What Are Built-Up Roofs Designed to Do?

What Are Built-Up Roofs Designed to Do?

Built-up roofing is a very specific kind of roofing that has been around for well over a century. Built-up roofing is designed to provide an exceptional layer of roof support for flat roof systems. They are installed by alternating layers of bitumen and reinforced fabric. The amount of layers depends on the preference of building or property managers with regard to their chosen amount of roof support. The final layer of the built-up roof is either rock or stone, and the layer protects the other layers from the ravages of weather. Negative weather impacts include ultraviolet rays, extreme heat or cold, and high wind damage.

How Do You Build a Built-Up Roof?

In order to build a built-up roof, professional roofing contractors must attach base sheets to the roof’s subsystem using roof nails. After that, they can use tar, concrete, asphalt or adhesive to adhere to the down felt over the top of the base sheeting. After that, roofing contractors can install a layer of gravel or cap sheets. Over the cap sheets, a layer of asphalt will be the final touch. As always, it is important to select the services of a reputable and professional roofing company for all roofing applications. An insured roofing company will have more experience than a handyman when it comes to professional roofing services.

How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Built-Up Roof?

If you need to replace your built-up commercial roof, you may naturally be wondering how expensive it will be. For this answer, let’s turn to some average estimates. For a built-up roof, you can expect to pay anywhere from between $2.50 to $5.00 per square foot for installation. This averages out to approximately $3,750 to $7,500 for a built-up roof installation.

How Do You Repair a Built-Up Roof?

If you have cracks on your built-up asphalt roof, there is an easy roofing solution. To begin with, the roof should be cleaned and freed of any gravel and debris. Next, coat asphalt cement over the area and please make sure to install some roofing felt. There should be at least four inches of overlap in order to guarantee that the area is thoroughly covered.

How Do You Fix a Sagging Flat Roof?

Are you wondering how to fix a sagging flat roof? If so, now is the time to do some research and address it in a thorough and professional way.

  • The first thing that you should do is address which type of flat roof you have. There are many different types of flat roofs in the roofing industry. There is asphalt, coat-tar, PVC/vinyl, liquid membranes, modified bitumen and more.
  • Next, you will need to inspect the roof and find the source of the problems. For this step, it is always best to rely on an insured, professional roofing company with many years of experience. 
  • Note the extent of the damage. For this step, it will be important to ascertain whether the roof simply needs repairs or it needs a full replacement. If your roof hasn’t received regular roof maintenance in some time and it is sagging, it is likely that you will need a roof replacement by professional roofers. For a more streamlined and specific opinion, as mentioned, it is best to refer to a professional roofing company.

What Does a Built-Up Roof Mean

Built-up roofing, which is also known as BUR roofing, is the most common form of roofing for low-slope roofs. These roofs, as previously mentioned, are composed of different layers of reinforcing fabric and asphalt, finished with a top layer of stone or gravel.

Built-Up Roof Without Gravel

Commercial property owners are not limited to their choice of only gravel. On the contrary, they can also utilize stone. It is important to select an appropriately strong and resilient top layer of roofing material so that the lower layers are not exposed to ultraviolet rays or inclement weather.

Built-Up Roof with Ballast

A ballasted roof system is a roof system where the roof membrane is not anchored or adhered to the decking material. It is instead ballasted with plenty of gravel. The stones used in ballasted roofing are usually one and a half to two and a half inches in diameter and are applied in a very thick layer on the roof.

How to Repair Built-Up Roof

If you are looking to repair a built-up roof, it is best to consult a project manager with a professional roofing company. It is always important for you to follow the manufacturer’s instructions so that any corresponding roof warranties can be honored. A professional, insured roofing contractor will be able to give you the best possible repairs and advice for your built-up roof.

Paramount Commercial Roofing Systems is your local skilled roofing company. We can provide your quality built-up roof in Cincinnati, OH. Give us a call at (740) 495-6698 to fortify your commercial roofing system!

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