Most Common Roofing Materials

Commercial roofs come in many different forms, shapes and sizes. What roof you ultimately end up choosing will play a huge role in the overall health of the building. So, it’s an important decision. In this post, we will go over the most commonly used roofing materials so that you can have a better understanding of how to build the best, most durable roof.

Built-up roofing, also called BUR is basically your standard tar-and-gravel roof. It’s built with many layers (piles). It’s a flexible type of roof because the number of layers can vary to help control costs or meet certain requirements for durability. This is one of the most cost-effective and tough roofing types available today.

Advantages of Built-Up Roofing

• Seamless and waterproof
• Provide protection against UV rays
• Built-up roofing is very low maintenance

Metal roofing is a very popular commercial roof type because there are so many different kinds of metal materials that are  available for use, including:

• Corrugated galvanized steel
• Aggregates of zinc, aluminum, and silicon-coated steel
• Metal tile sheets
• Copper
• Aluminum
• Stainless steel
• Stone-coated steel
• Tin
• Lead

Since metal is susceptible to rusting, protective surface layers are added to manage damage from prolonged exposure to sunlight and other environmental dangers when using metal roofing.

Advantages of Metal Roofing

• Design: Metal roofing has a variety of material and color choices.
• Stability: Ability to hold up to high winds and snow.
• Energy efficient: Sheet metal can be made from recycled material.
• Fire resistant: Metal panels are less prone to fire damage and do not spread fires.

Shingle roofing is mostly known for roofing on homes, but shingles are very often used for steep slope commercial roofs as well. Shingles can be made out of a few different materials, including wood, slate, metal, plastic, ceramic and composite material such as asphalt. There are two main types of shingles: Asphalt and Architectural.

Asphalt Shingles: These are the most common, cost-effective shingle on the market. These roof systems often come with 15 – 30-year warranties on average.

Architectural Shingles: multi-layered and heavier to add durability and weatherproofing to the building. Often come with a lifetime warranty.

Advantages of Shingles

• Design: Shingles come in a wide variety of colors and designs.
• Durable: Some types of shingles are class IV hail rated.
• Easy repair: Easy to spot and repair small areas of damage.

Reinforced roof fabrics are applied to act as “carriers” for bitumen, which is later cut and installed in layers similar to BUR membranes. These roofing systems are typically fastened to commercial rooftops as two-ply systems, adhered to the roofing deck for maximum stability and protection. Maintenance of modified bitumen roofs is easy and can typically be handled with annual inspections and cleaning.

Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) is an eco-friendly roofing option for commercial, industrial and manufacturing facilities. Spray Polyurethane Foam, more commonly referred to as SPF, is a material that is sprayed as a liquid so it can expand into a foam, creating a solid layer across an existing roof.

Advantages of SPF roofs:

• SPF roofs are energy efficient because they deliver thermal, air and moisture barriers.
• Durable. The foam material used on SPF roofs can expand and contract with the building, this decreases the likelihood of cracks and splitting.
• Seamless and waterproof.
• Environmentally friendly. Since there is minimal stripping required of the original roof, this eliminated the need for costly roof tear-offs and waste.

This is also referred to as EPDM roofing, this system offers long-lasting durability and versatility as well as simple installation and easy maintenance and repair. EPDM also has strong resistance to UV light and ozone and is made out of single-ply rubber material. Other benefits include great flexibility in colder temperatures; resistance to some acids, solvents, and alcohol; and reflective properties that help lower cooling costs.

Advantages of Single-Ply Membrane Roofing

• Single-Ply Membrane roofs are time-tested. It’s been used for years and years and has proven itself as a sturdy and reliable option for roofing.
• Class A fire-rated. TPO membranes and EPDM can achieve Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Class A fire resistance listings by adding fire retardant chemicals during the manufacturing process.
• Customer Choice of Insulation. Since single-ply membrane roofing does not include the insulation factor, customers have  more options to choose from to insulate their roofs.

Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) and Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) roofing systems are lightweight, highly reflective, and provide excellent weathering and resistance to UV light, punctures/tears, and most chemicals, including oils, animal fats, and bacterial growth. Other benefits of this roofing system range from a high-temperature tolerance to high resistance to fire and high winds.

Green roofs may be the most versatile kind of commercial roof these days and they are increasing in popularity because they are a sustainable option for commercial properties and businesses. The greatest advantage of green roofing systems is their ability to protect commercial buildings from the elements while also managing water, drainage, and improving energy efficiency.

No matter what kind of roof you are looking to install, contact Slate Property Restoration. We handle all kinds of different roofing projects and we have the expertise to design, repair, install and replace all types of different commercial and residential roofing systems. Contact us today, we’d love to chat about your roofing project.