Flat Roofing Sprayed Polyurethane Foam.

spray coating a industrial flat roof

Waterproof.ie technical team have been asked to visit a large flat corrugated steel cladded roof and the business owners were have problem with condensation underneath.

There were three separate issues going on with this roof, all of which compounded the issue rooted in the failure to ensure in the first place that the roof was properly waterproofed.

To start with, the roof wasn’t watertight, so there were leaks whenever it rained. Secondly, there was no insulation installed underneath the roof. This lack of insulation caused condensation to occur inside the building.

Because of these issues, we had to come up with a different system than we would normally use.

The Waterproof.ie team had planned on waterproofing the metal roof using a Waterproof.ie closed cell foam insulation and the Waterproof.ie pure  polyurea coating.

Waterproof.ie also recognized that condensation problem stemmed from the fact that the existing coating was cooling the roof of the building, which wouldn’t be a problem if the building had insulation.

However, without insulation, when temperatures dropped overnight and then warmed up during the day, condensation developed on the ceiling of the building.  In other words, it would “rain” inside the building every day.

Waterproof.ie proposed that their cold cell insulation foam be applied to the entire roof and this would show the owners exactly how the spray foam would insulate the building and eliminate condensation.. Even though applying Waterproof.ie closed cell insulation foam would add to the cost of the job, it would be worth every penny.

Flat Roofing Sprayed Polyuret
Flat Roofing Sprayed Polyurethane Foam

The roof was power-hosed and all loose dirt and contamination was completely removed. The roof was then allowed to dry and the Waterproof.ie closed cell insulation foam was applied and straight away the ULXT 6613, 100-percent solids pure polyurea, was applied over the foam. The roof was also fitted with various types of mushroom roof vents allow any water and moisture to evaporate or gas off.

This roof is now leak-free, the building is properly insulated, and it is no longer any condensation problem in the inside. The building is now conserving energy and saving money.

Waterproof.ie Sprayed Polyurethane Foam and Polyurea roofing is a probably the best of all the flat roofing options available in today’s market. It has a plethora of benefits associated with it and very few drawbacks.

Waterproof.ie spray foam and polyurea roofing is a roofing system that is spray applied directly to the existing roof surface; it cannot be a standalone system, the foam provides the watertight bond to the roof substrate and the polyurea will provide a waterproof, seamless jointless roofing membrane that will endure the toughest of weather and adverse conditions. Specially formulated chemicals are mixed together in a unique spray gun. This mixing turns the liquid to foam, which then expands to many times its original size.

The advantages of foam are its ease of application, its versatility, its insulating capabilities and its strength. Foam is very easy to apply once you are a trained applicator. It takes some skill and knowledge of the product, but after learning that and practicing it is like riding a bike. It can also adhere to many different surfaces and can be sprayed in different thicknesses to improve roof drainage.

Ultimate Linings Sprayed Polyurethane Foam and Polyurea roofing
After

Waterproof.ie foam and polyurea is a great insulator, thanks to the tight bond of the molecules and its seamless application. Finally,Waterproof.ie foam and polyurea roofs are extremely strong, capable of withstanding tornadoes and hurricanes that bring other roofing systems down. If you don’t use spray applied coatings, we believe Waterproof.ie foam and polyurea best flat roofing system available today.

Conclusion

If you are looking to replace your roof or just learning to be prepared in the future, we hope this was a valuable resource for you. If you have any other flat roofing options that you have questions about that we didn’t cover, get in touch with us and we will tell you all we know.

 

 

What is the best way to waterproof my flat roof?

hand rolling paint on a flat roof

For some reason, there was traditionally a resistance to the concept of the flat roof. As a result, there’s been something of a deficit of expertise in how to make a roof that is completely leak proof over the long term.

However, scientific advances mean there are easy solutions to the problem of waterproofing – and these are effective in staving off the danger of leaks, and the nightmare that a leaking roof can mean.The solution is to choose a spray-on polyurethane membrane covering that completely coat the surface in a durable, seamless, non-porous and visually attractive style.

There are solid practical reasons for opting for a flat roof in some instances – not least of which can be the aesthetics of something that bit different.

But it there is always that niggly issue of waterproofing.

Naturally, the flat roof presents problems that an apex-shaped roof doesn’t. However, there are two main options for ensuring your flat roof stays waterproof, and that you can have confidence that no matter how heavy the rain, your roof stays completely leak-free.

The first of these options is to create a gentle slope so the water can run off and not pool or pond on the surface.

That option somewhat defeats the point of having a “flat” roof – whether the aim was to have it as a usable space, or whether the choice of opting for a flat roof was for aesthetic reasons. The second option is to go for a waterproof membrane that completely covers and seals the roof. That means you can have an actual flat roof – although if you can afford a gentle slope, all the best. Key to the success of this second option is that the sealant you use to provide a coating that repels water is one that is seamfree.

Water will always find the easiest path downwards, the route of least resistance. If you have even the tiniest hole, water will come in: if you have a seam, the water will find its weakest join point and come in.Advances in polymer technology have greatly expanded the range of membranes and spray-on coatings available.

Keeping pace with the burgeoning availability of these new polymers and elastomers has been the development of application equipment. The result is that spray-on materials can go on effectively even in environments where the humidity is high – and the setting time is impressively fast. With the use of bang-up-to-the-minute technology, trained technicians have the ability to cover large areas at rapid speed. As it is spray-on, it works well even on uneven surfaces – and it is completely seamfree and completely secure.

Polyurea coatings work well, and are competitively priced, but given the ongoing exposure a flat roof endures from wet weather – and even (happily!) occasional bursts of scorching sunshine, it’s advisable to go for one of the coatings specially recommended for high-traffic or high-intensity purposes, such as polyurea, or polyurethane, or one of the hybrids.

What exact product is best suited to your particular project is one your  Waterproof.ie consultant will advise upon, and no matter how irregular or unique the project, the fact that the product is sprayed on means there will be no areas difficult to “get at” or to seal completely.

The Advantages Of Spray On Membranes V’s Torch On Felt

Torched roof service

Spray on waterproofing solutions have proven to be the most effective waterproofing method used in the industry in recent years. Developments in the equipment to apply the membrane that hardens in seconds together with developments in the liquid material that allows it to be sprayed on in higher humidity environments has meant the waterproofing industry has had to stand up and take notice as it is set to become the number one choice for waterproofing in Europe.

Spray on main advantage

Its main advantage is that its seamless – No joints have meant there is less points of weak areas for water ingress. The additional fact vast areas can be coated in a short period of times means the project finishes on time and the client has his building back in ship shape, totally watertight.

The most popular are Silicons, Polyurea’s and Polyurethanes and hybrids of these.  The silicon usually proves to be the most cost effective but is also the least durable so will be idea for areas where no traffic, wither foot or vehicle is expected and it has some possible weaknesses v’d the stronger more durable Polyurea and Polyurethane but these are often offset by the huge cost savings that can be expected.

Spray finish waterproofing means all the nooks and crannies are easily sealed, simply spray the coating into the areas and the applicator can ensure no areas are missed and all the up stands are coated and there is a seamless waterprooflayer on the entire roof, balcony, walkway.

Is torched methods, old news?

Traditional methods such as torch on felt still have there place but the spray applicators have proven to be more effective in the long run. No joints have meant the likelihood of a weakness in the membrane is reduced so that the entire roof has a beginning and a end but not huge arrays of joints all welded tight, a single mistake on felt can mean a leak and water damage to the building.  The spray on has no such weakness and when coated with a UV top coat it protects the membrane against the effects of sunlight for years to some.

The most popular and cost effective Roofing Polyurea’s are made by Ultimate Linings a USA based company who have multiple patents and long term history of producing quality products and have experience qualified applicators in Ireland.  The spray on membrane systems either Polyurea or Polyurethane will always  have a  insurance backed and has long warranty and the spray on systems can be used as standalone or be applied directly on top of spray foam insulation. Every project is different and a consultation with one of the engineers is always the best way to get guidance on what will suit a particular project. For advice on the spray on membrane please upload in details here and a qualified engineer will give you a email or call if you prefer..