Flat Roofing Options

Flat roofs are common in southwestern architecture, both for commercial and residential buildings. Many roofing material options are available, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Built-Up Roofing (BUR): Built-Up roofing consists of multiple layers of material that are laminated together. It is extremely versatile and can be installed over just about any type of roof deck. The multiple layers make the roof resistant to leaks, stronger and able to withstand all types of damage including foot traffic, significantly adding to its lifespan. With the proper coating, BUR becomes an excellent cool roofing option.

Spray Foam: Spray polyurethane foam (SPF or just foam) is one of the most common roofing materials used flat commercial or residential buildings. It offers numerous advantages. It is lightweight and durable and able to resist all sort of damage with the proper coating. Because foam roofing is applied as a liquid (which puffs up once applied), it forms a continuous, seamless, protective barrier around vents, pipes and other protrusions through the roof. Best of all, foam is one of the least expensive roofing options.

Modified Bitumen: Modified Bitumen (MB) is asphalt with modifiers added to it to give it plastic or rubber-like properties making it much more durable. Generally there are six (or more) layers that are all bonded together. MB has superior fire resistance and waterproofing characteristics. It has a very high tensile strength that resists thermal shock and damage. Finally, modified bitumen has one of the lowest costs per square foot for flat roofs.

Singly Ply Roofing: Single ply roofing membranes (sometimes referred to as PVC or TPO) is comprised of four basic elements — an insulation layer, a single ply membrane usually made of plastic or rubber, flashing and an adhesive. With the proper coating, single ply roofing is extremely energy efficient reflecting back much of the heat from the sun. Single ply is impact resistant and lightweight. It can accommodate unconventional roof designs. And finally, it has a life expectancy of 40+ years.

Metal Roofing: While not an ideal solution for absolutely flat roofs, metal roofing is terrific for low slope roofs. Typically made of steel, aluminum or copper, metal roofs can also be extremely attractive. Metal roofs are fire resistant, resistant to moss, resistant to high winds and excellent at shedding snow. In addition, metal roofs have an exceedingly long lifespan, up to 50 years or more when properly installed.

Professional roofers can help sort through the options to figure out what the best option is for the space.