The process begins with a thorough inspection to determine if the existing roof is a suitable candidate for a coating system.

✓ Identify Problem Areas: The contractor will meticulously check for any areas of damage, saturated insulation, rust, or existing leaks. An infrared survey may be used to detect hidden moisture pockets beneath the surface.

✓ Assess Substrate: The type of existing roof membrane (e.g., TPO, PVC, EPDM, modified bitumen, metal, or built-up roof) is identified to ensure the correct coating and primer are used for optimal adhesion.

✓ Verify Eligibility: A plan is developed based on the roof's condition. The roof is only a good candidate for restoration if it is structurally sound and the damage is not too extensive.

Proper surface preparation is the most critical step for ensuring the coating system's long-term performance and warranty validity.

✓ Clean the Roof: The entire roof surface is professionally power-washed and cleared of all dirt, grime, debris, and contaminants. A specialized cleaning solution is often used to remove stubborn residues and oxidation.

✓ Ensure a Dry Surface: The roof must be completely dry before any coatings are applied. Any trapped moisture can lead to adhesion failure and premature system breakdown.

✓ Repair Damage: All existing cracks, splits, punctures, and holes are sealed and repaired with specialized repair materials to create a solid, stable surface for the coating.

This step strengthens the most vulnerable areas of the roof to create a truly seamless and watertight system.

✓ Reinforce Seams: All existing seams where the original roof sheets were joined are reinforced. This is typically done by embedding a specialized fabric or reinforcing tape into a base coat, which then receives a layer of the fluid-applied membrane.

✓ Detailing Penetrations: All areas around roof penetrations, such as pipes, vents, and HVAC units, are meticulously sealed and reinforced with the same process to create a continuous, watertight seal.

✓ Secure Edges: The perimeter of the roof and all flashing are secured and coated to prevent water from entering at the edges.

Depending on the type of existing roof membrane and the selected coating system, a primer may be necessary.

✓ Apply Primer: A specialized primer is applied to the entire roof surface. This layer is crucial for promoting strong adhesion between the existing membrane and the new coating system, ensuring a long-lasting bond.

This is the final phase where the new protective membrane is applied to the entire roof.

✓ Mix the Coating: The coating material is thoroughly mixed according to the manufacturer's specifications. It is often a single-component system, but some are two-component systems that require mixing.

✓ Apply the Membrane: The fluid-applied membrane is sprayed, rolled, or brushed onto the entire roof surface. It is applied in a uniform thickness to create a smooth, monolithic membrane that seals every imperfection, seam, and crack.

✓ Apply Multiple Coats: Depending on the system and desired warranty length, a base coat is often followed by a final topcoat. The topcoat is typically a highly reflective, durable finish that protects the membrane from UV rays and weathering while improving the building's energy efficiency.

Once the application is complete, a final quality check is performed before the roof is ready to perform.

✓ Final Walkthrough: The contractor performs a comprehensive inspection to ensure the new membrane is evenly applied, properly adhered, and free of any defects.

✓ Allow for Curing: The coating is left to cure for a specified time as per the manufacturer's guidelines. This allows the membrane to fully harden and create the strong, waterproof, and seamless barrier that will protect the building for years to come.

✓ Cost-Effective Restoration: Avoid the high cost and disruption of a full tear-off and replacement.

✓ Enhanced Energy Efficiency: Reflective properties reduce heat absorption, significantly lowering cooling costs.

✓ Seamless, Watertight Protection: A monolithic membrane eliminates seams, common points of leakage.

✓ Extended Roof Lifespan: Dramatically prolongs the life of your existing commercial roof.

✓ Minimized Business Disruption: Quicker application means less impact on your daily operations.

✓ Non-Prorated Warranties: Typically ranging from 10 to 18 years, these warranties cover 100% of material and labor costs for the entire period, offering full value protection.

✓ Renewable & Transferable Warranties: Many systems allow warranties to be renewed with a maintenance coat or transferred to new building owners, adding long-term value.

The process begins with a thorough evaluation to ensure the roof is a suitable candidate for a fabric-reinforced system.

✓ Inspect the Roof: A professional will inspect the entire roof for structural integrity, signs of moisture saturation, and existing damage.

✓ Clean and Repair: The roof surface is meticulously cleaned using a specialized cleaner and a pressure washer to remove all dirt, debris, and contaminants. Any existing cracks, punctures, or weakened seams are repaired to create a sound foundation for the new system.

✓ Ensure a Dry Surface: The roof must be completely dry before any coatings are applied. Trapped moisture can compromise the adhesion of the system.

This initial layer is crucial for preparing the roof and creating a strong bond for the fabric and subsequent coatings.

✓ Prime the Surface: A specialized primer or base coat is applied to the entire, clean roof surface. This layer is designed to adhere tightly to the existing substrate and serve as the foundation for the entire system.

✓ Prepare for the Fabric: The coating is applied to a specific thickness, creating a wet layer for the fabric to be embedded into.

This is the key step that gives the system its strength and name.

✓ Lay the Fabric: While the base coat is still wet, a tough polyester or similar reinforcing fabric is unrolled and carefully embedded into the fluid-applied coating.

✓ Smooth and Saturate: The fabric is smoothed out to remove all wrinkles, bubbles, or "fish mouths." A wet roller is used to ensure the fabric is completely saturated with the base coat and tightly bonded to the roof surface with no dry spots.

✓ Overlap the Seams: Adjacent sections of fabric are overlapped by several inches at the seams to create a continuous, multi-layered barrier.

Once the fabric is in place, more fluid-applied coats are added to complete the seamless, reinforced membrane.

✓ Apply a Second Coat: After the initial base coat and fabric have cured (typically within 24 hours), a second coat of the fluid-applied membrane is applied. This layer fully encapsulates the reinforcing fabric, creating a monolithic, highly durable layer.

✓ Apply a Reflective Topcoat: For systems designed for energy efficiency, a final topcoat is applied. This layer is often a light, reflective color to reduce heat absorption and protect the system from UV rays and weathering.

✓ Add Granules (Optional): In some cases, ceramic granules are broadcast into the wet topcoat. This adds slip resistance and extra protection for the membrane.

The final step ensures the quality and performance of the completed system.

✓ Walkthrough and Quality Check: The contractor performs a thorough final inspection, checking all seams, transitions, and details to ensure the entire roof is a single, reinforced, seamless membrane.

✓ Curing and Warranty: The finished roof is left to fully cure according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once cured, the system is ready to provide a waterproof, highly durable roof with a long-term manufacturer's warranty.

✓ Superior Strength: The embedded fabric provides exceptional tensile strength, enhancing the roof's overall durability.

✓ Enhanced Flexibility: Adapts to building movement and thermal expansion/contraction without compromising integrity.

✓ Outstanding Tear Resistance: Highly resistant to punctures, tears, and impacts, crucial for commercial environments.

✓ Ideal for Older Roofs: A perfect solution for reinforcing and restoring aging or compromised roof surfaces.

✓ Seamless Protection: Creates a monolithic, watertight barrier across the entire roof, eliminating common leak points.

✓ Energy Efficiency: Many fabric reinforced systems offer reflective properties, contributing to reduced cooling costs.

✓ Proven Longevity: Our past projects demonstrate the remarkable durability and extended lifespan these systems provide.

The process begins with a thorough inspection to determine if the existing roof is a good candidate for a foam system.

✓ Assess the Substrate: The existing roof surface (e.g., metal, concrete, built-up roof, or single-ply) is inspected for structural integrity. An infrared survey may be used to identify any trapped moisture.

✓ Repair and Clean: All existing leaks, cracks, and damage are repaired. The entire roof surface is then meticulously cleaned, often with a pressure washer, to remove all dirt, debris, oil, and contaminants. This is critical for the foam to adhere properly.

✓ Environmental Conditions: The contractor ensures that environmental conditions are suitable for application. This includes temperatures being within the recommended range (typically above 50°F), low humidity, and no rain in the forecast, as moisture can compromise the foam’s curing process.

This is the main phase where the specialized foam is applied to the roof.

✓ Protect the Surrounding Area: The crew takes steps to protect the surrounding building, vehicles, and landscaping from overspray by using tarps and windscreens.

✓ Mix the Components: The foam is created on-site by a specialized machine called a proportioner. It accurately mixes two separate liquid chemical components at high pressure and a precise temperature.

✓ Apply the Foam: The blended liquid is pumped through heated hoses to a spray gun. The installer applies the foam in an even, smooth layer directly onto the prepared roof surface.

✓ Expand and Cure: As the liquid foam hits the roof, it rapidly expands up to 30 times its original size, filling all gaps and crevices. It cures within minutes, forming a solid, lightweight, and seamless layer. The thickness of the foam (typically 1 to 2 inches) is determined by the required R-value for insulation.

Once the foam is installed, a protective coating is applied to shield it from UV rays, weathering, and foot traffic.

✓ UV Protection: The foam will degrade within a short period if exposed to the sun's UV rays, so a protective elastomeric coating (typically silicone or acrylic) is applied.

✓ Apply a Base Coat: A base coat is sprayed or rolled onto the foam to provide a uniform, waterproof layer and a secure foundation for the final coat.

✓ Apply a Finish Coat: A final, highly durable topcoat is applied. This coat provides the primary weathering surface and is often a light, reflective color to increase the roof’s energy efficiency.

✓ Add Granules (Optional): In some systems, ceramic granules are embedded into the wet topcoat. This adds slip resistance, provides extra durability, and enhances the coating’s UV protection.

The final step ensures the quality of the installation and prepares the roof for long-term performance.

✓ Final Walkthrough: The contractor conducts a comprehensive final inspection to ensure the coating is evenly applied and that all details and flashing have been properly sealed.

✓ System Curing: The finished roof is allowed to cure for the manufacturer's specified period. Once cured, the system is fully bonded and ready to provide a waterproof, insulative, and durable roof for decades to come.

The first and most critical step is to prepare the existing roof deck. The surface must be clean, dry, and structurally sound.

✓ Remove Old Materials: The existing roofing system is carefully removed down to the structural deck.

✓ Inspect the Deck: The underlying roof deck is thoroughly inspected for any signs of damage, rot, or water infiltration. Any compromised sections are repaired or replaced to ensure a solid foundation.

✓ Clean the Surface: The deck is swept and cleaned to remove all dust, debris, fasteners, and loose materials that could puncture or compromise the new membrane.

A layer of insulation is installed over the prepared deck to provide a flat, stable surface for the membrane and to improve the building’s thermal performance.

✓ Lay the Boards: Rigid insulation boards (such as polyisocyanurate or EPS) are laid in a staggered pattern over the deck.

✓ Secure the Insulation: The insulation boards are mechanically fastened to the deck with specialized fasteners and plates. This secures the insulation and prevents it from shifting.

A cover board (typically a high-density, fire-resistant material like gypsum) is often installed over the insulation.

✓ Add a Layer of Protection: The cover board provides an additional layer of protection for the insulation from punctures and adds to the system's fire resistance.

✓ Create a Smooth Surface: It creates a smooth, clean surface, which is ideal for the adhesion of the membrane.

This is the main phase where the single-ply membrane is laid down and secured. The membrane is typically a large roll of PVC, TPO, or EPDM.

✓ Position the Membrane: The large rolls of membrane are unrolled and carefully positioned on the roof, allowing them to relax and flatten out.

✓ Secure the Membrane: The membrane can be secured using one of three methods:

• Mechanically Attached: The membrane is fastened to the roof deck using specialized screws and plates along the seam. This is a common method for new construction.
• Fully Adhered: The membrane is glued directly to the cover board or insulation using a special adhesive. This method provides a smooth, clean aesthetic and superior wind resistance.
• Ballasted: The membrane is loosely laid and held in place by a layer of river-washed stones or pavers. This method is used when the building can support the extra weight.

This is the most critical step for waterproofing the roof.

✓ Weld the Seams: Adjacent membrane rolls are overlapped, and the seams are welded together using a specialized heat-welding tool. This melts the top and bottom membrane layers together, creating a seamless, watertight bond that is stronger than the membrane itself.

✓ Inspect the Welds: Every single weld is meticulously tested by the installer to ensure a continuous, strong seal, leaving no room for water to penetrate.

This step ensures all vulnerable areas of the roof are properly waterproofed.

✓ Flash the Penetrations: The installer carefully cuts and welds membrane sections around all roof penetrations, such as pipes, vents, and HVAC units, creating a watertight seal.

✓ Secure the Edges: The membrane is secured and sealed at all roof perimeters and parapet walls. This involves installing termination bars and adding extra flashing to prevent water from entering at the edges.

The job is not complete until a final walkthrough is performed to ensure everything is perfect.

Final Inspection: The installer performs a comprehensive inspection of the entire roof, checking every seam, weld, and detail. The roof is then checked by a third-party inspector to confirm the quality of the installation.

Site Cleanup: All debris, waste materials, and tools are removed from the roof and the surrounding area, leaving the site clean and ready for use.