ice dams and wind-driven rain attack.
Traditional
Felt underlayment
The classic asphalt-saturated paper. Still has its place, and we'll tell you honestly where synthetic is worth it over felt for your roof.
— How It Goes On
SEC 05 / 07
Built in order, from the deck up.
A roof goes together one layer at a time, with one Buckshot project manager owning the job from tear-off to the final walkthrough.
01
Tear off
We strip the old shingles and underlayment down to the bare deck.
02
Inspect & replace
We mark soft or rotted sheathing and swap it for code-compliant wood. We show you first.
03
Underlayment
Synthetic across the field, ice & water shield at the eaves, valleys, and penetrations.
04
Shingles & finish
The new roof goes on over a solid, sealed deck, then we walk it with you.
— Why Buckshot
SEC 06 / 07
Earned, Not Claimed
The part you can't see is where we don't cut corners.
Decking and underlayment are the parts homeowners can't inspect themselves, so the contractor's reputation is everything. That's the kind of accountable work a family company built since 1979 is set up to do.
— What Homeowners Say
SEC 07 / 07
Rated 4.9 stars across 80 reviews.
A few words from Wisconsin homeowners. Read the rest on our reviews page.
— Home Base
Madison, WI · Centerville, IA
— Decking & Underlayment FAQ
FAQ
It’s the structural wood layer, plywood or OSB, nailed to your rafters. It’s the foundation of the roof; underlayment, shingles, and flashing all attach to it.
Usually hidden rot from old leaks, delamination from moisture, or soft spots. Building code requires damaged decking to be replaced during a roof replacement, so it can’t just be covered over.
Sagging, soft spots, attic stains, or daylight through the deck are clues. But much of it stays hidden until the old roof is off, which is why we inspect at tear-off and price it transparently, not before.
Yes. It’s the water-resistant layer between your deck and shingles, a secondary barrier if water gets past the shingles. We use synthetic underlayment plus ice and water shield at the vulnerable areas.
It’s a self-adhering membrane that seals the eaves, valleys, and penetrations against ice dams and wind-driven rain, which is exactly what Wisconsin and Iowa winters throw at a roof.
Decking is often a separate line because the amount can’t be known until the old roof is off. We price it per sheet and show you the damage before replacing anything. See roof replacement →
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Free Inspection · Family-Owned Since 1979
Build your roof on a solid deck.
Whether you're planning a replacement or worried about what's under your shingles, start with a free, no-pressure inspection from a family roofing crew that's been at it since 1979. We respond within 2 hours.
Buckshot General Contracting, family-owned since 1979. Headquartered at 621 N Sherman Ave, Suite B5, Madison, WI 53704, with a field office in Centerville, IA. Licensed in 24 states. WI Lic. DC-080900045. GAF Master Elite and BBB A+ accredited. Decking condition and the extent of any replacement are determined on-site, typically at tear-off, and priced before work proceeds. Underlayment systems vary by roof and code. Credentials and licensing current as of publication.