Importance Of Adhesive Technology In Quality Roofing Products
Florida, or the Sunshine State as it’s affectionately known, can also be home to some of nature’s most intense and destructive forces; hurricanes. These powerful tropical storms can wreak havoc on homes and buildings. Your roof is one aspect of your home that simply must not fail during one of these storms. Whether it’s because of poor design, inferior products, or just sheer bad luck, if the roof fails, your home could be damaged beyond repair.
Over the last 50 years, there have been significant advances in the research and creation of new roofing products and technologies. One of the most influential findings has been the use of adhesive technology in roofing solutions. The best of these quality roofing products provide your roof with a solid foundation, keeping your home safe from the elements and preserving its integrity for future upgrades.
The Evolution of Roofing Adhesives
The journey of roofing adhesives has been one of continuous innovation. From traditional tar-based adhesives to modern, high-performance polymers, the evolution has been driven by the pursuit of superior performance of quality roofing products and environmental sustainability.
Early Adhesives
The early adhesives came as a direct byproduct of the boom in the oil industry. As the distillation of crude oil for gasoline and petroleum became more pervasive, so did the number of useful compounds that were formed in the distillation process. Along with plastics and other forms of carbon, tar, and bitumen were chief among these.
Tar-Based Adhesives
Tar-based adhesives were once the staple of the industry and offered reasonable adhesion for roofing products. Unfortunately, because of the higher melting temperature of tar, it meant that it was more brittle at nominal and cooler temperatures. This brittleness posed problems in areas like South Florida where the harsh wind and driving rains could cause the tar to crack and break and thereby compromise the integrity of the roof’s structure. Tar is also not very good for the environment and carries an environmental concern in its use for modern construction.
Bitumen-Based Adhesives
A significant improvement over tar-based adhesives, bitumen-based adhesives offered better flexibility, durability, and weather resistance. However, they still had limitations in terms of long-term performance and environmental impact.
Bitumen-based adhesives offered some significant improvements over tar-based ones but are still a byproduct of the oil distillation process. Bitumen’s lower melting point means that it is a much more flexible adhesive and therefore offers superior durability when compared to tar in the same conditions. Bitumen however still suffers from the fact that on its own, its long-term performance is limited.
Modern Adhesives
As new scientific discoveries take place, every day more and more compounds are being discovered that add to the plethora of modern and synthetic adhesives.
Polyurethane Adhesives
Polyurethane is a very strong and flexible adhesive that possesses fast-curing properties. Due to these characteristics, it makes their use a popular choice as they provide a trustworthy bond and are able to withstand extreme weather conditions.
Silicone-Based Adhesives
Beyond the physical strength to withstand wind forces over time, the ability to stand up to the degradation by the sun’s UV rays is also an essential component of a roof’s longevity. This is where silicon-based adhesives shine. They have proven to be an ideal choice for sealing joints and seams in roofing systems.
Hybrid Adhesives
As a means to provide the best qualities of different adhesive technologies with superior performance and versatility, hybrid adhesives were created. By combining two or more adhesives, the quality characteristics can be tailored to fit a unique use case in order to provide a strong bond that will be durable over time.
Adhesives and Underlayment: A Love Hate Relationship
In South Florida, the building code mandates a strict adherence to uplift requirements for roofing. This is directly because of the strong winds and forces that roofs are guaranteed to endure in their lifetime.
Initially, it was thought that the stronger the adhesive is, the better it will be for the homeowner over the long term. Unfortunately, this appears not to be the case. When invariable roof damage occurs and portions of the roof or the whole roof need to be replaced, contractors were faced with a new problem.
As tar-based and other adhesives made such a strong bond when applied directly to the roof deck, they could not remove the old underlayment without delaminating the sheathing. This issue posed a significant problem as it meant that not only would the roof covering and roofing underlayment need to be replaced but the roof decking too, adding to significant costs to the homeowner and more time required onsite by contractors.
Tag & Stick: The Modified 2-Ply Solution
Here at Tag & Stick, we have developed a quality roofing product that can make the best use of adhesive technologies while not delaminating the roof deck. It is our patented Modified 2-ply, self adhering underlayment with a mechanically attached top sheet. Our flagship product boasts the following advantages that make it a boon for homeowners and contractors alike.
2-Ply Modified Bitumen Technology
First, the 2-ply layer means that installation is far faster than alternatives as there is only a single application to install the underlayment. The modified bitumen layer with a non-woven fiberglass mat makes the product extremely durable and long lasting.
Mechanically Attached
As the top sheet of the underlayment is mechanically attached, it means that in future should the roof need replacing, the underlayment can be removed without delamination of the roof sheath.
115 Mils Thickness
The 2 layer design offers superior water resistance in that it is 115 mils thick. The top layer is 60 mils thick and the bottom layer 55 resulting in a total of 115 mils water penetration protection.
Fewer Trips During Installation
Because there is only a single layer to install, it means that contractors need to perform fewer trips to bring material to the roof. The time saved is a welcome benefit for both homeowners and contractors in these busy times.
Tag & Stick: The Self-Adhering Quality Roofing Product For South Florida
Over our 25 years of experience in the roofing industry, we noticed that when it was time for repair work or renovation, roofs were constantly being ripped up because the adhesives were working “too well”. We realized that the industry had a gap that needed to be filled, and so we developed our patented Modified 2-ply and mechanically attached system. As such, Tag & Stick has become a staple for many roofing contractors in South Florida and offers superior uplift to the 30/90 as stipulated in the Florida Building Code.
For more information regarding our quality roofing products, give us a call at 954-255-3107.