What are the Different Types of Commercial Roofs?

What are the Different Types of Commercial Roofs?

What are the Different Types of Commercial Roofs?

Commercial Roof Types

Is the roof on your commercial property reaching the end of its useful life? With many types of commercial roofing materials available on the market, choosing the right one for your building can be a daunting task. Several factors go into determining the right type of roof to install on a commercial building, but where do you start?

At Clearview Roofing, our commercial roofing team has been helping building owners for three decades. By educating our business customers, we help them make informed decisions about installing a new commercial roof or repairing leaks in a commercial roof.

Single-ply Roofing (TPO, PVC & EPDM Roofing)

Single-ply roofs are one of the most popular materials for commercial and residential flat roofs. They come in different thicknesses, or your local roofer may ask, “Do you want a 45 mil or 60 mil roof?”

The higher the number, the thicker the product. The denser the product, the longer the manufacturer will guarantee the flat roofing material.

Modified Bitumen (Rubber Roofing or Mod-Bit)

We want to say that a modified bituminous roof represents the second generation of commercial flat roofs. Deposits or hot tar are classics in the world of flat roofs. The mod bit became popular because, unlike hot tar roofing, it requires the installation of a hot tar boiler. This job alone, heating the asphalt on-site to over 500 degrees, is a full-time job and extremely dangerous. The roofing industry is slowly moving away from hot tar roofs. Modified bitumen roofs can be installed with hot tar, but the most common installation methods are without hot tar.

Here are 4 main installation methods:

  1. Hot tar applied
  2. Cold tar applied
  3. Torch applied
  4. Self-adhered

Much more efficient self-adhesive roofing is made from modified bitumen for commercial roofing applications.

The advantages of mod bit roofs are that they are made of multiple layers, and multiple layers can make them more durable. This increased durability may make Mod-Bit a better choice for commercial roofs with high foot traffic.

The disadvantage of the multi-layer modification bit is the cost. The material and labour required to install multiple layers are more significant. Repairs and maintenance on mod-bit roofing systems can be more difficult, resulting in higher costs.

Aluminum Metal Roofing

Aluminum is one of our most energy-efficient metal roofing materials. Aluminium metal is available in different thicknesses. We generally use thicknesses of 0.032, 0.040, or 0.050 for roofs. The higher the number, the thicker the aluminium roof will be. The .032 and .040 gauges are the most popular in commercial roofing. Aluminium is available in machined or painted finishes. The machined surface looks like raw metal and oxidizes to a naturally beautiful raw metal surface.

Aluminium is available in a variety of painted colours. The paint has a 40-year warranty, and some manufacturers offer a 45-year warranty. The longer the paint warranty, the longer the metal will last.

Steel Metal Roof

Steel is the most popular metal roofing material for commercial buildings. Metallic steel is hot-dip galvanized or galvanized steel. Steel is less expensive and can be as effective and efficient as any other metal material.

Commonly used roofing steel is available in 24, 26, and 29 gauges. Unlike aluminium, the lower the number, the thicker the steel roof.

4 of the most commonly installed steel roof profiles in commercial properties:

  1. Standing Seam Metal Panels (12 to 18-inch wide panels, hidden fasteners)
  2. Self-locking steel tiles (slate or tile look, hidden fixing)
  3. 5V Seam Metal Roof (2-foot wide panels, exposed fasteners)
  4. R panels or multi-rib panels (3-foot wide panels, exposed fasteners)

Since steel is not corrosion-resistant, these metal roofing materials must be painted. Paint warranties range from 20 to 45 years, depending on thickness, panel type, and metal manufacturer.

Sheet steel roofs are cost-effective. Depending on the profile chosen, the thickness of the metal, and the paint guarantee, they offer a more comprehensive price range.