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| Built-Up Roofing |
| A built-up roof consists of three basic elements: 1) Felt 2) Bitumen 3) Surfacing. The felt underlayment is composed of glass, organic or polyester fibers, and serves a very similar function as reinforced steel does in concrete, in that the felt acts as a reinforcement to resist the extreme pulling forces of the roofing material. Bitumen is then applied in one of two forms; either tar or asphalt. The bitumen serves two crucial functions; one of which is to act as the “glue” that holds the felt together, in addition to being the waterproofing material in the system. Finally the roof is surfaced with gravel, slag, or a mineral coated cap sheet. The reason for this final layer is to protect the roof surface from things like light, heat, and mechanical damage. |
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| Modified Bitumen |
| Modified bitumen roofing systems have been used in the United States for roughly 40 years. The term modified refers to the addition of plastic or rubber-based polymeric binders to the asphalt to improve the longevity of the roofing system. Modified bitumen is typically used in multiple layers. Multiple coats of modified bitumen are woven with glass or a polyester fabric reinforcing mats that are used for reinforcement, then covered with a granule-surface cap sheet, or left smooth for an aluminum or white coating to be applied. Modified bitumen roofing has many of the benefits of a built-up roof, yet is applied as easily as a single-ply system. This type of roof is resistant to punctures, tears, or heavy traffic. |
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| Singe-Ply EPDM |
| This type of roofing is more commonly referred to as rubber roofing. This is an extremely popular choice in commercial roofing because of its ability to hold up under extreme temperatures, its resistance to sunlight & moisture, and its ease, efficiency, and cleanliness during installation. Some of the features that contribute to the popularity of EPDM single ply roofing include long-term weatherability, including excellent resistance to temperature extremes, sunlight, ozone, and moisture, ease, speed, and cleanliness of installation. This lightweight synthetic elastomer material has been used since the early 1970’s. Another feature is adaptability. Varied application techniques such as ballasted, fully adhered, and mechanically fastened, allow EPDM roofing systems to be extremely versatile and able to accommodate almost any type of roofing surface. |
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