Single-ply Thermoplastic Roofing

Thermoplastic roofing products are a series of plastic membranes applied to a flat roof surface. These membranes come in different chemical compositions, different thicknesses, and even different colors. Not every membrane fits every situation.

They have a few things in common. Thermoplastic membranes come in rolls that are unrolled and fastened or glued to the roof surface. These products are typically durable and safe to walk on. They tend to do well in the case of falling debris. Thermoplastic membranes require little maintenance. Finally, the seams are spread apart further than on other roof systems, and the seams are bonded together through a process that is similar to melting the roof together. The integrity of these systems is very high if installed by competent and experienced technicians.

Thermoplastic membranes also reflect heat well, and can cool off a building’s interior.

PVC roofing is made by many manufacturers, and comes in a variety of colors and thicknesses. It lasts anywhere from 20 years up. It is known as the industry baseline for quality in our region. PVC requires plasticizers and stabilizers to keep the product performing well over time. The quality of these stabilizers has dramatically increased in the last two decades, so today’s products are reasonably priced and long-lasting.

KEE is very similar to PVC, but relies on the most advanced version of the chemical stabilizers and additives. It has been on the market for many years, however, due to its high chemical integrity, the membrane costs more to produce. It has a similar appearance to all of the other thermoplastic membranes. In fact, all of the membranes look and feel about the same, but KEE membranes have the best reputation, and are commonly used on buildings that demand absolute performance.

TPO membranes are the industry’s answer to the costs involved with manufacturing PVC. TPO is one of the newer products, but it is made with plastics that are more chemically inert. This makes the material less expensive to produce. TPO has a number of unique characteristics that require additional maintenance and potentially shorter life relative to PVC.