ROOF COATINGS VS. ROOF REPLACEMENTS

While both roof coating and roof replacement can restore your roof to like-new condition, there are  factors to consider prior to making the decision. When is a roof coating the right solution and when is coating  your roof absolutely the wrong decision? Here are some factors to consider: 

Existing Roof 

What is the existing roof system to which the coating will be applied? A roof with a ballasted system or a  layer of pebbles or rocks is not a candidate. A coating can be applied to a modified bitumen roof, but it is  extremely difficult to properly clean and prepare the roof in a manner that would assure a good coating  installation. Even a smooth single-ply system is a poor candidate: grease and dirt will prevent a good  adhesion of the coating. In our experience, the best (and for my mind), the only acceptable candidate for a  coating system is a metal roof, properly cleaned, properly prepared, and expertly coated. 

Structural Integrity 

What are the current problems with the existing roof? Are there large areas of ponding which indicate  potential structural problems with the existing roof? Are there multiple roof layers already? Are there  problems with the original design of the roof? If any of these are true, then a coating is simply putting a  band-aid over the existing problem. 

Moisture 

Moisture trapped in the existing roof system is probably the most frequent reason roof coatings fail. If you  are applying a coating because of leaks, then you can be certain that moisture has already seeped into the  subsurface layers of the existing roof. Moisture that is trapped will vaporize. Vapor always rises, and it will  try to escape from the bottom up, looking for cracks and crevices to get out. When the roof is coated, those  cracks and crevices go away. If the moisture cannot get out, it cooks, and ultimately destroys the coating. 

Preparation 

Coatings are only as good as the quality of the installation. Roofs must be thoroughly cleaned, or the coating  will not adhere properly. Granules on a modified bitumen roof, or dirt and grease on a single-ply roof, can  never be totally removed or cleaned. Joints and penetrations should be sealed with fabric prior to applying  the coating. 

Application 

How many layers are being applied? Will a primer be applied first? One layer of topcoat or two? How thick  in mills will the layers be, and how consistent will the manual application be? What are the weather  conditions? Is there dust in the air (there always is) that will prevent proper adhesion? A coating application  can vary significantly depending upon the circumstances that day. Contrast that variability with a single-ply  membrane created under consistent, quality-controlled factory conditions. 

Warranty 

Coating products are available with 10 to 20-year warranties. However, in our experience, few coatings last  anywhere near that long, and the longevity of the coating is directly proportional to the quality and the cost  of the coating system. A poor coating installation could begin to deteriorate in as little as six months. And  even a higher quality installation is unlikely to last 7 – 10 years without a recoating. 

The Bottom Line 

Coatings can be appropriate given the right circumstances. However, most frequently, a coating is selected  because it is the cheapest system without full consideration given to the quality and the life span. Other  than metal roofs, our experience is that a coating may be the cheapest short-term system, but not the best  long-term value when making your decision.