What is the best type of roof coating?
Silicones and acrylics have dominated the roof coatings market for decades, due to their ability to be colored reflective white. As high performers compared to other cool roof systems, silicone and acrylic coatings can last for decades in the right circumstances. But are they the best options out there? Not anymore!
Silicone Coatings
Quality silicone coatings are unlikely to degrade much from ponding water or UV exposure. However, they can easily be damaged by unauthorized traffic, hail, animals, and especially other trades. With shore hardness generally ranging from 30 to 40 Shore A, a cured silicone coating can be compared to a pencil eraser in terms of impact, abrasion, and puncture resistance.
Things like dropped HVAC screws or pine cones can easily pierce a silicone coating when stepped on by traffic, animals, or a tradesperson.
Acrylic Coatings
Acrylic coatings, with hardness up to 60 Shore A (comparable to a windshield wiper blade), are more resistant to the types of damage common in silicone roofs.
However, UV will degrade an acrylic coating by up to 1 mil annually. Because acrylic coatings are water based, ponding water will cause swelling, blistering, cracking, and liquifying.
Is there a better option?
Coming from the tank lining industry, Castagra’s Ecodur has been trusted for decades to hold millions of gallons of water, wastewater, chemicals and more. Ponding water has no effect on Ecodur!
With hardness ranging from 40 to 50 Shore D (equivalent to 90+ on Shore A), Ecodur’s surface can be compared to a skateboard wheel or a bowling ball, while maintaining the flexibility to elongate by 95%.
Ecodur is commonly used on industrial flooring and high-volume parking garages, as this incredible hardness makes it a perfect fit for traffic!
With triple the adhesion of other roof coatings, Ecodur can usually be applied without pressure washing which reduces labor, liability, and waste. With its superior toughness and waterproofing, Ecodur will outperform all other coatings on nearly every substrate. Ecodur is so strong, it can even be applied over tar (or asphalt) and gravel roofs without spudding.
If you have questions about Castagra's Ecodur Roof Coatings, or would like information about how to become a Castagra Certified Applicator, contact Castagra at 1-888-388-2935 or info@castagra.com
Written by: Jef McCurdy
Technical Director - Castagra
