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There is a wide range of flat roof materials that you can install on your house.
Single ply flat roofing membranes, asphalt, metal and modified bitumen flat roofs each have their associated costs, as well as pros and cons.
Flat roofing prices depend on the type of material you choose, complexity of the project, as well as local labor rates.
If you are ready to install a flat roof, contact your local pros to get 3-4 free flat roof estimates.
How Much Do Flat Roof Materials Cost?
The average cost to replace a flat roof on a 1,500 sq. ft. home ranges from $8,000-11,000, depending on the material you use and the complexity of installation.
Installation prices quoted below are for very simple flat roofs, over 1,000 sq. feet.
Any additional roof insulation costs and increased installation complexity will increase your total labor charges.
PVC membrane: $6.50 – 7.50 + per sq. ft.
EPDM rubber: $5.50 – 6.50 + per sq. ft.
TPO roofing: $6.0 – 7.0 per sq. ft.
Modified bitumen and rolled asphalt roofs: $5.50 – 6.50 + per sq. ft.
Spray Foam Roofing: $4.5 – 7+ per sq. ft.
You can use our Flat Roof Calculator to quickly and accurately estimate the cost of your roof replacement.
Average Flat Roof Cost:
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Low End
$6815
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Mid Range
$8769
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High End
$11211
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Flat Roofing Materials Prices Per Square Foot
In general, materials used on flat roofs cost less than the ones used on sloped roofs.
EPDM rubber roofing costs $1.50 per square foot, making it the cheapest single ply membrane.
TPO roofing costs $1.70 per square foot
PVC roofing costs $1.90 per square foot
Modified bitumen and rolled asphalt roofs cost $1.30-2.20 per square foot, depending on the number of plies.
Tar roofs are installed extremely rarely, have to be special ordered and therefore pricing is not readily available.
Spray foam roofing costs $1.65 – 2.25 per square foot for a 1.5 inch layer of foam.
Note, that all the prices quoted above are for materials ONLY, and do not include insulation.
Install Roof Shingles
$4872 Average price |
Install Metal Roof
$10253 Average price |
Install Flat Roof
$8257 Average price |
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Flat Roof Material Types
While flat roof materials are rather limited when compared to sloped roofing options, there are still enough products to meet various aesthetic and budget needs.
Pro Tip: Keep in mind that when it comes to flat roofing, good insulation plays a key role in ensuring that your membrane will offer long lasting protection against the elements.
Insulating a flat roof can be expensive, because high quality insulation, such as 3 inch Poly Iso rigid foam board costs $1.25 per one square foot of insulation.
However, its ideal to install high quality roof insulation, to avoid many problems that cheap, crappy insulation will cause further down the line.
Lets take a look at the most popular materials that are installed on flat roof houses across the US.
Single-ply Roofing Membranes
EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer), PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), and TPO (Thermoplastic Olefin) are the most popular single-ply roofing membranes.
Today, these three flat roofing membranes are most frequently used in both commercial and residential construction. Overall, most architects and builders specify single ply membranes (EPD, TPO or PVC) for a flat roof install.
It important to know that these single ply membranes are NOT equal in quality and longevity. Each has very different formulations, durability specs and cost.
Single-ply means that there is just one layer of membrane as a waterproofing and weather surface. All membranes range in width from 6-18 feet.
The ones most commonly used are around 10 feet. The average thickness ranges from 45-90 mil. It is typically recommended to install a membrane that is at least 50 mil thick.
Pros
– Solar reflective and energy efficient
– Some materials can be recycled
– Long lasting: high end membranes last up to 30-40 years
– Systems with hot air welded seams (PVC and TPO) are water proof
– DIY installs and repairs are possible for EPDM rubber
– Resistant to inclement weather: snow, ice, rain, wind, fire
– Can be used a roof top garden or patio
Cons
– Membranes that have seams are prone to leaks (EPDM)
– Exterior penetrations, such as pipes, chimney, HVAC equipment can cause leaks without proper flashing work
– Require expensive expert installation and equipment (PVC and TPO)
– Can be punctured by a sharp object, falling tree branches, etc
Built-up flat roofs
Built-up roofs are manufactured using built-up layers of either tar-saturated paper and liquid tar with gravel, asphalt, rolled asphalt, or modified bitumen.
As the roof is installed, more and more layers are added to increase durability and longevity, hence the name “built-up”.
Among them are: 1. Tar and Gravel 2. Modified Bitumen 3. Rolled Asphalt
All of these are considered outdated by modern construction standards. They are almost never installed on large commercial properties, but continue to be installed on some residential homes, due to their low cost.
You should keep in mind that any type of built-up material requires a positive roof slope ( at least 1/12 inches).
Pros
– Relatively cheap materials and installation costs
– Very low maintenance
– Resistant to foot traffic, UV rays and punctures
Cons
– Difficult to locate the source of leak
– Short service life of 10-15 years
– Costly repairs that often don’t take care of the problem
– Very poor energy efficiency
– Not environmentally friendly
– Lacks flexibility in cold temperatures and is not recommended for installs in the Northern states
– Harmful fumes and vapors are emitted during the install of BUR
– Very heavy material that often requires structural reinforcement (BUR)
Pro Tip: even though many roofing and home improvement websites list modified bitumen, tar and gravel and liquid roof coatings as viable flat roofing materials, we personally would not recommend any of these to a homeowner.
Each of these has too many potential problems, they are difficult to install correctly, as well as costly and challenging to repair. In short, they are just not worth the trouble, given the abundance of better alternatives.
Spray-on/paint-on flat roofs
There are two main types:
1. Spray foam insulation (sprayed directly onto the roof deck and then coated with acrylic or urethane coating, as well as a layer of crushed stones/sand.
2. Roof coatings (manufactured for existing roofs and used to extend their service life by 10-15 years). They are typically installed on top of single ply, modified or low slope metal roofs.
Pros
– Seamless installation
– SPF foam can conform to all roof shapes and sizes, including irregular ones
– Offers good insulation and energy efficiency (high R-value)
– Does not have seams, which makes the coating waterproof
– Requires minimal maintenance
– Can be applied on top of existing roof, eliminating the need for costly tear-off and disposal
– Can last up to 40 years if properly installed
Cons
– Very costly. For example, silicone coating is one of the most expensive materials you can install
– Complex installation process that requires a lot of technical knowledge. Should only be done by and experienced pro.
– More potential for system failure due to poor installation and contractor errors
– SPF can only be installed during specific weather conditions (very narrow range of temperatures and humidity levels)
– SPF is usually specified for commercial buildings, not residential homes
– Spray foam roofing emits harmful fumes during the install
Metal flat roof
While it may come as a surprise there are actually many metal flat roofs out there. This is because metal is an overall superior material that offers durability in inclement weather and 100% protection against leaks and moisture penetration.
Standing seam roofs or corrugated metal panels are the two popular profiles to install on a flat roof.
While metal will be the most expensive out of all flat roof materials, its well worth the investment considering that it will last at least twice as long as most other options, and will require zero maintenance.
Most popular metals that are installed on flat roofs are aluminum or steel. Aluminum is a more expensive and durable option compared to steel. If you are choosing among steel sheets, go for thicker metal, such as galvalume, as it will offer better protection.
Keep in mind that if you choose cheaper corrugated steel panels with fasteners, you may have to deal with rust and leaks that may happen around the fasteners. However, even this type of metal flat roof will last much longer than singly ply membranes, spray on coatings, or modified bitumen roofs.
In terms of style, a flat metal roof will look best on a contemporary house or over a three-season porch, garage, or a modern house addition.
Durability Of Flat Roof Materials
We will cover in extensive detail the most common problems that impact the durability of a flat roof.
Leaks / Moisture
The biggest problem for most flat roofs is the presence of seams and flashing, because that is precisely where leaks occur.
PVC and TPO are the only two membranes that have hot-welded seams that will never come apart, and therefore do not allow any moisture to penetrate.
Tar and gravel, modified bitumen and rolled asphalt offer extremely poor protection against leaks and ponding water.
EPDM rubber typically fails at roof penetrations, flashing and seams, allowing moisture to penetrate.
One of the biggest issues with spray-on roofs is that the insulation can be eaten by birds, therefore also resulting in leaks.
Puncture resistance
Built-up roofs are typically 0.5 + inches in thickness, are made from hard materials and are therefore very difficult to puncture.
Single plies and spray foam roofs are generally easy to puncture by direct contact with a sharp object.
Some PVC materials come with a fiberglass reinforcing scrim, which makes it very difficult to puncture.
Keep in mind that increasing the width of a single ply membrane DOES NOT improve its ability to protect against leaks, However, it can extend its overall life, and makes it more puncture resistant.
What Is The Best Flat Roof Material?
There is big competition between TPO and PVC roofing membranes, and heated debate about which is better.
Today, PVC roofing is considered the most durable.
It is especially formulated to remain intact in a wide variety of adverse weather conditions (rain, snow, wind, sun, hot and cold temperature fluctuations).
Moreover, what makes PVC so strong is the fact that the top and bottom ply of the membrane have almost equal thickness.
To compare, TPO roofing has questionable durability, as there is no consistent formula among manufacturers, who are experimenting to make it as durable, but also cheaper than PVC.
As with any product, we all know what happens when you try to slash prices by lowering the quality of materials.
One factor that compromises TPO’s strength is the fact that the top ply (weathering surface) of the membrane (which ensures durability) is actually thinner than the bottom ply. In most products the ratio is 40/60.
Lastly, most TPO roofs offer weak resistance to heat and solar overload.
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For over 20 years Leo has run a successful roofing business in New England, specializing in metal roofing, as well as cool flat roofing technologies. Having replaced and installed hundreds of roofs in New England, Leo has first hand experience with pretty much every residential roofing material and roofing manufacturer available in the US.
Interesting debate. I’m living in a four year old MCM-style home with a Firestone 60 mm EPDM roof. Cost was ~$8 sf installed. We inspect regularly and seams are still perfect. Advice I can add to the conversation: Build where you can minimize debris, tree branches, squirrel activity. We have zero of those problems on our site. Definitely get a good installer. Tapering the insulation board under the membrane was a pain in the body part, according to my contractor but it was key to ensuring no pooling. Watch for pooling during installation and make sure it gets fixed. Put good insulation underneath -2″-3″ closed cell spray foam. Finally, I wouldn’t party on it. No rooftop gardening, stargazing parties, etc. if you worry about punctures.
For what it is worth: I have been involved in commercial roofing for over 35 years and have spent most of that time inspecting roofs of various ages. In my experience the two best systems for longevity, resilience and ease of maintenance are:
1) 4 ply BUR with 2 ply SBS flashings and gravel surface.
2) Adhered .060 EPDM over a hard cover board.
Leo B – You seem to have run into some poorly installed EPDM roofs, but done well the EPDM taped seams will out perform welded TPO or PVC seams. The number of false welds found in 10-15 year old thermoplastic roofs is significant. If you really want to know the quality of a weld your must take seam samples and roofers just don’t want to cut a hole in a new roof. TPO manufacturers are still trying to figure out how to make the sheet both UV and fire resistant.
I have inspected a number of 30+ year old EPDM roofs that, with reasonable maintenance, will continue to perform very well.
If you have a roof that will get a lot of traffic Gravel Surface BUR is hard to beat. The problem is BUR roofing seems to be a dying art form, I don’t know anyone under the age of 45 that can do it.
First, thank you for this very informative forum. I need to replace a built-up roof on a 2300 sq foot mid-century house near a wildfire area in Los Angeles with a non-combustible roof. After replacing any rotted decking, I am consider the benefits of adding DensDeck or some other non-combustible material. I am also weighing a silicone spray-on roof warranted for 50 years vs. a 30-year PVC roof. Would welcome feed-back. Leo B? Carlos O? Others?
From reading your article you seem quite bias towards PVC. The most important point I would make is that each roofing type has pros and cons and each one has it’s proper application. Mod-bit roofs are routinely being installed on buildings with the most sensitive, costly materials in the country where leaks are not tolerable. Redundancy in roofing is still king. People just don’t want to pay for it, and if you can afford an occasional leak the life cycle cost for a TPO roof might make the most sense. You will install 2-3 TPO or PVC roofs before you replace the aforementioned mod-bit roof.
Also, PVC has it’s place in facilities prone to chemical or oily discharges on the roof, but otherwise the life cycle cost of a high quality TPO is less for similar performance.
Have an experienced professional specify the correct high quality material, add slope where possible, and hire an experienced company. No matter the family of material this combination will produce a great roof.
That is interesting that you could get a flat roof that can compete with a sloped roof. A flat roof sounds really interesting and like something I might want to get. This is something I am going to have to look into getting sometime soon.
Recently purchased a property with an addition. It was obvious after having a look into a small leak we noticed in the corner of the room that the membrane was installed improperly. This led to a series of very expensive repairs. To be honest, I’m not a fan of flat-roofs for residential applications. They seem to be more hassle than they’re worth sometimes.
Just for a regular flat roof for edpm – should I go with 45 or 60 mils and what should thickness of insulation be. My attic is insulated between the rafters – does that matter?
@ Marshall F Walsh
For EPDM, you should go with 60 mil. However I would strongly suggest PVC (and to lesser degree TPO), instead of EPDM.
As for insulation thickness, it depends on how much you can afford. Since your attic is insulated, I would advise at least 2″ of PolyISO insulation in the roof, for good measure. Better to have 3″ or more.
Recommended roof insulation R-Value is 38-R, but ideal is to have 50-R or more. You did not mention how much insulation you have in the attic, but I would guess it’s likely less than 38-R ..
Hope this helps.
Cheers, Leo
You want to have a total r-value of approximately 30. Most likely the attic has r-13 or r-19. So, ideally, 2” -3” would give about r-30. 45 mil would be good for an area with little to no trees and no foot traffic on the roof. 60 mil is standard and the better way to go.
Where do you get the single ply tpo and pvc rolls from? Is there a distributor in your area? What area is it located? Locally bought?
That is really cool how roofs can be made up of layers of liquid tar with gravel. It would probably be beneficial for the workers to have a hot tar hose for spreading the tar. That would make it much easier to be able to move the tar to the roof.
First some background. I’m an architect and have worked in just about all aspects of the industry since 1976. I’m also very hands-on and have performed most trades in construction. Not just drawn the details, not just written specifications, not just observed, but actually installed with my own hands. This includes asphalt shingle, built-up, torch down, TPO, and Vinyl (PVC). I’ve also been an environmentalist since the 70s, way before LEED (and I’m one of the LEED pioneers by the way).
Most projects that I work on are decent size with roofs of 20,000 sq.ft. minimum, and almost all are “flat” roofs. The building types include multifamily and institutional. The trend over the last 15 years in California has been towards PVC for the multitude of reasons stated in the article above. We rarely do built-up roofs any more and our office standard details have been based on PVC for about 10 years. The few clients that request built-up roofs, usually 4-ply, do so because they build their own projects and have crews that have done nothing but that; it’s their comfort zone. As the saying goes, can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
But some old dogs do change, usually because they tour the projects we’ve done and see how clean the roofs look even after a couple of decades, they see the ease of repairs, they love the fact that the PVC and TPO wraps from the outside of the parapet to the outside of the opposite parapet and the installation includes clad metal installed by the same roofer, and mostly the price. When all is said and done it’s the bottom line that they like; the initial capital investment, the long-term maintenance, the energy savings.
Carlos – can you tell me why you primarily “prescribe” PVC, when TPO is cheaper, and is also white/cool/heat-welded?
It’s good to learn about flat roofs. I didn’t know that there was a spray foam insulation option that included crushed stones. How effective is that for insulation? We’re thinking of putting a flat roof on our home, so this is great.
My company works with a roofing manufacturer and I am looking for a recycler for the TPO strips from mill ends and full rolls. do you know of a recycler that can take this material in the US
I really like what was said about how much technology has improved for flat roofs. This makes a whole lot of sense to me especially because I feel like if flat roofs had an excess of water on them it could cause them to cave in. I had no idea that PVC was used to make these roofs stronger.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and need to replace my current, 30 year-old tar and gravel roof. It’s not urgent, as the current one performs just fine (e.g., no leaks). Still, I would prefer to have the work done when I have time to consider my options and be thoughtful.
Someone from Anderson Roofing stopped by to ask if I wanted an estimate to replace my roof, but I said no because I wasn’t ready to think about it. He said they do a spray-on system. I’m generally suspicious of single-ply and spray-on roofs, but I am aware tar and gravel (T&G) is used less these days. I read the conflicting information above about PVC, TPO, rubber, and built-up roof systems, and I just don’t know what to think. How can I decide? It’s such an important decision.
My current roof has a layer of insulation underneath the T&G, which I am guessing is around three inches thick. It performs well. There exist a few spots around a skylight where water tends to pool, but that could be the result of badly planned drainage. There are also places where the T&G roof has formed bubbles, but thankfully, they don’t leak – yet.
Should I stick with a built-up roof? Should I strip off the T&G and replace the insulation? We’re considering installing solar panels at some point. Should Ihave the mounting struts for those installed before putting on a new roof?
The best roof is a built up system,single ply is one layer of membrane that is protecting the building,
Not sure where these ” facts” are coming from, but EPDM membranes outperform every other roof by quite a large margin. I work for a national roofing maintenance contractor and inspect over 100 roofs per month. Older EPDM roofs ( pre seam tape and perimeter fastening strip, 1990 and older ) do have seam failure issues. But even those can be repaired using bar cover tape over the seams. PVC and TPO seams are definitely the best seams around, but these roofs begin to split/crack right next to the seam at 20-25 years when the membranes begin to become brittle. This cracking is not limited to seam proximity but is where it normally starts. Once started these roofs are doomed. PVC roofs ( and possibly TPO ) are definitely NOT weldable throughout their lifespans. After 10-15 years to patch a hole you need to insert the patch UNDER the existing membrane and weld the bottom of old membrane to the top of the patch ( even then you often fail to achieve an ideal weld. With proper maintenance, basically just reflashing curb corners and reinforcing field seams ( very easy with today’s peel and stick products ), you can easily get 50 years from an EPDM roof. This longevity is just not possible with PVC or TPO in my experiance ( 30+ years as an installer and maintenance tech ). Hope this was helpful, cheers.
@RothTech
Thanks for your input, but I disagree on most counts.
1) PVC not being able to weld/patch after 10-15 years.
I personally repaired multiple PVC roofs from various manufacturers. Sarnafil, Duralast, Trocal and some unknown roofs. All were patched with outside surface patches using IB Roofs 50 mil material.
Sarnafil roof was 25 years old. Membrane was pretty hard, but patches welded just FINE. I installed over 20 patches on it.
Here is video of repair Sarnafil:
Duarlast was 18 years old, and once and was much softer, and again patches welded great.
Here is video of duralast repair
Even 30 years old Trocal was easy to weld to. But after a tree branch fell on it in the winter, it completely shattered, so we replaced it.
Here is image of trocal roof repair:
Now about EPDM
I never said that Rubber membrane is bad. If 1 sheet of rubber would cover entire roof with no seams, it would be a great roof. The problem is seams and flashings.
Even peel and stick is a big issue – especially around corners – because material is stretched – it naturally wants to pull back to its original state, and when glue fails (and it always does), corner flashings come off.
As for “regular maintenance” … reflash of 1 skylight/chimney/curb can easily cost $400-500 or more, depending on how many layers of patches were added on. Re-seaming costs $10-15 per foot in Boston area… cheapest u will find is $8-9. With 100 feet of seam it is $800-1500.
And this has to be done every 7-10 years. Now after 1 reseam you have to go from 6″ to 12″ tape and it now costs 25-30% more.
Now consider that after every major leak, insulation (usually 1/2″ fiberboard, which isn’t even an “insulation”) gets wet and rots. So you repair a roof with wet insulation, and trap in moisture.
So overall – EPDM ends up a maintenance nightmare, and costs much more than a quality PVC cach as IB or Sarnafil.
This is my view of things in a “big picture” … if you notice … most new construction is using PVC or TPO nowdays … there must be a reason for that 🙂
Respectfully, Leo.
Single ply roofs stink ,screws pop up ,all the penitrations fail,i have seen epmd roofs fail after 5 years and once thete life is over you need to rip them off hot tar modified system with slag is the best ,one and done 50 year system
@Pro Roofer
There is also PVC (and TPO but I don’t like it)
Single Ply can be installed WITHOUT SCREWS! PVC does not shrink (or shrings VERY little, and does not affect system performance). PVC is MUCH easier to repair – in rain / snow you can weld it!
Repairing hot tar is like looking for pebble in a pile of sand. Finding leaks on PVC is very easy, and they are easy to patch. You don’t need a ketle to fix one hole.
Ind I don’t even mention crazy insurance you have to pay for fire hazard and risks of burning down the building! I personaly have seen a new built-up roof installation on a school in Revere MA that cought fire and then Firemen flooded the building when puttin fire out 🙂
PVC does not burn and there is no open flame during install.
I can list 20 more PROS onf PVC and 20 CONS of hot-tar, but this conversation is not going anywhere 🙂
Thanks for your input – you should provide your name too.
very nice website .
You do not mention the liquid roofing systems which are becoming very common here in Europe.
I specialise in applying them .
Brian,
I have a lot of bad experience dealing with leaking liquid roofs, and they are VERY difficult to repair. Therefore I cannot honestly recommend them. Mayby the roofs I’ve encountered were of low qulatity. If you have good experience with them, feel free to share with us, i may even publish your guide if you write one.
Leo
I need an unbiased comparison with and pros and cons of sprayed foam roofing. I have had 3 different opinions and estimates (TPO, built up, and foam).
PVC is truly recyclable. However, various grades of PVC are manufactured to have certain end-use properties. For roofing, plasticizers (pure PVC is normally hard and brittle), UV stabilizers and pigments are added, among other things. When recycled, PVC roofing material cannot be recycled simply back to more roofing material, because these additives are either degraded or their precise proportion in the recycled product cannot be assured for a specific end use (usually many PVC streams are combined for recycle, and additive proportions for a specific end-use are compromised). It is costly to take a “mongrel” PVC recycle stream and make it suitable for an engineered product such as a roofing membrane, so membranes likely cannot be recycled to roofing membranes. So, Andrew is right relative to roofing.
Status changed from Pending to Complete
its not the PVC that is the problem with PVC roofs its the liquid plastersizers they use to soften it … this is what also makes it brittle, presumed hormone disrupter and possibly carcigenic…. use a PVC without the stuff in it … i.e. use a Kee or EVA and all the problems mentioned about PVC sungle ply just dont happen.
WoW,
70 facts about flat roofing, when i get some free time i will rewrite correctly.
I have been roofing over 35 years, my company still does built up, because it has proven itself for hundreds of years, tpo, pvc, and epdm, all fail over 10 years or less.
Ben, my oldest roof (PVC) is turning 12 this year – still hasn’t failed … maybe it’s your installation methods that make them fail after 10 years?
Maybe you torch seams instead of using Heat Guns (or primer on EPDM)? …
🙂
“It worthy of note that many Green Building organizations recommend not using PVC roofing due to significant environmental hazards from the toxicity of the manufacturing process as well as the noxious compounds released in a fire such as hydrochloric acid fumes and byproducts including dioxin, a potent carcinogen.”
Can’t be readily recycled:
The multitudes of additives required to make PVC useful make large scale post-consumer recycling nearly impossible for most products and interfere with the recycling of other plastics. Of an estimated 7 billion pounds of PVC thrown away in the US, only 18 million – barely one quarter of 1% – is recycled. The Association of Post Consumer Plastics Recyclers declared effort s to recycle PVC a failure and labeled it a contaminant in 1998.
Architectural firms, governments and major corporations all over the world are dropping PVC. A wide range of major
corporations including Microsoft, HP, Shaw, WalMart, Firestone, Nike, Mattel, Lego, Johnson & Johnson, GM, VW
and Honda have begun the switch to alternative materials. San Francisco and New York State have banned PVC pipe. An
increasing number of major projects, from the Kaiser Permanent hospital system and U.S. EPA headquarters in
Washington, DC to the 2000 Olympic village in Sydney, Australia, have vastly reduced or completely eliminated use of
PVC. More government agencies are eliminating it…
You know I spread no disinformation. I have been on flat roofs since I was 12 years old and my family has been in the industry for 4 generations. I myself am a veteran of 31 years in the industry. Don’t get me wrong I have installed many a PVC roofs and here in Canada they typically don’t see past 15 years. An HVAC repair man conducting repairs on a rooftop furnace in -30 degrees drops his screwdriver and it cracks like a piece of glass. Like I said after welding PVC details for a few days, myself and many on my crews become sick from breathing that crap.
I also see under your environmental impact you fail to mention the obvious global environmental concern for the manufacturing of PVC products. When PVC hits the landfill it has far more toxic than any bituminous membrane and has many more harmful chemicals.
And by the way you can overlay any membrane onto another roof if you want to leave garbage deteriorated materials to rot away. Don’t get me wrong I have done roof overlays as well, but only as a last result for a cheap client who will do it anyways (DEFINITELY NOT SOMETHING I GO AROUND ADVERTISING). And PVC cannot come into direct contact with bituminous products so therefore will require separation sheet if overlaid onto a T&G roof.
Oh and that site I gave you earlier was not my roofing company, I’m not that biased.
People if you want a good solid roof you should consider a reputable brand of modified bitumen or 4 ply fiberglass reinforced roofing. Why do you think most schools and other government institutions don’t use much, if any, 1 ply? Because they are not very durable and after 10 years there are holes patched everywhere. And please note that holes caused by a simple screwdriver or hammer falling from 4 feet are not covered by warranty of course. Oh…. and please go up onto a single ply mechanically fastened roof in 100km of wind, the only part of the membrane sitting on the underlying insulation is the 6″ fastened seams.
Don’t be fooled by all this cool roof & easy repair nonsense and just get yourself a good roof. 1 ply roofing has to be easy repair because it will require a lot of it during its life cycle. I repair many 20-30 year old T&G roofs, but i repair just as many 2-5 year old PVC, TPO and EPDM roofs.
PVC is banned in many countries due to the toxins it creates during manufacturing and recycling. There are very few recycling options in the world for this product and I can guarantee you that 99% of the membrane ends up in the landfill.
TPO is much more environmentally friendly and and it does not contain plasticizers which in turn is recycled predominately. Most manufacturing companies are phasing out PVC products and soon it will not even be widely used.
When welding the PVC seams you can feel the smoke killing your lungs. In fact the burning of PVC releases harmful toxins.
@ Andrew,
There is more PVC installed in Europe than TPO. In Europe they have the strictest environmental laws. Also in Europe, TPO and PVC are about the same price.
TPO is made out of petroleum – how is it “environmentally friendly”?
Look Andrew, you already posted a bogus statement about PVC not being recyclable.
If you want to make claims, post PROOF to your claims which is NOT on your website.
I welcome all opinions, but you cannot spread disinformation. Your personal opinion is very important (to you) but it is not right for everybody. It is also not a fact. Please state only facts.
If 99% of PVC is not recycled, where is the proof? Also, as with any recycling, it’s on the contractor to recycle it. Manufacturers have recycling programs for both types. With the same certainty, I will say that 99% of TPO goes to landfills, because once again, it’s the contractor who decides to recycle or not, which is often dependant on cost. Most people (roofers especially) don’t care about environment, or do not care enough, to pay extra to recycle, or to put effort into it.
1) PVC is not recyclable at all.
2) EPDM is now being recycled by various companies.
Andrew – you are WRONG.
You can’t go around making such statements. This shows that either you don’t know what you are talking about, or you are spreading lies.
here is a video about PVC recycling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHNztkVFmTs
Recycling is mostly in the hands of contractors. If it’s too expensive, roofing will not be recycled. If contractor at least does not lose money on recycling, they will often do so if offered availability.