My house has two flat rubber roofs.
Some of the seems have come apart and where they go over the side of the roof and fasten to the wall are puckered.
The rubber also looks a little dry and I was told there are some small holes (though I can't see any).
I can't really afford to replace it so I want to fix it.
I had planned to
1) unfasten the rubber and fasten it back down with the correct fasteners.
2) re-glue down the seems
3) coat the roof with some material that will seal and coat the rubber to make it last a long time again
Can anyone point me to a product to coat the roof with?
I am looking at stuff like http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=prod...-30lpage=none
But it doesn't say it is specifically for rubber roofs. There is also some other stuff that is like $84.00 for 100sq feet.
Isn't there something less expensive but will work and last?
Thank you
Mike
EPDM single-ply roofing membrane.......(if in fact it is a black rubber, inner-tube looking material)
Seams can be cleaned with a splice wash (or unleaded gas and a rag), and overlaid with self adhesive flashing. Available at a Roofing Supplier...not HD or Lowes. Adhesives are not used much anymore for seaming. The self adhesive flashings and seam tapes are quicker and more reliable.
The edge of the roof should be anchored with a metal edge and stripped in with the same flashing material. Look at an EPDM edge detail on Firestone Building Materials website for an visual of what it should look like.
Coatings at the big box stores are not intended for this purpose.
There are many manufacturers that make coatings for single-plys.
Try looking up Hydro-Stop or Topcoat
Good Luck!
You'll need a rubber primer/cleaner, splice glue, and a roll {or more} of cured or uncured rubber, available in widths of 4in. 6in. 8in. etc. up to at least 12inches.
The most important step is prepping the surface which is what the primer/cleaner is for. After priming/cleaning, apply splice glue to both sides {tape and roof}. After applying the tape, push out the bubbles. It's a good idea to caulk all finished seams with the rubber lap-caulk they offer.
I wouldn't necessarily wory about the puckering at the wall, unless it's actually falling away from the wall, in which case it should be fastened using a term bar which is nothing more than a specialy made piece of aluminum that fastens through the rubber, through the wall, with cualking on the top edge to seal it.
I'm not a big fan of special coatings which can tend to be a big waste of money given the ultimate benefits.
I Agree that Prep is the most important step...
Most current manuf. specs are centered around new seaming technology in which glue is not used. Primers, tapes and self adhering flashings are more effective than the old method of gluing seams. And MUCH faster.
Certain manufacturers won't warranty glued seams anymore.
Edge sealant or lap sealants have more limited uses as well. Seam tapes should extent beyound the lap 1/4 or so and this serves the same purpose as the lap sealant.
Not that any warranty would be available in this case anyway....
Coatings have come a long way in the last few years as well. I would venture a guess that 70% are most likely akin to snake oil, however there are good ones out there as well.
I was hoping not to have to replace the rubber roof.
I was pointed to these products,
first put on: http://www.koolseal.com/product_deta...duct_id=34-700
then put on: http://www.koolseal.com/product_deta...duct_id=63-900
What do you thing of these as a roll on protection to seal any small holes I can't see and make the roof look better?
Mike
Mike,
The previous discussions have been reguarding process to strip-in failing seams and flashings. Once those are cleaned up ..then you could apply a coating. Coatings won't help failing seams.
The coating you refered to is designed primarily for concrete or metal.
Power washing and priming would be required with any coating..and MAYBE it will stick. Coatings should be considered a short-term repair at best.
Is the cost of these extensive repairs really worth it?
Is it more cost effective to perform extensive repairs for a short lived fix. Or spend a little more to replace it. $4 a foot to repair and coat dosent make sense if it only will cost $5 a foot to replace it....something to think about.
Stripping in the seams may be all that is needed as I have seen 20+yr old EPDM systems that the main field of the sheet is still in good shape, just the details and seams need to be reworked.
I don't think ANY manufacturer is going to guarantee ANY material used in repairs...in the real world. It's hard enough to get them to respond even to a job problem when a whole new roof was installed.
Ok, I will do a better examination of the roof.
If the rubber looks good I will just seam it as talked about.
If the rubber looks like it has had it I will probably go ahead and replace.
Now one more question. Can I put a new rubber roof over an old one, like putting old shingles over an existing layer?
Thanks
Mike
I wouldn't recommend that. The rubber needs to be either fully adhered, or balasted {covered weith gravel or rocks}.
I don't know if it's even allowed to go over.
I've only pulled off a few rubber roofs over the years in order to re roof them. They were all super easy to remove. One thing to consider is if the rubber is currently glued down to a sub-board , like a wood fiber or perlite, it may pull up the skin of the board in places. Or if it's deteriorated from leaking, it may need to have sections or pieces replaced. That type of stuff is relatively cheap.
If it's allowed to go over in some fashion, the manufacturer should state that somewhere in their literature.
I forgot something........you'd mentioned about someone spotting holes in the rubber, and that you could'nt see them.
Tiny holes or slits in rubber can be hard to see. I've examined a few rubber roofs carefully {I thought} only to find a hole or a slit after I look at it a second time.
sure fire method to locate pin-holes...
wet the roof with a hose, then take a large floor squeege, and squeege the water off...
if small dots of water keep re-appearing behind the squeege....those are your pin-holes.
Good Luck!
Tags: rubber, roof, need, rubber roofs, roof with, allowed over, coat roof, coat roof with, extensive repairs, failing seams
