Expert insights and information on various roofing materials. Articles written by Jack Gray, a roof consultant with over 25 years in the roofing industry.
Introduction This is a list of the types of wall copings and coping materials commonly found in wall construction today. I provide basic information about each type of coping material including attachment method (how the coping is attached to the wall), joint closure method (how the joints between the pieces of coping are made weatherproof), …
Best Roof Repair Tapes for Sealing Leaks on RV Roofs, Metal Roofs, and Flat Roofs on Buildings Introduction Roof repair tape, also known as roof sealant tape, is a really surprisingly good way to fix a …
Introduction Coal tar pitch roofing is a type of built-up roofing (BUR) in which coal tar pitch forms the waterproofing component of the roof membrane. Coal tar pitch is a thermoplastic, highly viscous, and water-resistant material used primarily as a waterproofing and adhesive agent in built-up roofing and other industrial applications. It is derived from …
Introduction Hypalon is a somewhat unique single-ply roofing membrane material that used to be installed on commercial low-slope roofs. “Hypalon” is a brand name used by DuPont for chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE), a type of synthetic rubber; sheets of CSPE were joined together to form the finished roof membrane. CSPE roof membranes are known for their …
Introduction Modified bitumen roofing has been used on low-slope (“flat”) roofs for over fifty years. It’s known for being thicker and tougher than the prevailing single-ply membranes that dominate the low-slope roofing market today. Unlike built-up roofing (BUR), another bitumen-based roof system, modified bitumen roofing has kept a good-sized share of the commercial roofing market …
Introduction PVC (polyvinyl chloride) roofing is a type of flat or “low slope” roofing system widely used in commercial and industrial building construction. PVC roofing systems were introduced in the late 1960s, and after they had some initial issues resolved in the 80s, they now have a record of proven performance going back almost 40 …
This article covers traditional asphalt roll roofing. Introduction There’s an old joke that contractors like to tell: “Good, fast, cheap — you can only pick two!” This is one of those jokes that contains much wisdom and actually expresses a deep, abiding truth about the world. I even saw it on a bumper sticker once. …
Introduction I spent years managing a very large portfolio of commercial roofs for a well known roof consultant firm. (Well-known in the industry, it’s not like we were celebrity roof consultants or anything). Our clients included …
Introduction This article provides general information about various types of roof coatings. In addition to drawing on my own personal experience overseeing roof coating projects, I compiled much of the technical information here from a wide …
Introduction An impressive majority of all new commercial roof installations today use a single-ply roofing system. (We’re talking about flat roofs, of course. A single-ply membrane is almost never appropriate for a pitched roof. And a flat roof is more correctly called a “low-slope roof,” by the way.) Single-ply membranes have gradually gained popularity and …