Different job sites and scenarios may call for diverse roofing application methods. Roof covering types, the local weather, standards for on-site construction, and ease of access are all pieces of a puzzle that need to be considered when installing or replacing a low- or steep-sloped roof.
Common roofing application techniques that can be used include self-adhered, heat-applied, liquid or cold applied, and mechanically fastened. Let’s explore the range of cutting-edge products and solutions Polyglass offers contractors for tackling their different roof installation and repair projects.
Self-Adhered Roofing Products
Specific roof coverings and surfaces require that you use certain roofing applications. Roof shingles and granulated surfaces, for example, prohibit using heated adhesives or hot asphalt for securing roofing materials. In such cases, it would make sense to use self-adhesive polymers.
Self-adhered (SA) roofing techniques are preferred for several reasons. SA products offer low-temperature flexibility, elongation, and adhesion that far outweighs those of regular mopping asphalt. Modified bitumen base and cap sheets are overlapped and settled in place with the help of an adhesive layer on the bottom of the sheet. Once the protective layer on the end laps is detached, the sheets can be pressed into place.
Polyglass’ dual compound self-adhering SBS and APP membranes use a proprietary formulation, ADESO® Technology, consisting of the highest quality asphalt, polymers, and modifiers, featuring a true APP or SBS formulation on the top weathering side and an aggressive self-adhered formulation on the bottom side of the reinforcement.
As a roofing application method, self-adhered is economical, saves time, is effective for cold weather installations, and is less disruptive to a building’s occupants, with none of the toxic fumes common with torch-applied roofing products.
Heat Welded Roofing Products
Heat welding also goes by “torch applied,” torch-down,” or “torch-on” roofing. The heat welding process can be toxic and hazardous to those working with it. The technique involves heating the roofing membrane with a hot air welding gun until it reaches its melting point. Membranes can then fuse to the roof’s surface to provide an adhesive layer. The membrane roll creates strong, watertight seams making heat welding ideal for waterproofing.
Polyglass APP and SBS Heat Welded Membranes
The Polyglass APP and SBS heat welded membranes ranges are robust and comprehensive.
APP Heat Welded Membranes
The proprietary APP compound was developed to provide quick, consistent “bleed-out” at seams and an efficient flow for the complete bond when heat-welding.
When heat welded, APP membranes melt at higher temperatures than SBS membranes, giving them a more fluid consistency and making them easier to work with. APP membranes are often used on smaller roofing areas because they flow more easily.
Our Polyglass APP heat welded membranes include our Polyfresko® APP plastomeric cap sheets, Polyflex® and Modibond® granulated cap sheets, and Polybond® APP/base cap sheets.
SBS Heat Welded Membranes
SBS roofing membranes contain a type of synthetic rubber known as styrene-butadiene-styrene. They have a lower melting point but become stickier when exposed to sufficient temperatures. Some of their benefits include superior protection, energy efficiency, low maintenance, and impact resistance.
Polyglass’ SBS heat welded roofing membranes include our Polyfresko® cap sheets, Elastoflex V base/interplay sheets and membranes, our Elastobase® base sheets, and Elastoshield® granulated cap sheets, and our Polyfresko elastomeric cap sheets.
Liquid or Cold-Applied Roofing Products
Liquid or cold-applied is a roofing technique that doesn’t require using a naked flame. As the liquid evaporates, the material cures, forming a sealed layer on the roof. This solvent or water-based liquid application has become a trusted standalone roofing solution through the years.
Cold Application Benefits
- Because no flame is needed, this roofing technique reduces the toxic fumes given off during a torch-applied installation.
- Other benefits to using the liquid technique are energy efficiency and prolonged roof life.
Cold or liquid-applied roofing is best used when the existing roof doesn’t need replacing but rather a quick-applying easy roofing solution. It’s worth keeping in mind that the adhesive becomes more viscous at lower temperatures, thereby affecting the speed it is applied.
Polyglass Elastomeric Roof Coatings
Polyglass’ liquid-applied elastomeric roof coatings are made of silicone or acrylic. Whether you’re installing a new or existing roof, the Polyglass elastomeric roof coating systems will provide a water-resistant, fully-adhered seamless roof membrane – a complete solution.
For the elastomeric roof coating to be effective, the application process needs to be followed to the tee.
The advantages of Polyglass elastomeric roof coatings are numerous. A few of them include:
- Extending the useful life of the roof, which means less frequent roof replacements and less waste in landfills.
- Offering excellent resistance to extended exposure to harsh UV rays.
- Reducing energy costs by decreasing roof surface temperature.
- Offering high tensile strength and elongation.
- Resisting dirt pick-up.
- Resisting fungal and algal build-up – even in high humidity conditions.
Our elastomeric roof coatings are also low VOC, non-flammable, and present a minimal hazard to the applicator or the environment.
PolyBrite® Liquid-Applied Silicone Roof Coatings
The video below shows before and after footage of an ICU Medical Warehouse project in Santa Fe Springs, CA, which used PolyBrite® 98 Primer and PolyBrite 90.1, a premium liquid applied silicone roof coating product that cures to a highly durable and flexible membrane.
PolyBrite Roof Coatings Benefits:
- Moisture cured.
- Cures to form a seamless membrane when applied over the entire roof.
- Keeps the roof surface cool.
- Protects from UV rays and other weather exposures.
Mechanically Attached Roofing Products
Commercial and residential roofs repeatedly exposed to high-speed winds need materials to be mechanically reinforced to assist with uplift resistance. “Mechanically attached” means that the membrane is only fastened in seam areas, using concealed adhesive, or exposed or concealed fasteners.
A mechanically fastened roofing system with self-adhered side lap bonds and end-laps can offer maximum high-speed wind protection. Polyglass’ SBS-modified bitumen membranes can be mechanically attached, while Modibase® is an SBS-modified bitumen roofing membrane designed for use as a base sheet for mechanically attached systems.
Cold-Climate Installations
Colder climates need roofing systems that can weather ice, snow, and rain. Builders have learned the hard way that traditional roofing products don’t perform very well during installation when temperatures fall below ambient ranges (40°F–45°F/4°C–7°C).
Precious time is spent applying adhesive that needs a long time to cure – making for a complex application, while other products crack when unrolled. Overall, the roof structure is compromised because surfaces fail to bond. These challenges would require that you look in the direction of roofing products designed to make cold-weather roofing applications easier.
Polar Base® Membranes and Polar Cap® Sheets
Polyglass’ Elasoflex SA V Polar Base membranes and Elastoflex SA Polar Cap Sheets have been developed for use at below ambient temperatures (between 25°F–60°F/-4°C–16°C) as an effective defense against harsh elements and humidity.
Roofing is What We Do Best at Polyglass
Our selection of roofing products assists with commercial and residential roofing applications for steep-slope or low-slope roofs.
We provide premium-quality self-adhered bituminous roofing underlayments for steep-slope roofs. Our modified bitumen roofing membranes are also the perfect solution for low-slope roofs. Lastly, our premium acrylic and silicone elastomeric coating products are ideal for new and old roofs.
From liquid-applied to mechanically attached, whichever application technique you prefer, Polyglass has a superior range of products to get the job done seamlessly and efficiently. Contact us today to discuss your commercial or residential roofing needs.