Rubber Roof Coating Options

Many types of pre-packaged, rubber roof coating kits are available at hardware supply stores. They can be easily applied by following the instructions included in the packaging. Choosing the appropriate roof coating should a part of your roofing construction or remodeling plan. However, before choosing a coating, you should have a basic idea about the various kinds of rubber roof coatings and their advantages.

Rubber Coating Attributes

Rubber roofs are regarded as a slightly expensive but very durable option for finishing household roofs. The presence of a rubber coating ensures that moisture seepage into the roof is negated and the roofing material prevents leakage of internal energy from the home’s interiors. Thus, roofing materials also add to the overall temperature regulation mechanism of a house. Most rubber-coated roofs don’t need re-roofing for decades and need negligible maintenance.

Rubber roof coating is often retailed as roof insulation and is commonly recommended by roof construction/remodeling providers. The elasticity of rubber ensures that the roof doesn't suffer from stress exerted due to seasonal contraction or expansion of the concrete-heavy, sub-layers under the roof. Rubber coatings also prevent homeowners from harmful rays like infrared radiation and UV rays.

Basic Categorization of Rubber Roof Coatings

Essentially, all contemporary rubber-roof coatings can be divided into two basic types — liquid rubber coatings and rubber-sheet coating. The features of each coating type are explained below.

Understanding Liquid Rubber Coatings

These are more affordable and easy-to-apply. If you plan to merely alter the appearance of your roof and render it some weather-bearing qualities without undertaking roof replacement — liquid rubber coatings are suggested. They are often retailed as a roof-resurfacing option. Since they are easy-to-apply, just like wall-paint, they are very popular among homeowners wanting a quick refurbishment of their roofs. The liquid roof coating binds immediately to the roofing base. It is sold in a wide range of colors and can be applied with household tools like a paint-roller or a paintbrush.

Further, there are minimal technical issues with such coatings. The number of coatings can be increased or restricted, to keep pace with your budgetary considerations. Liquid rubber induces negligible chemical reactions when applied to concrete or metal roofing materials. There is no need to use a primer material or preparing the coating surface. This makes the entire process quicker. Liquid rubber roof coatings are known to last for two-to-three decades.

Understanding Sheet Rubber Coatings

Sheeted coatings are commonly sold as a membrane or sheet-roof coatings. They are installed with a special adhesive. This adhesive is slightly expensive. A certain level of expertise is needed to properly apply the adhesive and lay down the rubber sheeting. This makes sheet-type rubber coatings a pricier, roof-coating option. However, they present more options in terms of shapes and patterns that can be customized across an exhaustive range of styling preferences.

Most roof-coating retailers, however, entertain sheet-type coating orders only when a minimum amount of coating material is ordered. This makes them more suited for a commercial application rather than roofing requirements of small homes. The applied, rubber sheets have better interlocking. The grid-like formation is better equipped to prevent moisture seepage.

Understanding Retailed Choices Among Rubber Roof Coatings

Besides this basic categorization, rubber roof coatings are sold in many other formats that can be overwhelming for first-time buyers. The most common retailed variation in this niche is elastomeric roof coatings. These are essentially a modification of membrane-type roof coatings. They are a very safe option since they have the ability to bind with every roofing material. They are best suited for coating sloping roofs and roofs with complex angles. The resulting, coated surface is probably the most durable in terms of a seamless presentation and the ability to withstand temperature extremes.

You can also order reflective or dull, elastomeric roof coatings. Often, these roof coatings are retailed with varying percentages of polyurethane, silicone, and asphalt. These ingredients affect the pricing of the coating material. However, the overall durability and external appearance aren't substantially affected by such constituents. You can also customize the color of your coating material. White roof coatings are given their typical, reflective appearance by adding acrylics and industrial pigments. Similarly, tinted and colored coatings are also sold at prices slightly higher than that of conventional, black/grayish roof coatings.