A method and apparatus for forming spiral wound rolls from strips of compressible material uses a first endless belt conveyor (14, 24) to deliver the strips of compressible material into a winding space. As the strip enters the winding space, the strip is compressed by a compression and slider plate (16, 26, 28) to the desired thickness for the layers of strip material in the spiral roll. Then, the leading portion of the strip successively contacts: an inclined, second endless belt conveyor (18, 32), a compression roll (34) and a third endless belt conveyor (22, 42) which together with the first conveyor (14, 24) define the winding space. The second conveyor (18, 32) extends upwardly at an acute angle to the first conveyor (14, 24) and as the strip of compressible material contacts the second conveyor (18, 32) it maintains the strip in compression and starts to turn the strip back upon itself to form the spiral roll. The strip next contacts the compression roll (34) which is located intermediate the first (14, 24) and second conveyors (18, 32). The compression roll (34) continues to turn the strip back upon itself and maintains the strip in compression. The strip next contacts the third conveyor (22, 42) which is located intermediate to the compression roll (34) and the first conveyor (14, 24). The third conveyor (22, 42) maintains the strip in compression and guides leading portions of the strip inside trailing portions of the strip being fed into the winding space by the first conveyor (14, 24) to complete the spiral winding of each layer of the strip in the roll. The compression roll (34) and the third conveyor (22, 42) and compression and slider plate (16, 26, 28) are moved to enlarge the winding space as the diameter of the spiral roll increases during the winding operation.