What You Need to Know About Roof Coatings and Their Installation

Coating a roof takes more than just getting up there and painting the material on. In order to ensure a long-lasting leak-proof seal, the roof has to be properly prepared. Therefore, it’s important to use a contractor that will do all of the required steps without skimping. Here are some of the things that will likely need to be done, along with a few things that should be kept in mind:

Roof Survey

During this step, a professional will discuss your needs, find out what type of roof you have, and determine which coating types will be best to satisfy your requirements. Coatings are formulated to deliver specific benefits, so choosing the right one is a very important part of the process. Possible benefits include sun reflection, leak resistance, and extension of overall roof life. When the roof is visible from the ground, coatings also improve its appearance. These things, however, are only possible when the right coating is used for the roof in question.

Roof Inspection

It’s important for the contractor to physically inspect the roof before the time comes to start doing the work. This will ensure that the crew has all of the necessary materials and equipment with them once they arrive.

The inspector will walk around the roof and look for crushed insulation, rusted metal, loose fasteners, and other defects. Then a crew will come to remove debris and fix these problems. This leaves the roof ready for the application of the coatings.

Preparation

After the inspection is complete, the actual work crew will come out. They’ll clean off any debris, patch any areas of wet insulation, and remove rust. Severely-rusted areas will be patched. Once all of this is done, a primer is applied. The roof seams, both horizontal and vertical, will be sealed. Fasteners are also sealed. Finally, the coating is applied. This will typically be a thick layer of premium coating used as part of a monolithic system.

Limitations of Roof Coatings

The main limitation of roof coating systems is that they can’t be applied to gravel-coated roofs. There is, however, an option for gravel-ballasted EPDM roofs. All other roof types will work with coatings as long as they can be sufficiently prepared.

How Long do Roof Coatings Last?

Under normal conditions, roof coatings will last as long as the roof. Typically, this is 10-20  years depending on the roof type. Since one of the benefits of coatings is extended roof life, this will likely be longer than the roof would have lasted if it was left uncoated.

The many benefits of having a roof coated make it well worth the investment. Contact us today to arrange for a roof survey and learn how coatings can benefit your building’s roof.