Commercial roof coatings Chicago are practically coatings applied by commercial roof repair contractors on the roof surface to improve the performance of the roof and to prolong its longevity. They come in many different forms and serve different purposes – here are more details about what they are and how they work.
Why Apply Commercial Roof Coatings
Commercial roof coatings are applied in order to enhance the features offered by the roof, making the roof more resistant to the harmful effects of the weather and to increase its lifespan. The external impacts that the coating can protect the roof from include UV radiation and the penetration of water and coatings can also improve the thermal balance in the building that the roof is built on by reflecting the sun’s heat and keeping the surface of the roof cooler.
Types of Commercial Roof Coatings
There are various different materials used for coating roofs – here are the five most common coating types:
- Silicone coating – silicone is a versatile and durable material that is often used as roof coating. The material is resistant to UV radiations and to water and it reflects heat, making it suitable for wet and hot climate regions;
- Acrylic coating – the most common coating material is available in water-based as well as in solvent-based versions. Acrylic material has excellent weather-protection qualities and it is also very easy to apply, but the application process needs to be repeated regularly to make sure the coating preserves its qualities;
- Bitumen coating – this one is among the cheapest coating solutions on roofs and one that is also available in solvent-based and water-based forms. The efficient and affordable material is compatible with lots of roofing types;
- Asphalt coatings – great, convenient solutions for asphalt and bitumen roofs;
- Polyurethane coating – this solvent-based solution comes in two types: aromatic and aliphatic. The aromatic coating is resistant to UV radiation as well, but both versions offer excellent resistance to abrasion, therefore they are the preferred solution in hail-prone areas or for roofs that get a lot of foot traffic.
Roof coating comes in two forms: liquids that are sprayed onto the roof surface or are applied using methods similar to applying paint and as roll-outs.
How Roof Coating is Installed
The first step you need to take care of before applying the coating is roof cleaning, necessary for ensuring the adherence of the coating as well as for revealing any roofing issues that need attention – roof coating should always be applied on clean, dry and healthy roofs. Once the roof has been cleaned and the issues found have been fixed, you can move on to the next step: the installation of the coating. Most coating materials require priming with a substance that will ensure the proper adherence of the coating, followed by the application of the coat itself. Whatever type of coating you choose, it needs some time to cure – most products need a couple of days to dry properly. During this time, the roof should be not stepped on and should be protected against any harm or impact.