Commercial Roofing

Built-Up  Roofing  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  reliable  methods  of  roofing .  It  was  first  known  as  composition  roofing  and  started  in  the  1840’s .  Built  Up  roofs  are  exactly  that,  they  consist  of  several  (as  many  as  6)  piles  of  roof  felt  laminated  in  hot  asphalt,  and  surfaced  with  gravel  set  in  a  flood  coat  of  asphalt.

Many  different  types  of  materials  with  different  qualities  are  available .  This  variety  of  material  allows  the  quality  of  teh  roof  to  be  tailored  to  the  specific  requirements  of  the  structure.  Built  up  roofs  can  be  installed  on  virtually  any  type  of  roof  deck.  Some  of  the  benefits  of  a  Built  Up  roof  are:

• The  multiple  plies  create  terrific  protection  against  leaks.
• The  flood  coat  and  gravel  surfacing  provide  impact  resistance  and  UV  protection.  
• Extreme  resistance  to  wind  uplift.

Modified  bitumen  roof  systems  have  expanded  their  share  of  the  commercial  roofing  market  in  recent  years.  Atactic  Poly  Propylene  (APP)  and  Styrene  Butadiene  Styrene  (SBS)  modifid  bitumen  membranes  comprise  about  60  percent  of  the  commercial  roofing  market.  The  growth  of  modified  bitumen  roof  systems  is  likely  due  to  many  factors  including:  Familiarity  in  the  marketplace-modified  bitumens  were  introduced  in  the  U.S.  in  1972,  are  user  friendly  which  allows  contractors  to  use  their  built-up  roofing  equipment  and  expertise.

Like  Built  Up  Roofs,  Modified  Roofs  consist  of  several  (usually 2)  plies  of  roof  felt  laminated  in  hot  asphalt  with  a  cap  sheet  that  is   covered  in  ceramic  granules.  Many  different  types  of  Modified  Roofs  with  different  qualities  are  available.  This  variety  of  materials  allows  the  quality  of  the  roof  to  be  tailored  to  the  specific  requirements  of  the  structure.  Modified  Roofs  also  can  be  installed  on  virtually  any  type  of  roof  deck.  Some  of  the  benefits  of  a  Modified  Roof  are:

• Lighter  Installed  Weight
• Energy  Star  Compliance
• LEEDS  Credits
• Quick  Install  Time
• Multiple  Color  Options

Single  Ply  Roofs  all  fit  into  the  category  of  elastomeric  roofs.  Elastomeric  materials  are  those  that  will  return  to  an  original  size  after  repeated  stretching.  Some  elastomeric  roof  materials  will  stretch  to  as  much  as  450%  their  original  size  without  damage.

Some  of  the  positive  qualities  of  single  ply  roofs  are:

• Very  Light  Weight  
• Conforms  to  any  roof  shape
• Bonds  well  to  substrate
• Expands  and  Contracts  without  Tearing
• Remain  Flexible  at  the  Lowest  Temperatures

EPDM  This  is  a  vulcanized  rubber  product  that  is  manufactured  in  sheets  up  to  50  feet  wide.  It  is  available  in  black  and  white  only.  EPDM  can  be  loose  laid,  mechanically  attached,  or  fully  adhered.  Membranes  are  available  with  and  without  reinforcement  scrim,  and  are  made  in  thicknesses  up  to  60  mils (.060”).

TPO  TPO membranes  are  single-ply  roof  membranes  constructed  from  ethylene  propylene  rubber.  they  are  designed  to  combine  the  durability  of  rubber  with  the  proven  performance  of  hot-air  weldable  seams.  They  have  been  tested  as  having  excellent  resistance  to  ozone,  are  algae-resistant,  environmentally  friendly  and  safe  to  install.  The  material’s  manufacturers  are  so  confident  in  properly  welded  seams  that  the  material  is  sometimes  advertised  as  a  monolithic  (seamless)  roof.  Seam  strengths  are  reportedly  3  to  4  times  those  of  EPDM’s  adhesive  and  tape  seams.  TPO  is  highy  resisant  to  tears,  impacts,  and  punctures  with  good  flexibility  to  allow  for  building  movement.  TPO’s  are  available  in  white,  light  gray,  and  black  with  thicknesses  of  either  45  mils  (.045”)  or  60  mils  (.060”).  The  width  of  the  membrane  depends  on  the  manufacturer  but  they  usually  come  in  widths  of  six  to  six-and-a-half  feet  and  are  one-hundred  feet  inlength.

PVC  PVC  membrane  is  a  roof  membrane  composed  of  onlyh  one  layer  of  material-polyvinyl  chloride.  PVC  roofs  are  specially  designed  to  withstand  ponding  water-PVC  membrane  is  welded  together  with  hot  air  (no  open  flame)  to  eliminate  all  seams  so  moisture  can  not  pass  through.  PVC  roofing  systems  also  reflect  nearly  90%  of  the  sun‘s  hear,  thus  lowering  energy  costs  substantially,  especially  in  high-heat  areas  such  as  the  southwestern  United  States.  PVC’s  are  available  in  50  mils  (.050”),  60  mils  (.060”),  and  80  mils,  and  in  sheet  widths  up  to  78”.