THE SLOPE OF YOUR ROOF MAY MEAN SOME FLAT ROOF REPLACEMENT OPTIONS AREN’T AVAILABLE TO YOU.
Before choosing which roofing material you will use to replace your commercial roof, you need to double check that which flat roof replacement options are compatible with your roof, based on its slope. Keep these tips in mind when examining your roof slope and making a commercial roof replacement decision.
How to Determine Your Roof Slope
Your roof slope, AKA angle, or pitch, is defined as the number of inches the roof rises vertically for every 12 inches it spans horizontally. A roof that rises 1 inch in 12 horizontal inches has a 1-in-12 pitch, and that would be considered a flat roof. Slope, or pitch, can also be expressed as a percentage. A roof with a 1-in-12 pitch has a slope of 8.33% (1/12).
What is a Flat Roof?
A flat roof is defined as any roof that has a pitch less than 10%, which is a rise of 1¼” in a 12” horizontal span. Any roof with a pitch greater than 10% is not a flat roof, and many flat roofing materials will not be viable options on a roof with a pitch that high.
What Materials Can I Use?
With almost any roofing system, flat or steep roof, sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF) is an option. It can be spray applied and is extremely versatile, with the ability to cling to steep roof surfaces without draining and therefore failing.
Restoration coatings are designed only for use on flat roofs (pitch less than 10%). These coatings are spray applied like SPF, but they are a much more runny material and it is difficult to get even coverage on a steep sloped surface. Manufacturers of restoration coatings are working to create thicker formulas that allow application on steep surfaces, but this hasn’t yet been perfected.
Single ply roofing materials that are roll applied are only for use on flat roofs. They must be rolled and adhered to the roof surface, and they are not designed to be applied to a roof with a steep pitch.
Metal can be used on flat and steep pitched roofs, just like SPF. The installation process is more difficult on a steep roof, but that is true of any material. Shingles, and concrete tiles can be used on steep roofs, but not on flat roofs. They require water to run off of them quickly, and are not great resistors to standing water. Therefore, they depend on the steepness of the roof to allow them to work.
Conclusion
You now have a basic understanding of what materials you can use on your flat roof replacement project. If you’d like more information, don’t hesitate to give us a call, we have salesmen that would love to help you figure out the best flat roof replacement material for your commercial roof.
