How You Can Extend the Life of Your Commercial Roof with These Common Roof Coatings

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Commercial roofing materials are made to endure a lot, but even the strongest material can do with a little help. Roof coatings have been invented to provide commercial roofs that help – these easy to apply materials are intended to improve the roof’s resistance to UV radiation, to prolonged exposure to water, to impact as well as to reduce the heat absorbed by your roof. Here are the most important benefits of roof coatings, all of them adding years to the life of your roof, and a few of the most common types of coating products.

Resistance to Water

Most commercial roofs are flat roofs, which means that they do not shed water as efficiently as sloping roofs. The water from rain or from melted snow that gathers and stays on the surface of the roof might damage the exposed roofing surface, causing cracks that can lead to the appearance of leaks. Water-resistant roof coatings seal the surface of the roof, creating a durable waterproof layer that can stand up to ponding water for long periods, thus preventing the formation of cracks and the penetration of water into the deeper layers of the roof.

Heat Reflectivity

One of the most common causes of roof damage and of excessive cooling bills is the absorption of solar heat by the roof. Roof overheating is known to be harmful for the building owner’s budget as a significant portion of that heat is transferred from the roof towards the building interior, too. Reflective coatings prevent both issues – these efficient, easy to apply coating products enhance the reflectivity of the roof, keeping it cooler and ensuring that your building interior does not overheat.

Improved Aesthetics

Rather than replacing their fading roof, many building managers choose to enhance the appearance of their roof with the help of coating products. Roof coatings come in many different colors and are applied in a way similar to paint, offering not only the benefits of more efficient resistance to the effects of the weather, but improved aesthetics as well.

Common Types of Roof Coatings

Roughly speaking, roof coating products come in solvent-based and water-based types – according to commercial roofing Kansas City specialists, here are some things that you should know about them:

  • Water-based coatings – the most common examples are acrylic coatings, preferred for their low cost, easy application and superior resistance to UV radiation. However, these products might be affected by the prolonged exposure to water and they cannot be applied when it is cold outside;
  • Solvent-based products – silicone and polyurethane are the most common examples. While they both provide superior resistance to ponding water, silicone works better in regions that get lots of harsh sunshine, but it is sensitive to tearing and abrasion and when the silicone layer gets damaged, it needs to be removed completely before the new layer can be applied. Urethane coatings usually consist of a combination of two layers of different types, one for UV resistance and one for water resistance and they are great for making the roof underneath cooler.