Is it almost time for you to replace the roof on a commercial building? If so, you should make sure you’re aware of which types of roofs can be put on the top of commercial buildings.
Some commercial building owners will choose to go with something basic like an asphalt shingle roof after looking around at their roofing options. But more often than not, they’ll go with something a little more advanced for a commercial roof.
So, what are the best roofing materials for commercial buildings? We’re going to break down some of your best options so that you can decide which direction to go in when doing roof replacement.
Continue reading to learn more about the roofing materials you can utilize when installing a roof on your commercial building.
Metal Roofing
Would you like to stick a roof on your commercial building that’s going to last for a ridiculously long time? Then you might want to give some consideration to metal roofing.
Metal roofing can be made out of any number of metal roofing materials, including:
- Galvanized steel
- Aluminum
- Copper
- Stainless steel
- Tin
Outside of lasting for a really long time, metal roofing will also look great, stand up to almost anything that gets thrown at it, and prove to be fire-resistant. Additionally, there are some metal roofs that will come equipped with special snow removal systems.
The one downside of metal roofing is that it’s going to cost a lot more than other roofing materials used for commercial buildings. But because it will last for so long, it’ll be easy for you to justify the expense associated with it.
SPF Roofing
Spray Polyurethane Foam roofing, which is better known as SPF roofing, is another fantastic option for those in search of roofing materials for commercial buildings. This type of roofing has been around since the 1960s now and is one of the more unique types of roofs.
As its name would suggest, SPF roofing actually starts off as a foam that is sprayed on the top of a commercial building. But over time, this foam will harden and eventually turn into a solid roof.
The big benefit of putting SPF roofing on a commercial building is that it’ll make it waterproof and insulate it better than many other types of roofs. But you will need to make sure that SPF roofing is installed properly, and you’ll also need to be careful about when you decide to install it since it might not work as well as you’d like if you choose the wrong time to put it into place.
Additionally, you’ll need to be ready to maintain SPF roofing over the years to ensure it lasts. It’s something people should consider prior to putting SPF roofs on commercial buildings during roof replacement projects.
Built-Up Roofing
If cost is a concern when you’re having a roof installed on a commercial building, you might like what built-up roofing can bring to the table. This kind of roofing involves putting down alternating layers of gravel and tar.
The good news for those who go with built-up roofing is that it’s going to be easy to make repairs to it and on the more cost-effective side. It’s a big part of the reason why commercial building owners have been installing these types of roofs for so long.
But the bad news for those interested in built-up roofing is that this kind of roofing is going to last for the shortest period of time of all commercial roofing materials. You might only be able to get about 20 years of life out of built-up roofing before having to replace it.
EPDM Roofing
Ethylene Propylene Diene Terpolymer, or EPDM roofing as it’s known within the commercial roofing industry, has turned into one of the most popular types of roofing for commercial buildings. It won’t take you too long to see why.
EDPM roofing comes in a big roll that consists of a synthetic rubber roofing membrane. It’s very easy to install this kind of roofing, and it’s also easy to maintain and repair it.
EDPM roofing isn’t necessarily going to be the most aesthetically pleasing roofing in the world. It can also be punctured easily by things like falling branches.
But you aren’t going to be able to beat the price on EPDM roofing, and you also won’t be able to find many types of roofs that are as simple to install as this one. When you need to install a new roof on a commercial building, you can’t go wrong with this kind of roof.
TPO Roofing
The TPO in TPO roofing is short for Thermoplastic Polyolefin. This is another kind of roofing material that has become extremely popular among those who want to install roofs on commercial buildings fast without any issues.
TPO roofing has also turned into a huge hit among commercial building owners because of all the benefits it can provide. Here are just a few of the benefits that’ll come along with choosing it:
- Lightweight
- Puncture-resistant
- Fire-resistant
- Heat-reflective
- UV-resistant
- Tolerant of high winds
- Affordable
One thing you should be aware of is that, because TPO roofing has become so popular, some companies have started to sell low-quality versions of it. You’ll want to steer clear of buying TPO roofing from these companies at all costs.
You’ll also want to avoid hiring the wrong commercial roofer in San Antonio to install TPO roofing for you. Otherwise, you might not be able to enjoy all the different benefits of TPO roofing that we just mentioned.
PVC Roofing
If you have a flat or even a low-slope roof on your commercial building, PVC roofing might be a fantastic option for it. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, roofing is very similar to both EPDM and TPO roofing with the one big difference being that it contains less oil and petroleum than they do.
Even though PVC roofing is essentially made out of plastic, one of the biggest advantages of using it is that it’ll be surprisingly strong and durable. This will help PVC roofing to last for a long time while standing up to everything from moisture and wind to fire and even certain chemicals.
PVC roofing is also known to last for a long time and is one of the more eco-friendly roofing materials used on commercial buildings. These are all good reasons to invest in PVC roofing for your building.
The only drawback when it comes to PVC roofing might be its cost. It does tend to be slightly more expensive than some other types of roofs put on commercial buildings. But you might not mind this one bit when you see all the advantages of using it.
Shingle Roofing
If your commercial building currently has a flat roof or a roof with a very small slope, shingle roofing isn’t going to work well on it. But if you work out of a building with a steep roof on it, you might want to kick the tires on the idea of installing shingle roofing.
As we alluded to earlier, an asphalt shingle roof will be the least expensive option in most cases. But there are also many other types of shingle roofs that you can choose from.
Some of the types of shingle roofs that are available include:
- Slate shingles
- Ceramic shingles
- Metal shingles
- Wood shake shingles
- And more
The vast majority of commercial building owners aren’t going to be able to go with shingles because of how their roofs are designed. But if shingles are even a remote possibility for you, you may want to explore the options of using them to create a roof.
Shingles have transformed into some of the best roofing materials around for both home and business owners. They would be worth considering if you want to keep your Texas roof replacement costs low while still making your commercial building look great.
Choose the Right Roofing Materials for Your Commercial Building
There won’t be any shortage of options for you to choose from when you need to install a new commercial roof. You’ll be able to pick out whichever roofing materials you want to use based on everything from the design of your roof to your roof replacement budget.
Redemption Roofing and General Contracting can help you select the right roofing materials and handle your entire commercial roofing project. It’ll leave you with a roof that you absolutely love in the end. It’ll also make installing a commercial roof less stressful.
Contact us today for more information on the roofing materials available to you.
