To prime or not to prime

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

When it comes to roof coatings, here’s why you should use a primer. 

Roof coatings are becoming an increasingly more common choice for roof restoration projects on commercial roofs. Coatings are an economical choice for building owners on a budget and they increase the lifespan of a roof. But when it comes time to take on that roof coating project, is a primer necessary or not? 

When restoring a pre-existing roof with a coating, some materials benefit from having a primer more than others. According to the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA), primers are required for certain substrates, and they should also not be used as a substitute for cleaning the roof before applying a coating.  

In a special report on Facilities.net, the RCMA says that primers help prepare the roof’s surface for quality coating adhesion and improved performance. They say that the surfaces and substrates that typically require a primer are metal flashings, gravel stops, metal edging, concrete and masonry roof decks, gypsum and any other porous surface.  

Above all else, they recommend that roofing contractors should consult the manufacturer’s requirements for the coating they are using and the substrate they are using it on. Plus, primers are not expensive, so it’s better to use one than potentially regret not using one. 

A primer to consider if you are coating an asphalt BUR or modified bitumen roof is EVER-CRYLIC® M25 from EVERROOF. The EVER-CRYLIC M25 primer is an acrylic based primer that can be used prior to applying an acrylic or silicone top coat. This waterborne primer is designed to be used as a bleed blocking primer and has a quick dry time of two hours. For your next roof coating project, err on the side of caution by using a primer!