Rubber What? I Thought You said “Roofing.”

Posted on 24. Apr, 2009 by Mark Coleman in Roofing

Rubber baby buggy bumpers. I’m rubber you’re glue, what you say bounces off me and sticks to you. Rubber ducky you’re the one. Rubber roofing. What? Rubber roofing? Stop pulling my leg, rubber roofing indeed. Yes there is. Rubber rain coats keep rain off people, rubber shoes keep feet dry and warm, why not use rubber to keep water and the elements out of a house as a roof?

First it’s time to dispel a rubber roofing myth . It’s perfectly fine to roll rubber roofing over an existing roof. After all, it saves time from removing the old roof. And in areas where the old roof is intact there’s double protection. Wrong! Whatever the other reasons, no roofing manufacturer will honor a warranty of a roof that has not been installed on a completely clean surface. Removing the old roof is a necessary step one, even with a rubber roof.

Rubber roofs can be easy to self install. Both rolls and shingles come in a variety of styles and colors. A perfect material for large flat roofs, rubber roofing will last for years, and won’t split or crack. Rubber roofing breathes and expands in response to weather changes, so it experiences less stress than other roofing materials. In fact the 1st rubber roof, which was installed in Wisconsin in 1980, is still in perfect condition after nearly three decades of service.

Adhesive is used to attach both roll and shingle rubber roofing to the roof. Ensure that the roof is as clean as possible with nothing sticking up which could pierce the rubber. The surface must be dry and clean of oils or dirt. So make sure to blow or sweep away and dirt.

When the base is clean, the rubber roof can be rolled out onto the area being covered, and cut to fit over vents and pipes. Do not apply adhesive until the rubber roofing is cut and shaped. Imagine securing portions of the roof only to find it doesn’t fit, or to develop a bubble or seam. When it has been fit then apply adhesive to about one half the roof at a time, rolling it back to apply the adhesive. Apply it evenly and give it time to set up, to become tacky.

The roofing will be nearly impossible to lift once it’s stuck. So after the adhesive is tacky carefully roll the rubber roofing into place. The first half will have to dry for about an hour before the second half can be secured.

Now your rubber roof is in place. Imagine that.

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