In 2012, GCP introduced Grace Select, a 25-mil-thick version of their popular 40-mil Grace Ice & Water Shield membrane. Grace Select is lighter and the smaller rolls are easier to handle up on a roof, especially when working alone. Compared to the original, I also found the thinner material easier to bend and fold, and it has a lower profile when folding it together with regular underlayment, so the fold won’t telegraph through the roof shingles.
The plastic cap film separates the rubberized adhesive from the overlying roof shingles, making future reroof preparation easier. Grace Select has a different edge treatment than Ice & Water Shield. The plastic cap sheet on Grace Select extends all the way to the edges, completely covering the asphalt backing, unlike Ice & Water Shield, which has a narrow band of exposed asphalt. I find it easier to position and place the Select without the exposed asphalt, which can sometimes stick to unintended surfaces when laying it down and gets stuck to your fingers on hot days. At $0.35 to $0.40 per sq. ft., the price is right.
—Mike Guertin, editorial advisor
From Fine Homebuilding #285
