Acrylic coatings are growing in popularity in roofing installation. They are useful for initial installations and extending the life spans of existing roofs. You might be curious if acrylic is a good solution for your place so here are three things you should know about the product.
Composition
Typically, acrylic coatings are resins mixed with water. Notably, there are some products that use solvents, and roofers have to be careful about applying these to surfaces that contain asphalt, rubber, or bitumen. The product has a consistency similar to house paint, but you can't use it in that role. Many products also have fillers, pigments, stabilizers, or reinforcing materials that improve their durability. Notably, this allows the supplier to tailor the color, texture, and reflectivity of the product to your needs.
Application Process
Roofers frequently apply acrylic coatings using sprayers. Some locations or materials may not allow spraying, especially if the roof is close to another property. In those cases, the roofers usually can apply the product using mops, rollers, or brushes. However, the consistency is usually best when a trained professional sprays the coating evenly.
For installations, a roofing company will usually put down a membrane. This provides sufficient rigidity to the roof. Also, the membrane provides a surface for acrylic application.
When using acrylic to repair a roof or extend its life, a contractor needs to match the base product to the current roofing materials. Again, they may need to avoid using solvent-based acrylic on certain surfaces. Be aware that you'll want to handle all repairs to the underlying materials before adding a coating. Acrylic isn't a substitute for patching holes or filling cracks, although it often will work well if the damage is minimal.
Benefits
Acrylic coatings offer numerous benefits. They are waterproof, so you can use them to seal repaired gaps in leaky roofs. Likewise, the coating provides an additional layer of protection against wear and tear from debris and dirt in the air.
There are UV-protective additives for acrylic coatings, too. If your building's roof has discolored due to baking in the sun, this is one way to restore its color. Also, UV protection will slow the process of the sun beating up the underlying materials.
Acrylic coatings also come in reflective varieties. If you have a building with high sun exposure most of the day, reflecting the sun's rays may reduce the structure's overall temperature.
Contact a roofer to learn more about acrylic coatings.
Very few roofers would say their job is easy. In fact, many describe the work as downright tough! But that does not mean that roofers do not enjoy or value the work that they do. Many workers get satisfaction from working with their hands, and they really enjoy creating a roof from simple materials. They also like the logistical challenges, such as figuring out how to get shingles up on a tall roof, or how to most safely repair a damage gutter. If you'd like to learn more about roofing as a profession, then you've arrived at the right blog.