Way Up on the Roof

If your building has a flat roof, you can choose between membrane, foam, and built-up roofing. Your roofer can help you decide on the right option for your building, and you may end up choosing built-up roofing. This type of commercial roofing has been used for decades, and it's proven to provide excellent protection from storms and leaks.

Here are some benefits of built-up roofing and some of the steps your commercial built-up roofing contractor may go through when installing your new roof.

A Few Benefits You Might Appreciate With BUR

BUR, or built-up roofing, can last for decades. It's considered low-maintenance roofing because it resists damage that leads to leaks. It stands up to wind, impacts, and rain. The seams in the roof are sealed with several layers so the roofing forms continuous coverage with few areas for rain to enter.

The roofing is often covered with gravel, and that adds extra fire and UV ray protection to your roof. Plus, the gravel makes your roof more attractive to people in other buildings looking down on your flat roof.

Some Installation Steps For BUR

Your contractor will explain their installation process since a built-up roof can be installed in different ways. They might use hot tar or a cold installation method. The first step is to tear off the old roof so the deck can be inspected to make sure there is no moisture damage. Any moisture damage that's found needs to be repaired.

Then insulation boards are attached to the deck and the first membrane is put down on the roof. This waterproof sheet protects the deck and forms the base for other layers of the roof to rest on. The base sheet is then covered in hot or cold asphalt so the next felt sheet can stick to the roof. That sheet is then covered in asphalt tar and a third sheet applied.

The roof is built up with alternating felt sheets and asphalt tar until it reaches the thickness the built-up roofing contractor specifies. The final layer is gravel or a cap sheet that has minerals embedded in it to provide UV protection to the roof.

Your commercial built-up roofing contractor may talk to you about the choice between hot and cold tar. Hot tar is the traditional choice, but it takes more equipment since the tar has to be heated, and it can create unpleasant fumes. Hot tar is usually spread around with mops while cold tar may be sprayed on or applied with a squeegee. Cold tar doesn't have any fumes, so it's often a better choice.

For more information, contact a commercial built-up roofing contractor near you.