Why Re-roof When You Could Re-apply?

By Colin Sheehan, RCS Reporter. 

Cost-effective liquid-applied roofing membranes are now easier than ever to apply and maintain and they can help reduce roofing waste in landfills.  

In a recent Roofing Road Trips podcast, Heidi J. Ellsworth is joined by Sean Fraker, the national manager at Sika. Sean has seen the impressive technical growth of liquid-applied roofing membranes first-hand throughout his years of working at Sika, and discusses their most recent innovations that offer a higher degree of functionality and a simplified application process. Heidi and Sean also talk through how liquid-applied roofing is changing the way re-roofing and tear offs are accomplished in the commercial side of the industry.  

“Just because we've always done it this way doesn't mean that this is the right way," said Sean. “There's always something new in the marketplace and always something worth looking at." 

Sika’s new and uniquely made coatings and membranes are worth a look over. These products are designed for today’s world and can be fully customized to fit a building’s particular needs. In another article about this informative podcast, Sean explained why Sika’s single-component, liquid-applied membranes are perfect for the lacking labor force of today, as they require little training and fewer people to get the job done. 

These products also offer a different course of action for building owners not interested in a traditional roof tear-off and replacement, which is both costly and bad for landfills. According to GreenRoofs, 11-13 million tons of roofing asphalt accumulates in landfills each year. On top of that, landfills are running out of space fast, making sustainable roofing options more of a necessity than an alternative. 

"If the substrate's still in good shape, why tear it off? Why fill up a landfill?” said Sean. “Still, there isn't a one solution fits all. There are some things that are pretty close, but there still isn't one. And the other thing that I always strongly encourage, much as my wife strongly encourages me to do, is open my eyes and think outside the box.” 

With Sika’s cold-applied, acrylic-based, silicone or urethane coating options and membrane systems, contractors can not only save their customers money, but help address the problem of roofing waste.  

Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about the Sika’s exciting advancements in liquid applied roofing products and the benefits they offer to contractors.