Project Country: Texas

On October 20, 2019, 10 twisters touched down along the storm line of North and Central Texas, making it one of the costliest tornado events in Texas history.  While, thankfully, there were zero fatalities reported, there was extensive damage to building structures.  These tornados resulted in over $2 billion of insurance claims.  One particular building that took direct hits from the EF-2 tornado, was a wholesale depot warehouse in Garland County. This 1,000,000 sq. ft. horseshoe shaped depot was in the path of the tornado’s 2.48 mile trek through Garland.

California-based roofing contractor, Barrier Specialty Roofing & Coatings, was enlisted by SPAN Construction to assess the extent of the damage to the warehouse roof. Blair Cunnings (CEO/President of Barrier) together with Brady Kolden (Business Development Manager for Polyglass Roofing & Waterproofing Systems) wanted to find out how the tornado affected the million square foot depot & what repairs needed to be made.

Roof Inspection and Tornado Damage Assessment

According to Blair Cunnings, “We conducted a job site evaluation with Span Construction and Polyglass to confirm the extent of the roof damage. We wanted to see for ourselves how much of the roof needed to be replaced or repaired, and what roofing/coating system would be the most prudent in this situation.” The team found that 700,00 square feet of the metal roof held up under the force of the tornado’s strong winds, due to the existing polyurethane foam & Polyglass silicone coating system on the warehouse roof.  This meant that only 300,000 square feet needed to be repaired on a one million square foot job.

Blair went on to say that “the majority of the metal roof held up under the force of the strong winds, because the foam self-adheres to the roof, adding extra compressive strength.” Brady Kolden noted that “while the building sustained damage from flying debris, the roof’s structural stability helped protect & save the majority of the building.  This meant there was no need to tear all down and the owner could rebuild and refurbish, which lead to major cost savings.”

In addition, the building owner had been able to keep operations going for two more years after the tornado hit in areas of the building where the roof had remained undamaged.

Warehouse Roof Restoration and Repair Project Details

The eight-month roof repair project began in October 2020, and was completed in May of 2021.  Important to note, is that the complexity of the project was heightened due to the COVID-19 pandemic (supply chain demands), time of year (weather) and working around other trades on the project.  “Our contractors were challenged with keeping the roof dry and coatable during the cold/wet months, while also keeping water out of the building so other trades could complete their work simultaneously.”

First, SPAN Construction began with replacing all the structural metal deck on the damaged 300,000 square feet of the warehouse.  Then, Barrier Specialty added 3 inches of polyurethane roofing spray foam and silicone coating to the deck to match the existing undamaged areas and make the deck a roof.  Finally, Barrier chose Polyglass’s PolyBrite® 95 silicone roof coating to refurbish the entire one million square feet of roof.  This product was chosen because of its durability, longevity, ease of application, and the 20-year warranty given by Polyglass on the entire system.

George Goddard (President of SPAN Construction) said that “due to the complexity of the damage done by the tornado to the Garland, Texas warehouse, repairs were extensive and required a total team effort from all the companies involved; Polyglass, Barrier Roofing, and SPAN Construction.  Polyglass and Barrier listened to our concerns, addressed them, and worked with our local team daily to ensure they our customer had a quality roofing system.”

Product Information

• PolyBrite® 95 silicone roof coating
• PolyPUF is a polyurethane foam (SPF) system for commercial roofs that also acts as an air barrier and insulator and is certified for use in high-velocity hurricane zones.

Contact us today for more information about Polyglass’ range of modified bitumen roofing and waterproofing membranes and roof coatings for low-slope and steep-slope applications!

Headquartered in Fort Worth, TX, Zenith Roofing and Waterproofing is a forty-year-old building company, unparalleled in the field, that prides itself on excellent customer relationships and retention. Zenith builds relationships first and roofs second. The company’s “Apex Approach” ensures excellence through unmatched customer connections, operations, and performance guarantees. Zenith consistently offers customers quality assurance, high standards, and exceptional service.

Zenith Roofing and Waterproofing was the first roofing company to affiliate with Polyglass in Texas and has since become a Polyglass Quantum Contractor, proudly utilizing our products over the last 30 years. Harkinson Dewan Commercial contacted Zenith Roofing and Waterproofing to inspect and determine the best solution for their commercial property in Waco, Texas. It was decided that a re-roof was required, and Polyglass products were selected for the project.

Project Background

The client needed a complete tear-off and re-roof of their store building – an area of 88,700 square feet. The project called for a long-lasting roofing solution that the team could install quickly and efficiently while providing immediate waterproofing.

To meet this need, Zenith opted for a Polyglass’ “Stick 1-Torch 1” system, a hybrid 2-ply modified bitumen roofing system consisting of a self-adhered base sheet and a torch-applied cap sheet. This system is widely hailed for its ability to save time and labor during installation, providing immediate waterproofing protection during installation and offering multi-layer redundant protection once the installation is complete.

After tearing out the old roof and laying down a Polyboard E base layer, the Zenith team applied a self-adhered base layer of Elastoflex SA V, followed by a Polyflex® G torch-applied cap sheet. They finished with PolyFlash® 1C for the flashings and details.

According to Michelle Carson, Zenith Operations Coordinator, the project was completed without a hitch thanks to the ease of application and efficiency of the Stick 1-Torch1 system. “Our projects move seamlessly when working with Polyglass materials and products,” she shared.

Polyglass Product Spotlight

Zenith Roofing utilized the following Polyglass products for the Harkinson Dewan Commercial property roof installation:

• Polyboard E: a semi-rigid multi-ply asphaltic panel highly conducive as a base for low-slope roofs.
• Elastoflex SA V: a premium SBS-modified bitumen base layer, combining ADESO® self-adhering technology with high-performance weathering capabilities.
• Polyflex G: a high-quality torch-applied granulated cap sheet known for its flexibility and tear/puncture resistance; also featuring Polyglass’ patented FASTLap® for easier application and reliable long-term weathering performance.
• Polyflash 1C: a highly-durable, moisture-cure, white flashing compound that provides excellent sealing protection for flashing and roofing details.

Polyglass has a superior range of modified bitumen roofing products for low-slope roof restorations. Contact us today to discuss your commercial or residential roofing needs.

Project Overview:
In Spring 2016, commercial roofing contractor Empire Roofing installed Polyglass’ modified bitumen roof system on a warehouse building in Fort Worth, TX.  The new 64,000 sq. ft. roof system was installed over an existing built-up roof (BUR).  Empire Roofing, known for roofing expertise since opening its doors in 1942, selected Polyglass’ multi-ply modified bitumen roof system for the storage facility.

Challenges:
During the Polyglass roof system installation, a severe hailstorm hit Northern Texas slowing the roof work.  More than 25 percent of the new roof was completed when the hail storm arrived.  The golf ball-sized hail stones caused minor blemishes to the surface of the Polyglass Polyfresko® G cap sheet; however, the BUR portion of the roof had extensive damage.  The damage to the BUR caused a delay in the project, but also provided a side-by-side comparison on roof performance during a severe hailstorm.

The Roofing System Selected:
Empire Roofing chose Polyglass’ high performing Polyfresko G cap sheet and Elastoflex SA V base ply.  Polyfresko G is a highly reflective, white granulated modified bitumen membrane. It is manufactured with Polyglass’ patented CURE Technology®, a thin film technology that greatly improves granular retention. Membranes with CURE Technology are also highly reflective, and UV and stain resistant.  The Elastoflex SA V membrane is a premium, self-adhered base ply roofing product, manufactured using patented ADESO® Dual-Compound Self-Adhered Technology, whereby a “true” Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) modified asphalt compound is applied on the top layer and an aggressive self-adhesive compound is applied on the bottom layer.

Project Overview
An internationally recognized manufacturer of flooring solutions expanded its distribution center in Garland, Texas. The company added an additional 60,000 square-foot space to its existing 180,000 square-foot warehouse facility, increasing capacity for finished goods. Centimark Corporation, a nationwide roofing contractor in business since 1968, was selected to install the new roof system.

Challenges
The Northern Texas region experiences severe weather throughout the year. In the spring, the region is prone to supercell thunderstorms that can produce large hailstones. Temperatures can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Centimark’s customer required an energy efficient and durable roof system to provide premium coverage for its second largest distribution center.

The Roof System Selected
Centimark selected a multi-ply modified bitumen (mod bit) roof system.  The two-ply mod bit system consists of Polyglass’ Elastoflex SA V self-adhered SBS base sheet and Polyfresko® G SA, a highly-reflective white granulated self-adhered APP cap sheet.  For insulation, 4″ Polyisocyanurate was mechanically attached to the roof’s steel deck.

Polyfresko G SA provides the reflectivity required to consistently reduce the interior temperature of the building. In addition, Polyfresko G SA is listed with the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC®) and has an initial SRI of 96. Polyfresko G SA also features patented CURE Technology®, a thin film technology that ensures the membrane will maintain its bright white surface.

The Polyglass self-adhered system was appealing for this project because of the quick installation time and the ability to address the details around the many roof penetrations. Another contributing factor to the decision is the long-term performance of a Polyglass multi-ply system.  Read more about this project in Western Roofing Magazine (Nov./Dec. 2016 issue)