Flat Roofing Systems

Single-ply roofing has become an increasingly popular flat roof covering over the last several years. Essentially, a single ply membrane roof is comprised of flexible sheets of synthetic materials that are manufactured in a factory to specific quality control requirements. Single-ply roofing products are typically applied over an insulation layer and mechanically attached to the roof deck or secured with ballast or an adhesive.

Most single-ply’s can be divided into two main groups: thermoset/synthetic rubber and thermoplastics.

• Thermoset membranes are essentially rubber, known in the roofing trade as ethylene propylene diene monomer, or EPDM, aka “rubber roofing”. Thermoset roofing materials cannot be heat welded and require adhesives for installation seaming.
• Thermoplastic membranes are typically either polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). Because they are lightweight and easily installed using heat welding, they have become the number one option for many commercial roofing contractors who do flat roof installations.

Did you know that single-ply roofing is available in various colors?