Can you coat a rubber roof? The answer is a resounding yes! You can absolutely coat a rubber roof. Doing so can help it last up to 20 years longer without it needing to be replaced. Plus, restoration is faster and much more affordable than a complete roof replacement. If the timing is right, you can and should coat a rubber roof.
When you choose to apply the coating to your commercial roof, there are many different types of roofs that can benefit from our flexible roof material. These include metal roofs, hypalon single-ply roofs, EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) roofs, TPO single-ply roofs, modified bitumen and BUR roofs, and spray polyurethane foam roofs.
Roof coatings work by adding a seamless layer of coating to the roof, sealing any cracks or penetration areas. That way, rainwater stays on the roof instead of seeping into your building. They’re extremely durable, but with time, they may crack or endure damage and need to be replaced.
To keep your roof coating in the best shape possible, clean the roof regularly with a broom or pressure washer. This will help extend the lifespan of the elastomeric roof coating, maximizing your investment and preventing the need for disruptive construction work.
Less Downtime
The process of coating a rubber roof takes significantly less time and labor to complete than a total roof replacement. Generally, restoration can be done in 2 – 3 days (including drying time), using only a couple of crew members. The actual application doesn’t take up most of the time, it’s the application in combination with the preparation and drying phases that adds up to those 2 – 3 days. A replacement roof, on the other hand, could take up to five days to complete, with a large crew working around the clock.
Replacement is more disruptive to your business operations as well. Tearing off a roof and building another is filled with banging, shouting and tossing old materials to the ground. These actions may matter to you more if you have customers in store than if you have a warehouse that houses equipment. You don’t want customers to have a tainted experience — and definitely don’t want anyone getting hit with flying debris. There’s more equipment around the building and more people moving around, which can be a major factor in deciding what type of roofing to go with.
More Cost-Effective
Since it takes less time to apply a rubber roof coating, it makes sense that your overall investment will be lower — as there isn’t as much labor involved. Typically, commercial flat roofs cost between $4 and $9 per square foot to install. Depending on the size of your flat roof, this could cost you more than $75,000 for a complete roof replacement.
As an alternative, you can choose rubber coating, also referred to as EPDM rubber roof coating. Restoring your current roof using coating costs between $3 and $4 per square foot, which equates to major savings. In some cases, rubber coating is half the cost of a complete roof replacement.
Similar Results
Both coating a roof and completely replacing it offer complete protection from leaks for up to 20 years. So, why not choose the more cost-effective option? Our white coatings are also environmentally friendly, thanks to the UV-reflecting properties that naturally keep your building cool.
If you’re in the process of deciding whether or not to coat your rubber roof — or wondering can you coat a rubber roof, the answer is yes! It’s a great way to extend the life and durability to your current roof, at a great price point.
