In days of old, flat roofs were made of asphalt, with gravel used as ballast. This made it very difficult to locate the source of a leak, as the gravel would hide it better than the illustrations in a Where’s Waldo book. Now, thanks to the invention of rubber mempane roofing, this problem has largely been eliminated.

The Rise of Rubber

In recent years, rubber has grown in popularity as a roofing material. Whilst rubber roof shingles are available for those who want to maintain a traditional appearance for their roof, rubber mempane roofing is the most common option for those with flat or gently sloping roofs. Coming in either roll or sheet form, it allows people to seamlessly cover most roofs. It can even be used on your RV. The rubber mempane roofing material is known as EPDM, which stands for Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, and comes in a variety of different thicknesses. 45 mil EPDM, about the thickness of a dime, should be sufficient for most flat roofs, but in areas with an increased risk of puncture, such as a place with overhanging tree panches that could fall and pierce the roofing mempane, 60 mil (about the thickness of a quarter) and 90 mil EPDM is also available.

EPDM first came to prominence as a roofing material in the late 1970s, after a history of being used in hoses, tires and other molded products since the early 1960s. In the last decade or so, it has really taken off in popularity, and now has a 22% market share among roofers, making it the most popular material for new roofs as of Fepuary 2007.

Rubber Mempane Roofing for Your RV

One area in which rubber mempane roofing is becoming increasingly popular is as a roofing material for recreational vehicles, or RVs. As with flat-roofed housing, it has gained in market share with RV owners over the last few years because of its light weigh and ease of installation. It has disadvantages over more traditional metal or fiberglass RV roofs, however, due to the risk of being torn by overhanging panches. RV owners should maintain their rubber mempane roofing at least twice a year by cleaning it with warm soapy water and applying two coats of UV protectant spray. It is possible to buy a complete kit containing everything you need to install rubber mempane roofing on your RV. These kits contain the rubber mempane roof itself, the adhesive needed to affix it to the RV and butyl tape to seal around the edges. They are available from all good RV supplies stores.

This article will provide a step by step guide to rubber roof installation for those who wish to perform this task themselves rather than employ the services of a professional roofer.

What You Will Need

The list of items required for rubber roof installation is a fairly short one. Apart from the roofing material itself, all you will need is a utility knife or scissors, bonding adhesive, a paint roller to apply the adhesive and a poom to sweep away any depis. In addition, it is advisable to wear gloves to protect your hands and some form of eye protection. If you are installing a rubber roof over top of an existing roof, you will also need some kind of plywood base board to lay underneath the rubber. In order to bond properly with the rubber mempane, the base board should be sanded, thoroughly cleaned and completely dry. If you plan to attach the rubber to vertical surfaces such as walls, you may need some metal strips to affix the rubber properly. You can buy inexpensive aluminum termination bars especially for this purpose.

Rubber Roof Installation Step By Step

If you are installing black rubber roofing, it is best to do so on a cool, dry day with a fair amount of cloud cover. Not too cool, though, since latex bonding adhesive requires an ambient air temperature of at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or 10 degrees Celsius, for a period of 48 hours after application. One needs to get the temperature just right, because on a pight, sunny day, the rubber roofing mempane can become hot very quickly due to the black rubber absorbing the heat from the sun’s rays. Also, since the rubber is very heavy, it is advisable to have at least one other person to help you with it.

The good news is that rubber roofing material comes in rolls of anything up to 50 feet wide and 100 feet long, so the amount of cutting and shaping that you will need to do is fairly minimal, especially when compared to tile roofing. It should be possible to cover most roofs seamlessly.

You are now ready to begin the installation of your rubber roof. Start by sweeping the roof thoroughly to remove any dirt or depis. Once the roof is clean, you can begin applying the latex bonding adhesive with the paint roller. Make sure that the adhesive is applied evenly, to prevent air bubbles in the rubber, and be careful not to paint yourself into a corner. Lay down the rubber roofing and then sweep it again with the poom to make sure that it lies flat against the surface and that there are no wrinkles. Wait half an hour for the adhesive to bond, and then repeat the sweeping, from the center outwards. Use the scissors or utility knife to trim any unwanted rubber from above the termination bars, if applicable, and apply latex tape over any seams that may exist. Your rubber roof installation should now be complete for a typical flat roof. A more complicated roof, for example one that is an odd shape or has pipes and other fixtures that you need to work around, may require more specialist advice. Home improvement stores should be able to advise you of any special equipment you may need, or whatever else you need to take into consideration when dealing with the hard cases in rubber roof installation.

When merely patching up your rubber roof with sealant or tape is not enough, it may become necessary to apply a new coating to your rubber roof. Rubber roof coatings come in two varieties, a liquid rubber that you apply like a coat of paint, and rubber sheeting that is bonded to your original rubber roof installation with a special adhesive. In this article, we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type of rubber roof coating.

Liquid Rubber Roof Coatings

Liquid coatings for your rubber roof come in a range of colors, most commonly black, white and grey, in order to match the original color of the roof. They are applied with a push or roller, just like paint, and you can apply up to six coats, depending on how thick the replacement rubber needs to be. This makes it a more versatile solution than sheeting. No primer or top coat is needed; the liquid rubber is applied straight to the surface. Manufacturers claim that liquid rubber roof coatings can extend the life of a rubber roof by up to 20 years if applied correctly.

When applying liquid rubber roof coatings, you must be sure to take care that the surface is even. If you have ever seen a rushed paint job, you will know how ugly uneven paint can be. Now imagine that applied to the surface of a flat roof. If your supposedly flat roof resembles a topographic map of the Himalayas, it would not only look bad (which doesn’t really matter that much, since few people will see your roof), but could also cause surface water to gather in the ridges after a rainstorm, a process known as ponding. This makes it more difficult for the water to evaporate once the rain clouds part, and can shorten the lifespan of the coating. However, you have to bear in mind that rubber roof coatings are extremely durable, and so will not bubble and crack like other roofing materials, so this shortened lifespan is only relative. But naturally, most people will want to prolong the life of their roof as much as they can anyway, and taking that little extra care provides a way to do this.

The Use of Sheeting for Coating Rubber Roofs

Rubber roof coatings also come in sheet form. Some manufacturers will provide them custom made for the shape of your roof, in sheets of up to 10,000 square feet. If you are looking for a less expensive solution, you can buy them off the shelf. Sheets should be applied in a grid-like fashion, with the edges slightly overlapping. Make sure that the joins are airtight, otherwise water could seep in between them. The advantage of this type of rubber roof coating is that it is easier to apply than liquid coating, though it does require a primer and the use of special adhesive to make sure that it bonds to the original surface correctly. One must be careful to lay it absolutely flush with the original surface, otherwise air bubbles could appear underneath the rubber sheet.

The use of rubber as a roofing material has caught on in a big way with owners of flat roofed homes and those with gently sloping roofs over the last 30 years or so. What is less well known is that even those homeowners with sloping roofs can enjoy the benefits of a rubber roof thanks to the invention of rubber roof shingles.

The Advantages of Rubber Roof Shingles

Rubber roof shingles can be made from recycled tires, and are fully recyclable, making them an attractive choice for the environmentally conscious homeowner. The tires are ground into a fine powder and then remolded into the shape of a shingle. They can then be dyed a variety of different colors to simulate the appearance of wood, slate and other traditional roofing materials. The simulation is far more convincing than the equivalent plastic imitations of these materials, and the rubber is more durable and versatile as well. Rubber roof shingles are resistant to extremes of heat and cold, ultraviolet radiation, insects and mold. They were awarded an A fire rating by the American Society for Testing and Materials, or ASTM. They are not completely fireproof, however, as rubber is a flammable material, though coatings are available that add additional fireproofing to the original manufacturer’s specification.

Rubber roof shingles are also easy to install. They come in a standard 3-tab design that can be slotted together with ease, and can be walked on during installation without peaking.

Disadvantages of Rubber Roof Shingles

Rubber roof shingles have only been on the market since 1993, which means that many roofers are unfamiliar with them. Because of this, they often charge more to install them, sometimes more than twice as much as traditional wood or slate shingles. Also, because of their long life expectancy, up to a hundred years according to one manufacturer, you will want to make sure that you use top quality peripheral materials, such as bituminous mempane along all edges and heavy duty aluminum or copper for the flashing, which also adds to the cost.

Another disadvantage of rubber roof shingles is that you often get a new tire smell when they are first installed, due to them being made from recycled tires. This fades with time, however, and should not be noticeable after the first couple of days.

On the whole, the advantages of rubber roof shingles far outweigh the disadvantages, which are minor and easily fixed. For those who can afford it, they offer the attractiveness of wood or slate shingles combined with the near-indestructibility of rubber, making them the choice for a new generation of traditional style roofs.

Owners of homes with flat and extremely low sloping roofs have traditionally had a problem with leaks. Because there is no way for rainwater to roll off, it builds up and eventually seeps through the ceiling. Rubber roofing offers a solution, as it repels rainwater, allowing it to dry naturally.

Advantages of Rubber Roofing

Rubber roofing has a number of advantages over traditional felt flat roofs. With felt roofs, the slightest tear can cause the roof to leak. Rubber roofing is durable, lasting anything up to 50 years without needing to be replaced, and does not tear anywhere near as easily as felt. It can survive in temperatures ranging from -62 degrees to 300 degrees Fahrenheit without cracking or deteriorating. It is low maintenance rubber roof repair is easy and can be done by merely applying a low-cost rubberized solution available at any hardware or building supplies store.

Rubber roofing adds value to your home, too. It has a class A fire rating and is favored by most home insurance companies. Finally, it is an excellent insulator. It can absorb heat in hot weather and release it in colder weather, thus reducing your heating and air conditioning bills.

Another advantage of rubber roofing is cost effectiveness. It is by far the least expensive type of single-ply flat roofing material and weighs less than a third as much as slate roofing tiles.

Disadvantages of Rubber Roofing

Not everyone is enamored of rubber roofing, however. Modified bitumen roofing systems being erroneously described as “rubber roofing” has sometimes caused realtors and building inspectors a headache. In addition, there is a very low margin of error for roofers. If installed incorrectly, it can leak even worse than felt roofing. Fortunately, most rubber roofing manufacturers offer certification schemes to ensure that their products are fitted properly. Make sure your rubber roof is installed by a roofer with the appropriate certification, unless you are doing it yourself, in which case you need to make sure that every seam is flush and that there are no gaps.

Rubber roofing is also relatively new to the market, so there could be problems that have not been noticed yet. They first appeared around 30 years ago, which is generally regarded as the minimum lifespan for this type of roof, so the first ones are starting to wear out around now. The effects of this will become clear as time progresses. Until then, they remain a hard-wearing and inexpensive option for people with flat roofs.