# Foam roofing



## morrissey roofing (Nov 28, 2010)

I am some what of a newbie to the business end of the business, but I would like to look into spray foam roofing, none of my distrubutors know anything about it, and there isnt anyone in my area who does it, so i think there is a great niche market out there for someone who is either stupid or brazen, any thoughts? WHo would you get in touch with?


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## 03demax (Oct 19, 2009)

Spray in place foam is only as good as the coating on top of the foam. I use the Conklin Roofing Systems acrylic coatings for over foam. Check them out at www.conklin.com If you have more questions let me know!!


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

Spray foam is great inside walls. I wouldn't use or recommend it. I dont care what coating you use. Well I take that back. Even if you use a high quality coating like GAF'S TOP COAT it needs to be re-coated every 5 years. Or after a hail storm, or the birds pick at it and us it for nesting. If you strictly want to make cash its ok. No tear off quick to apply once you get your guys trained on it. Hell of alot $$$ in start up though.


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## 03demax (Oct 19, 2009)

Conklin has an excellent track record of quality coatings and foam roofs 20 years old, in good condition and never recoated!!


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

So have other company's and on a good sloped metal roof sprayed right to the metal that has been properly prepared it is not unbelievable. On a nearly flat spray foam roof with an inconsistent roof texture 20 years is just plain fallacy.


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## 03demax (Oct 19, 2009)

It sounds like a bunch of you doubters have not worked with quality products or seen what a quality product can do. Please do not put out a blanket statement without knowing all of the facts!!


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

Reread my post. 

We have use Conklin, Top Coat and a bit of Henry.

Over a metal roof with a ok slope coatings will last a good long time. 

Flat sprayed foam roof. 10-20 years and that is only because the roof underneath it is holding out the water.

Question, How often do you have to re-coat a spray foamed roof?


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## Monolithic man (Nov 2, 2011)

Foam roofing is only as good as the coating on top this is true, however the coating on top is excellent. it will last a minimum of 10 years and as long as fifteen depending on the mil thickness of the coating, the climate such as desert, snow, rain etc. and how well maintained the roof is.

As with any roof if there are leaking condensate lines from a/c's standing water, or leaves and debris year round then the life expectancy will be dramatically decreased. after the foam beneath the coating gets exposed to the sun because of poor maintenance, the foam will burn out and begin to absorb water, but if the coating is reapplied before the foam is exposed and the coating is done properly, the roof will last forever. I have apartment buildings and homeowner associations that are customers of mine that know every 12-15 years or so it will be time for a new coating system. As far as the birds pecking at it, this problem is solved by casting granules into the coating between two separate passes. the roof receives three passes of coating a base coat (usually gray) then a first coat (apply granules into wet coating) and a top coat to embed the granules. the finished product should be about 30 mills thick and will use about 4 gallons of coating per square.

The reason none of your suppliers know much about it is because they do not supply material for it. foam roofing is a very small niche for good reason. The equipment is very expensive for one (about $50,000.00)for any decent set up and it goes up from there. To try and learn it without working beneath a qualified applicator is a sure way to put your company out of business with either nonstop leak calls or lawsuits whichever comes first. it is very easy to make mistakes during the application of foam. The slightest amount of wind can cause overspray on to an entire parking lot of cars in minutes, any moisture on the roof deck during application will cause blisters and not knowing the ins and outs of how to properly spray can make a roof look horrible or not drain properly. its almost an art to get it to lay nice and flat, but when you do it turns out nice. I am a certified applicator of tropical roofing products and we get a 10 year manufacturer's warranty on coating systems for any commercial jobs over 20 squares but we usually don't apply for manufacturer warranties on anything under 80 squares.


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## shazapple (Dec 3, 2010)

Thanks Monolithic Man, interesting writeup. What is your typical spray job linke? (size, urban/rural, thickness...)


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

You mean nice and even like this?




































Have you ever put Pie Tin's on your foam roofs? I've never seen this in my 10+ years and my boss hasn't either in his 30+ Figured it had to do with keeping birds off.


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## How'd that get there (Sep 22, 2010)

OK I couldn't pass this up. First generation SPF was touted as a cure all for every roof. No regard to fixing leaks, repairing blisters, or addressing expansion. Man does all that trapped water between the foam and the old roof stink when you tear one off. Oh yea - try stopping that junk from blowing all over the county. MM man is dead on with his asseeemsnets. Here on the east coast it is not real popular. I've spoken with guys in the desert who love it. So one question to ask -- how many good spray days do you think you'll have in Ct? Right temp, right humidity. Have you ever sprayed anything? Cold process or coating? Keeping it off the cars is a chore. Low sloped contractors for the most part frown on SPF. While most manufacturer's now insist on some level of remediation to the existing roof there are still the issues with having an experienced nozzle man - which means the difference between a flat finish or a moonscape. I do believe some day they will get these issues resolved and it can be a viable alternative especially since it can be scarified and re-coated.


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## 1985gt (Dec 21, 2010)

I would 1/2 way agree to most of that. The main problems I see are like you said they were a fix all roof. It was cheep to install (no tear off) and the contractors either didn't inform the customers or just don't know about recoating ever X number of years. I have yet to see one that actuality drained where it should. They are hardly ever recoated then they sit for ever soaking up water. It's easy to see why people in the desert like them, there is no rain, plus they add insulation and didn't tear off the old roof.

If look at it this way, if the spray foam company tore off the existing roof and replaced all the flashing (cap metal, edge ect). now add he cost of scarfing to make it flat. It would cost more then say a fully adhered EPDM roof with 2" of ISO. How many coatings does it take on avg to make a Spray foam roof last 20 years? 2 at least. 

The other problem it causes when we go in to reroof them, now we have to explain to the customer why the spray foam roof is so cheap and why we have to tear it off plus the original roof. 

I'm not saying it is the worst thing in the world I think that was hypolan and first generation TPO's but I have yet to see a spray foam roof to where I said, "wow they did a nice job".


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## jbmhrp7ur7 (Dec 16, 2011)

If your interested in getting into SPF, check to see how many insulation contractors in your area are using SPF. The SPF rig should have no problem keeping busy year round in Ct. Don't forget besides the roofing application, SPF is the best form of interior insulation available today. We keep two rigs busy year round in the midweast. That's my 2 cents. Feel free to send me an email if you would like a more details. :thumbup:


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