What is Modified Bitumen?
To understand what modified bitumen is, we must first introduce its predecessor — the traditional bituminous roof.
Commonly known as built-up roofs (BUR), these roofs were made with roofing felts and several mopped layers of hot asphalt, surfaced with gravel.
While BUR was the standard low-slope commercial roof for over 100 years, the roofing industry was forever changed with the invention of modified bitumen.
Modified bitumen is made by adding polymers to the asphalt and combining that with a fiberglass or polyester reinforcement. The result is an impermeable roof membrane.
Primarily used on flat or low-slope roofs, modified bitumen can either be installed as a two-layer system (base and cap layers) or as part of a multi-layered system.
Modified bitumen roofing provides superior weatherproofing protection and durability compared to conventional asphalt built-up roofing (BUR).
It is highly flexible and tear-resistant, easy to repair when damaged, and holds up well against a wide range of temperature changes without losing integrity.
When applied over an insulation layer, modified bitumen also affords excellent energy efficiency, potentially saving hundreds or thousands of dollars per year in heating and cooling costs.
Polyglass APP and SBS Membranes
Polyglass offers two main types of modified bitumen membranes — atactic polypropylene (APP) and styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS).
APP Membranes
Polyglass provides a broad range of base, interply, and cap APP modified bitumen roofing membranes constructed with premium Atactic Polypropylene resins. Superior polyester and/or fiberglass reinforcing are incorporated to offer exceptional tensile strength, puncture resistance, and flexibility.
These membranes are bottom surfaced with polyethylene burn-off film, to provide our contractors with a product that satisfies specified roofing assemblies employing heat welding, torch, or self-adhered applications.
Cap sheets have a granulated top surface which enhances the membranes’ UV resistance.
SBS Membranes
Polyglass uses a proprietary formulation for our SBS compound, and the highest quality asphalt, polymers, and modifiers.
Membranes are reinforced with polyester and/or fiberglass mats offering superior flexibility, excellent tensile strength, and dimensional stability.
The final product provides a highly durable roofing membrane, able to sustain a variety of environmental conditions over time.
Why Polyglass?
Polyglass® is an ISO 9001:2015 Certified, leading manufacturer of modified bitumen roofing and waterproofing membranes and roof coatings for low- and steep-slope applications. We are an industry leader in self-adhered underlayments that are specially designed to help contractors save time and labor costs.
Utilizing the most technologically advanced manufacturing process in the industry, Polyglass operates six state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities — five in North America and one in Italy that serves all of Europe.
As a company that prides itself in innovative and quality roofing products that exceed the needs and expectations of its customers all around the world, we offer roofing contractors the following benefits:
- An extensive line of underlayments and other roofing products that allow for custom-designed solutions for unique construction challenges and environmental conditions
- Outstanding technical support and project assistance
- The most trusted warranties in the industry
- A registered contractor program and a wide array of contractor resources, including instructional videos to Polyschool courses.
- The ability to earn points and redeem prizes for every Polyglass purchase with Club Premio
