Urethane roof coatings are elastomeric and designed to stretch and contract with the movement of the roof, but there’s more to them that you should know. This quickstart guide should help you understand the basics of urethane roof coatings enough to the point you can find and work with a local commercial roofing contractor on seeing how it can help your property.
Urethane Roof Coatings
Urethane coatings are used as coating applications over a variety of existing roof membranes. Urethane coatings provide the best rates of all coatings for impact resistance and for foot traffic. There are two types of Urethane roof coatings: aromatic and aliphatic. These types of materials are typically used in combination with a base coat and topcoat. The base coat material is durable but does not offer high UV resistance.
Urethanes typically have a higher solids content than silicone roof coatings. Urethane is a much stronger coating and will not puncture easily if a tool is dropped or outdoor furniture is dragged across its surface. The same cannot be said of silicones which can puncture easily.
Urethane roofs that hit that 15 to 20-year mark their lifespan can be extended by another 15 to 20 years by the reapplication of a Urethane top coat over top of the existing roof. Essentially, you would solvent wipe the previous Urethane roof topcoat and then roller or spray apply the new Urethane topcoat overtop. It also allows for very easy roof repairs if they are required.
Application
Urethane roof coatings can be applied via roller or spray application. As a roof coating, it will allow you to rehabilitate an existing roof by coating overtop as opposed to having to remove the existing roof which will save time, and money, and prevent additional material from going to landfill reducing the environmental impact.
Cool Roofing
Urethane coatings are highly reflective and reduce a building’s cooling demand in the hotter summer months which reduces strain on the electrical grid, reducing the number of brownouts and blackouts. The greater the number of buildings with these “cool roofs” in an area the greater the reduction in outdoor air temperature of that area as these roofs reflect the sun’s rays back into the atmosphere which slows the production of ground-level ozone, otherwise known as smog.
Ponding Water
When it comes to low-slope or flat roofs urethane roof coatings are excellent from a waterproofing perspective. Often there are areas that are not sloped properly to the drains which can lead to ponding water on the roof. Urethanes are great with ponding water, which won’t have an effect on them, vs. acrylic coatings which are water-based and will wear down with exposure to ponding water leading to roofing failures.
Conclusion
If you are looking for the best roof coatings in Houston, look no further than EZ Roof and Construction. Our team of experts can help you find the perfect coating for your roof, whether it is a new build or a re-roof. Contact us today to learn more about our products and see how we can help you protect your roof.
