Polyglass U.S.A., Inc. > Commercial

Project Type: Commercial

Foam Roof System Saves Texas Warehouse from Extensive Tornado Damage

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

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!

Ochsner West Metairie Hospital

Tracing its origins to 1977, Carriere-Stumm is one of the premier contractors in the southern U.S., focusing a large portion of its business on commercial roofing projects. Headquartered in New Orleans, LA, Carriere-Stumm has been highly instrumental in the rebuilding of the New Orleans and Mississippi Gulf regions after Hurricane Katrina, and in recent years they have shifted much of their focus toward sustainable “green roofing” solutions.

With extensive experience in the healthcare sector, Ochsner Health Systems recently contracted them to install the roof on their newly-planned facility, Ochsner West Metairie Hospital – a three-story, 185,000 square foot “super-clinic” occupying the old vacant Sears building at Clearview Mall in Metairie, LA.

The contractors reached out to Gregg Bennett of GB Sales, a local Polyglass representative, to help them procure suitable roofing materials. Despite time constraints and the supply chain challenges plaguing the market in early 2022, Polyglass provided the products needed for Carriere-Stumm to complete the roofing project on time and within budget.

Project Background and Challenges

The project called for a new roof on the building – about 100,000 square feet in total. While otherwise a straightforward project, the weather posed the biggest challenge to completion. While trying to get the roof installed quickly under the threat of hurricane season, the team also had to work around an unprecedented weather pattern of heat and rain from July to August 2022, which brought afternoon thunderstorms across southern Louisiana almost daily. To compensate for these challenges, project supervisor Randy Sumrall and his crew showed up at 6:00 pm every evening after the storms subsided and worked under lights on the roof until 3:00 am each morning.

The roofing team began by installing a cover board layer over a Polytherm ISO hot-mopped system laid on the concrete roof deck. They completed the installation with a dual torch-applied system with Polyflex Smooth as the base layer and Polyflex G FR as a fire-retardant cap layer. Despite the challenging conditions and supply chain concerns, Polyglass’ abundant product supply and ease of installation enabled the team to complete installation on schedule, passing the Polyglass inspection with flying colors in time for the facility’s scheduled opening in early 2023.

Product Spotlight

Carriere-Stumm utilized a torch-applied, dual-layer roofing system using the following Polyglass products:

  • Polyflex (Talc Smooth): A premium APP-modified bitumen membrane known for its puncture resistance and long-term weathering performance.
  • Polyflex G FR: A high-quality modified bitumen cap sheet with fire-retardant additives featuring Polyglass’ patented FASTLap® for improved ease and speed of application. When used in conjunction with approved Polyglass base layers, Polyflex G FR conforms to the highest standards of weathering durability, including strict Miami-Dade standards against severe weather.

“Stick 1-Torch 1” Re-Roof in Waco, TX

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.

Flora MacDonald College

Based in Raleigh, NC, RiCal Construction is a noted residential and commercial construction contractor that has provided exterior roofing, repair, and siding installation and replacement services for more than 30 years. When contracted to replace the roof on a portion of the historic Flora MacDonald College building in Red Springs, RiCal opted for a Polyglass multi-ply SBS roofing system. The project was RiCal’s first one with Polyglass.

About Flora MacDonald College

The Flora MacDonald College building traces its origins to the 1890s when it first served as a Presbyterian seminary and later became one of the earliest women’s colleges in the South. The current historic neoclassical building has changed names numerous times since its construction in the early 1900s, but it has always served as an educational facility. The Flora MacDonald Campus is now home to Highlander Academy, a private school for Pre-K to 12th Grade students.

Project Background & Challenges

RiCal was tasked with a complete tear-off and re-roof of the kitchen area of the building – a project scope of 3,000 sq. ft. As the building was more than 108 years old, securing the roof to the old walls while preserving the building’s historical integrity posed the most significant issue.

Polyglass’ self-adhered roofing products and liquid flashing proved to be highly effective in solving this challenge and made the task easier to accomplish. After tearing off the old roof covering, the RiCal team laid down a dual SBS membrane over the plywood substrate using Polyglass Elastoflex SA V Plus for the base layer and Elastoflex SA P FR for the cap sheet.

Both products utilize a patented ADESO® dual-compound self-adhered technology for easy application without needing torches, asphalt, or other adhesives. The team then sealed the roof features and penetrations using PolyBrite® Reinforcing Polyester and PolyFlash® 1C liquid flashing.

Product Spotlight:

  • PG Elastoflex SA V Plus: A premium grade elastomeric base sheet designed for low-slope roofs, combining a top layer of true SBS asphalt and a self-adhered bottom layer reinforced with a fiberglass mat for increased strength and stability.
  • PG Elastoflex SA P FR: A self-adhered SBS cap layer with fire-retardant additives, designed with a non-woven polyester reinforcement that combines flexibility with superior tear and puncture resistance.
  • PG Polyflash 1C: A white liquid flashing compound made from moisture-cure silane-modified polyurethane, offering superior waterproofing protection around walls, vents, and other roofing penetrations.
  • PolyBrite Reinforcing Polyester: A flexible and white stitch-bonded polyester fabric that reinforces cold-process roofing systems and elastomerics.

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

Warehouse Roof Restoration Project

Headquartered in Fresno, CA, Barrier is a fourth-generation roofing contractor specializing in a wide range of reinforced and unreinforced liquid-applied roofing systems for commercial buildings. Barrier and Polyglass’ Business Development Manager, Brady Kolden, have built a solid business relationship, working on projects over the past 20-plus years across the lower 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, and even Taiwan.

Blair Cunnings, owner and president of Barrier, offered words of high praise for Kolden and Polyglass: “The professionalism Brady Kolden and Polyglass offered Barrier was second to none,” he shared. “Brady was a critical contributor to the success of the job, ensuring a close collaboration and team effort throughout the project. He was on point and addressed any concerns or project challenges in a timely manner.”

When contracted to install a new roof system for a 400,000 sq. foot warehouse in Puerto Rico, Barrier chose to use Polyglass’ PolyBrite® high solids silicone roof coatings, with impressive results.

Project Background and Challenges

The warehouse roof restoration project called for an engineering system that could be warranted for up to 20 years and installed by the available workforce in Puerto Rico. In addition, the team faced two significant challenges:

  • The existing Tectum roof deck. The roof deck limited the team’s options as to what kind of coatings could be applied.
  • Persistent atmospheric contaminants. Even after doing a hard clean of the surface at the beginning of the project, the overnight buildup of dirt each night forced the team to re-clean and dry the surface daily. They could only clean what they could coat each day.

The Barrier team’s solution to both challenges was to apply an elastomeric roof coating over the existing TPO roof from the PolyBrite “90 Series” high-solids, liquid-applied silicone products.

Both PolyBrite® 90.1 and PolyBrite® 90.2 l can be applied in one coat, curing to form a seamless waterproof membrane that resists ponding water on the surface. The coatings’ “cool roof” UV-resistant properties are particularly suited for the heat and humidity of Puerto Rico’s tropical climate.

The team was able to apply the coating without the need for additional primers. After reinforcing the seams and penetrations with fabric and silicone, they applied 2.5 gallons of high-solids silicone over the roof surface.

Hurricane Fiona No Match For Polyglass Silicone Roof Coatings

The results were remarkable. At the project’s start, the Barrier team counted more than 100 water leaks in the existing TPO roof. One month after project completion, Fiona, a category five hurricane, hit Puerto Rico. Although the island felt its worst flooding since Hurricane Maria in 2017, the new roof held superbly, with no reported leakage.

Polyglass Product Spotlight

Barrier utilized the following Polyglass products for its Puerto Rico warehouse roofing project:

  • Polyglass PolyBrite 90.1: A premium grade high solids, moisture cure, liquid-applied silicone coating formulated for excellent weather resistance, including excessive UV exposure and extreme temperatures.
  • Polyglass PolyBrite 90.2: A premium-grade, high-solids, liquid-applied silicone coating formulated to “cool roof” specifications to resist harmful UV rays and help lower energy bills.

PolyBrite 90.1 and 90.2 are designed to maintain waterproofing capabilities against ponding water and prolonged rain events. In addition, they are both algae- and fungal-resistant, even in high temperatures, helping to extend the roof’s useful life.

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.

Caddo Parish School Board Building

Based in Shreveport, Louisiana, DRI-CON, LLC is a full-service contractor that specializes in commercial roofing and building envelope solutions. Since its beginnings in 1998, DRI-CON has established itself as an industry leader, hired for projects across the mid-southern states and beyond.

Among their long-term clients is the Caddo Parish School Board, Shreveport, which has hired them for a wide range of jobs, from minor roof repairs to full roof replacements. When the parish contracted them recently for a full roof removal and replacement on an administration building, DRI-CON’s roofing system of choice was a combination of high-quality Polyglass products.

Project Background

Serving all of Shreveport and Caddo Parish, the Caddo Public School Board administers nearly five dozen schools occupying 63 buildings across the parish. Most of these buildings range in age between 30 and 102 years old. The roof replacement for the Caddo Parish School Board building is part of a large Building and Equipment Renewal project for the school system to perform necessary repairs on many of their facilities.

The project itself called for the complete roof removal and replacement of a 30,730 sq. ft. flat roof over the school board building. The roof deck consisted of lightweight insulating concrete over steel. The DRI-CON team began by laying a 6-mil. standard poly sheeting vapor membrane, followed by High-Density (HD) PolyISO Roof Cover Board for hail resistance.

After applying Polyglass WB3000 acrylic primer, the team installed ADESO® self-adhered Elastoflex SA V for the base membrane, followed by Elastoflex SA P for the cap membrane. They then sealed the penetration details with Polyglass Polyflash® 1C, a high-grade polyurethane white flashing compound.

Jake Woods, Project Manager at DRI-CON, explained their choice of Polyglass roofing solutions for the Caddo Parish project. “At DRI-CON, worker and site safety is paramount when considering roofing products,” he said. “Time-tested product performance also guides our decision-making process when selecting roof systems. With Polyglass ADESO membranes, we get the best of both worlds: a product that can be installed both safely and efficiently, as well as achieve better performance than systems installed with traditional methods thanks to innovations such as FASTLap® & SEALLap® ULTRA.”

Polyglass Product Spotlight

The Caddo Parish School Board roofing project featured the following Polyglass products:

  • Polyglass WB3000: A water-based, low VOC acrylic primer designed to improve the adhesion of self-adhered roof membranes to both porous and non-porous substrates.
  • Elastoflex SA V PLUS: A strong elastomeric base ply low-slope roofing product manufactured using patented ADESO® dual-compound self-adhered technology combining an SBS modified asphalt compound on the top layer with an aggressive self-adhesive compound on the bottom layer. (Applicable Standards): ASTM D6164, Type I, Grade S.
  • Elastoflex SA P: A robust elastomeric SBS granulated cap sheet utilizing ADESO self-adhering technology. (Applicable Standards): ASTM D6222, Type I, Grade G.
  • Polyflash® 1C: A powerful one-component, moisture-cure silane-modified polyurethane white flashing compound designed to provide stellar waterproofing for irregularly shaped roof penetrations such as roof drains, curbs, vents, etc.

Polyglass celebrates 30 years of cutting-edge product innovation for the U.S. building and waterproofing industries, featuring a broad line of premium roof coatings and roof maintenance systems for commercial roofing contractors.

Evolving through innovation, Polyglass now also offers high-performance and exceptional quality Building Envelope Solutions.

Contact us here to learn more about how our products can benefit your next commercial roofing project.