Navigating commercial roofing

By Anna Lockhart.  

Roofing expert shares valuable insights on commercial roofing materials and their best applications. 

In a recent AskARoofer Minisode, Megan Ellsworth sat down with Katie Koetter Clymer, president of Armored Roofing, to discuss the pros and cons of various commercial roofing materials. The two dived into the most common materials building owners should know and their ideal applications.  

Some of the most common roofing materials seen on commercial buildings are single-ply membrane systems such as TPO and PVC. While many companies are backing away from hot-applied roofs, built up systems and gravel roofs are still commonly used as well. When it comes to the differences in protection these roofs offer, there are various factors to consider in order to decide which material will work best. Katie shared, “It depends on your deck, and what type of deck is on the building. So, we always want to do a sample of an existing roof to see what's there, what type of deck there is, how many layers of roofs, what kinds of roofs were there, so that we know what we're getting into.”  

She continued, “You start with the deck and then you go up to your installation. Does it need to be tapered or not tapered? Do you need to have a cover board or not? How are we going to fasten this system?” Answering these questions can help narrow down the best choices for your building’s roof and how a contractor might best go about installing that system.  

Katie shared that PVC systems are considered the best option for many restaurants as it is a cured product, making it the ideal solution where water and fat solubles are common issues. Building owners should know that most times, not every roof product is going to be a one-size-fits-all. To find the best roofing material for your building, Katie suggests looking into getting a roofing professional to stop by and do an in-person inspection.  

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast episode to learn about commercial roofing materials and their best uses.