Highlights From the Top 40 Innovative Products of 2020

By Cass Jacoby. 

Here we spotlight six of the top innovations to come out of 2020, highlighting products roofers and clients alike will love.  

2020 was a crazy year. While we were all stocking up on toilet paper, hand sanitizer and masks, the construction industry was making significant improvements and innovations to products. Roofing magazine, reported the top 40 innovative roofing products of 2020, as chosen by readers of the magazine. These inventions make installing a beautiful and durable roof quick and easy. 

Here we highlight six products that have earned their spot as a top innovation and will take your roofing project to the next level. 

Shingles with mechanically fused common bond 

GAF’s Timberline HDZ shingles offer just the right combination of beauty, performance and reliability. They feature LayerLock technology to mechanically fuse the common bond between overlapping shingle layers. The StrikeZone™ nailing area is so easy to hit that a roofer placed 999 out of 1,000 nails correctly in GAF’s testing, meaning up to 99.9% nailing accuracy.  

The shingles are developed for strength and powerful wind uplift performance. The GAF WindProven limited wind warranty has no maximum wind speed limit when installing GAF shingles with LayerLock technology and four qualifying GAF accessories. Between how high performing and beautiful these shingles are it is no wonder this product earned a top spot on this list. 

Color palette for coil coatings 

The architect-inspired color palette that came from Sherwin-Williams in 2020, the Fluropon Architect Series is full stop gorgeous. Developed out of a “Color Mixology” event held by the company during the AIA Conference on Architecture 2019, the ten colors in these series were specially developed by hundreds of architects.  

This exclusive color series incorporates a wide range of color, texture and effects. Sherwin-Williams selected 10 unique colors and matched them in various Fluropon 70 percent PVDF systems for exterior metal architecture promising brilliant color in two coats. Fluropon Continuum goes beyond the traditional silvers and golds into color spaces not attainable with previous mica-based systems expanding the color spectrum available for coil coatings. 

One-component liquid-applied flashing 

SmartFlashONE from CertainTeed is a UV-stable, fluid-applied, one-component resin for steep- and low-sloped roof flashing details and repairs. This flashing promises labor efficiency, and its application doesn’t require a primer or A + B component mixing. Plus, it is resealable for future use. These application benefits are realized without compromising quality. The SmartFlash ONE formula still delivers stress resilience and UV stability.  

Improved universal base attachment 

The retooled KnuckleHead universal base from GREEN LINK Engineering has an improved attachment feature for more secure installations. Now the universal base accepts a range of head designs featuring four holes for doubling mechanical fasteners. Lab tests have found that the four-fastener base installation increased support strength by 40 percent. The base can also be further secured and sealed using specially formulated Green Link Adhesive/Sealant.  

Upgraded flashing membrane 

The newly upgraded TW-105 Flashing Membrane offered by TAMKO Building Products LLC features white polymer surface film technology for increased UV resistance. This improved product increases the UV resistance from the original 60 days to an extended length of 180 days. Take advantage of the benefits of this SBS-modified bitumen asphalt flashing membrane with a polymer film on the surface and removable split release film on the adhesive side. 

PVC spray contact adhesive 

ICP Building Solutions Group’s Polyset PVC Spray Contact Adhesive is a single component solution designed with speed and simplicity in mind. This product is portable and self-containing and is designed to have a fast set up time to reduce labor and help complete jobs faster. Polyset PVC Spray Contact Adhesive delivers high adhesive output. The adhesive can be applied in temperatures as low as 25 degrees Fahrenheit and will adhere most PVC membranes to vertical walls and substrates for commercial low-slope roofing applications.   

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About Cass  

Cass works as a reporter/writer for RoofersCoffeeShop and AskARoofer. When she isn’t writing about roofs, she is writing about movies for her Master's degree and dancing with her plants.