Do I need underlayment under a metal roof panel?

Yes — every metal panel we sell is installed over an underlayment, not directly on bare plywood. It is a thin protective layer between the deck and the panel, not the finished roof surface.

What is the difference between Star Wrap and Tyvek Protec underlayment?

Star Wrap is a mechanically fastened synthetic sheet, $129.50 for a 3 ft x 65 ft roll (about 195 sq ft). Tyvek Protec is a peel-and-stick, high-temp self-adhered membrane, $124.50 for a 3 ft x 67 ft roll (about 200 sq ft) — no fasteners of its own, and it costs less per square foot.

Which underlayment should I use under standing seam panels?

Tyvek Protec. Its self-adhered, high-temp membrane is the better match for standing seam profiles like IronSeam 150, TrueShield 100/150 and ForgeSeam 150/175, which sit tight to the deck and run hotter than exposed-fastener panels.

Is the peel-and-stick underlayment more expensive than the synthetic one?

No — Tyvek Protec is actually $5.00 cheaper per roll than Star Wrap ($124.50 vs $129.50) and covers slightly more area, which works out to about $0.62/sq ft versus $0.66/sq ft.

Metal Roofing Underlayment: Synthetic vs Peel-and-Stick

Every metal panel we sell goes down over an underlayment, not straight onto bare plywood, and we stock two: Star Wrap synthetic underlayment at $129.50 per 195 sq ft roll, and Tyvek Protec high-temp, peel-and-stick underlayment at $124.50 per roll covering about 200 sq ft — making it the lower cost per square foot of the two.

(813) 410-7427 Compare Standing Seam Panels

Both sit between the deck and the panel, but they attach differently and suit different panel systems. Here is what separates Star Wrap from Tyvek Protec, the full price-per-square-foot math, and which one pairs with which panel line.

Star Wrap Synthetic Underlayment

Star Wrap roof underlayment comes in a 3 ft x 65 ft roll — about 195 sq ft — for $129.50. It is a synthetic sheet that rolls out across the deck and is mechanically fastened in place before the panels go on. It is the underlayment we see most often paired with exposed-fastener panels — R Panel, PBR, Tuff Rib (9-5 Panel) and 5V Crimp — where the panel itself is screwed through to the deck.

Tyvek Protec High-Temp Self-Adhered Underlayment

Tyvek Protec is a peel-and-stick membrane: pull the backing and it bonds directly to the deck, with no mechanical fasteners of its own. It comes in a 3 ft x 67 ft roll (about 200 sq ft) for $124.50, and it is built for the higher temperatures that build up under a metal panel in direct Florida sun. Its self-adhered seal also closes around any fastener that penetrates it, which is why it shows up most often under standing seam and other concealed-fastener systems, where the panel sits tight to the deck.

Price Comparison: Star Wrap vs Tyvek Protec

Side by side, the peel-and-stick option is not the more expensive one — it works out to less per square foot.

Underlayment	Roll Size	Coverage	Price / Roll	Price / Sq Ft
Star Wrap (synthetic)	3 ft x 65 ft	~195 sq ft	$129.50	$0.66/sq ft
Tyvek Protec (peel-and-stick, high-temp)	3 ft x 67 ft	~200 sq ft	$124.50	$0.62/sq ft

Which Panel Line Pairs With Which Underlayment

For exposed-fastener roofs — R Panel, PBR, Tuff Rib (9-5 Panel) and 5V Crimp — Star Wrap's mechanically fastened synthetic sheet is the standard, lower-cost-per-roll choice. For any standing seam profile — IronSeam 150, TrueShield 100/150 or ForgeSeam 150/175 — Tyvek Protec's self-adhered, high-temp membrane is the better match, since those panels sit tighter to the deck.

How Much Underlayment to Order

Underlayment is sold by the roll, not cut to length like our panels. A simple way to estimate: multiply your roof's length by width in feet to get square footage, divide by 195 for Star Wrap or 200 for Tyvek Protec, and round up to the next whole roll — most installers add one extra roll for overlaps and valleys. Run the rest of your material list, panels included, through our metal roofing calculator.

Order Underlayment With Your Panels

Both underlayments are in stock for next-business-day Tampa pickup alongside your panel order, or add them to a Florida delivery. Call (813) 410-7427 and we will help you match underlayment to the panel system you are ordering.