Self-Adhesive Roof Membranes Best Practices, Common Problems, and Other Sticky Information From the Manufacturer

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Self-Adhesive Roof Membranes Best
Practices,Common Problems, andOther Sticky
InformationFrom the Manufacturers
Perspective Helene Hardy Pierce Tim
Kersey GAF Materials Corporation Siplast
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Self-Adhesive Roof Membranes

• Characteristics common to all SA membranes
• Self-Adhesive not self-adhering
• Weve yet to see a roll adhere itself to anything

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Self-Adhesive Roof Membranes

• Characteristics common to all SA membranes
• Self-Adhesive not self-adhering
• Weve yet to see a roll adhere itself to anything
• Should be termed PSA (pressure sensitive
  adhesive) membranes
• Pressure must be applied to ensure complete and
  watertight bonds

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Self-Adhesive Roof Membranes

• Characteristics common to all SA membranes
• Self-Adhesive not self-adhering
• Weve yet to see a roll adhere itself to anything
• Should be termed PSA (pressure sensitive
  adhesive) membranes
• Pressure must be applied to ensure complete and
  watertight bonds
• Requires some finesse compared with traditional
  application methods
• These arent your fathers hot mot mopped or
  welded systems

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WHY Self-Adhesive Membranes?

• Advantages
• no adhesive to apply no buckets to dispose of
• no open dry time less set-up time
• reduced solvents/fumes no hot asphalt
• consistent/uniform application of adhesive
• techniques arent radically different
• details familiar either the same or very
  similar
• crew size may be reduced
• speedy application

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WHERE Do Self-Adhesive Membranes Make Sense?

• Where open flames are not allowed
• Where solvent or asphalt fumes may be an issue
• Where you cant set-up for hot asphalt, but want
  an asphaltic system

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WHERE Do Self-Adhesive Membranes Make Sense?

• Where a mechanically attached system wont work
  you cant penetrate the deck
• When you have a weight limitation

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WHEN are Self-Adhesive Membranes NOT a Good Idea?

• Ponding water, anyone?
• Steep slope, no ability to fasten
• Cold (or cool) weather?
• Dirty, messy tear-off cant quarantine or
  separate the roofing application

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Some General Considerations

• Be sure to store properly out of direct sunlight
• Do not use if membrane is not tacky to the touch
  (SA has a shelf life)
• Be sure to have adequate slope and drainage
• Dont interfere with ventilation needs of the
  building they can form a vapor barrier

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Additional Considerations

• Substrate must be
• clean
• dry
• free of dust, dirt, oils, etc
• may need priming
• Perform a tape test with masking tape to
  confirm substrates condition

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Additional Considerations

• Without liquid bitumen (hot asphalt, torch,
  bonding or cold adhesive) to fill surface
  irregularities it is critical to pay attention
  to laps and t-joints
• SA sheets are pressure sensitive and should be
  treated as such.

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Additional Considerations

• Be sure to follow mfrs temperature
  recommendations cool weather will affect how
  well they adhere
• At temperatures below 50oF special precautions
  should be followed especially if there is no
  sun
• The ambient temperature, substrate temperature,
  and membrane temperature must all be considered.
• Artificial heating, e.g., hot air may be employed
  to ensure adhesion at low temperature

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What Types of Products Are Available?

• Asphaltic membranes
• Steep-slope ice damming membranes
• Low Slope Systems
• Single ply membranes
• TPO

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Self-Adhesive Low Slope

• Combines the historical performance of modified
  bitumen compounds with addition of a
  self-adhesive layer for ease of application,
  however..

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Self-Adhesive Low Slope

• There are basic differences between steep and low
  slope applications.
• Steep slope products are typically used as
  underlayment, and function as secondary moisture
  protection
• Low slope products must be waterproof when they
  are installed

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Specifically for Asphaltic Membranes

• Base/inter plies
• self-adhesive w/release film or paper
• various surfacing options (sand, film, SA, .)
• some are suitable for mechanical attachment
• reinforced with either fiberglass, polyester, or
  a combination of the two
• Cap sheets
• self-adhesive w/release film or paper
• typically granule surfaced or other opaque
  surfacing
• reinforced with either fiberglass, polyester, or
  a combination of the two

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Self-Adhesive Roof System
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Self-Adhesive HW Cap Sheets

• SA base plies with heat welded (HW) cap sheets
  offer added protection for torch applications.
• Combustible materials and hidden areas of
  negative air pressure are covered by the SA
  material. See CERTA guidelines.
• SA base plies with heat welded cap sheets also
  extend the application window for SA sheets in
  cool conditions.

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Self-Adhesive Cool Temperature
50oF
50oF
Sticky ?
Not sticky ?
Self-Adhesive membranes can be the Jekyll and
Heyde of roof membranes. Check specific product
qualities.
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Self-Adhesive Cool Temperature
50oF
Use tacky primers in iffy conditions to
enhance bond.
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Self-Adhesive TPO Membranes

• Using traditional smooth back membranes as the
  backbone45, 60, 80 mil
• Its the same sheet that provides the
  waterproofing and weathering layer

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Self-Adhesive TPO Membranes? What Stays the Same?

• Everything plus adhesive
• Reflectivity its still Energy Star, meets
  Title 24
• Puncture resistance
• Tear resistance
• Cold flex
• Breaking strength/elongation at break
• Dimensional stability

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TOP 10 LIST

• Helene and Tims Top 10 List
• (well almost 10)
• What NOT To Do!

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Avoid

• Improper Insulation Attachment
• Fasteners not set properly, backing out
• Dirt and Debris on Substrate
• Affects ability to adhere
• Moisture on Substrate (even morning dew or that
  light mist on a foggy morning)
• Affects ability to adhere
• Low Temperatures During Installation (just
  because there wasnt ice on the rolls)
• Requires warming rolls, tacky primers, or heating
  if necessary
• Misalignment of Sheet
• Can short the lap width especially with
  membranes that dont have a granule selvedge

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Avoid

• Not Properly Rolling In the Membrane/Using Wrong
  Roller (or none ewww)
• Can affect adhesion to the substrate
• Mis-Identifying T-Joint Locations
• Use of a 45 degree cut greatly reduces problem
• Improper Wall Flashing Heights
• Both too low and too high follow mfrs
  recommendations
• Absence of Primer
• Critical to adhesion, especially on walls and
  membrane

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Where Should Care Be Taken?

• What are acceptable substrates?
• How should the lap area be cleaned?
• What about priming of the laps?
• Weather conditions gt45 or 50F typically.

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Where Should Care Be Taken?

• Placement of the membrane
• if heat weldable grademake sure the lap is
  placed correctly
• Self-adhering laps may be larger can reduce area
  covered by 5
• Is cut edge sealant recommended? What about
  sealant along the underside side laps?
• How should endlaps be made?

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Self-Adhesive Overlap Treatment Is Critical
Unless filled, there will be a systemic void at
overlaps.
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Where Should Care Be Taken?

• Remember, repositioning of the membrane is
  difficult at best impossible at worst check
  sheet position before removing release film
• Sheet to sheet adhesion cut out replace (you
  want this stuff to be sticky)
• Keep paper, debris, release film, dirt, etc. from
  getting into the system
• Follow mfrs recommendations regarding rolling of
  membrane/laps

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And You Were Wondering Wheres the Data?

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Peel StrengthDifferent Sheets / Same
SubstrateConditioned and Tested at 73F
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Peel StrengthSame SA Sheet / Different Primers
Conditioned and Tested at 73F
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For TPO, Same Story, Different Day

• About cleaning on self-adhering laps

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In Summary Consider System Advantages

• No (or min. amount) adhesive to apply
• Always correct, consistent/uniform application of
  adhesive
• No buckets to dispose of
• Less staging area
• No open dry time or set-up time
• No need to wait for solvent to flash off

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In Summary Consider System Advantages

• Reduced solvents/fumes no hot asphalt
• Less use of solvent based adhesives
• Techniques arent radically different
• Details familiar
• Either the same or very similar
• Speedy application
• Crew size may be reduced

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In Summary Dont Forget System Limitations

• Increased Material Cost
• Adhesive cost is built in from the factory
• Positive Drainage Required
• For completely self-adhered systems
• Ambient Temperatures
• Cold weather is bad, 45-50 degrees and rising
• Reduced Coverage ?
• Products with larger lap area reduce coverage

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Thank You For Your Time And Consideration!