Commercial Roofing Processes

A Look at Nulu Roofing Contractors Commercial Roofing Processes.

Torch-applied roofing materials

Torch-applied roofing materials were first introduced in Europe in the nineteen sixties and torch installations require a skill level and safety precautions that are not suited to someone with little roofing experience. A crew of at least three people is recommended. The operator must be thoroughly trained in the torch equipment and must observe very strict safety precautions to prevent the possibility of fire. For each torch used, a fully charged twenty-pound ABC type fire extinguisher or equivalent must be on the roof and ready for use if needed. Never torch a ply roofing membrane directly to wood decks or wooden parapet walls.

GAF Tri-Ply Torch Application Products

Always install a suitable base sheet over wooden surfaces before applying the flame. The layer of base sheet helps to prevent fires and provides a suitable base for the modified bitumen to be applied. Be aware that with a torch we’re dealing with a pressurized flame that may extend one to twelve feet beyond the torch head when the torch handle is pulled.

Never use the torch in areas where visibility is obscured, such as under roof top HVAC equipment and beneath overhangs. Torch-applied membranes generally have a thin plastic burn-off film that melts off as the asphalt heats. The asphalt on the back of the tri-ply torch membrane is actually melted by the torch, providing a strong bond. Too much heating and the membrane scorches. Too little, and there is insufficient bonding. Either one may lead to roof failure. Any factory labels and packaging tape must be removed prior to positioning the membrane for torching. To ensure a straight run, the membrane should be rolled out and aligned in the direction of the application. If two people work together at each end of the roll, the alignment process is faster. The slope of the roof will determine the direction of the rolls. For slopes less than one inch per foot, a perpendicular or parallel installation is acceptable.

For slopes above one inch per foot, we recommend that the rolls be installed down the roof slope. After rolling out and aligning the membrane roll, reroll the membrane back approximately one half to three-quarters of the length of the roll. Rerolling the membrane while walking backward on the roll helps prevent the roll from going out of alignment during the torching application. This method of rerolling allows you to keep the roll square and free of wrinkles by utilizing your body weight to keep the membrane roll in position. With the membrane roll aligned and rerolled, begin by applying the torch flame to the rolled portion of the membrane. The torch head should be approximately four to six inches above the surface of the roll. Move the torch flame from end to end of the roll. The torch flame should be positioned so that eighty percent of the flame is on the roll itself and the remaining twenty percent is on the base sheet. For a visual cue to correct torching of membrane rolls with a burn-off film, look for a slight green sheen to develop when correctly heated. Sand-coated rolls darken slightly when correctly heated.

Touch the heated roll with a trowel to determine if the membrane compound is slightly molten. Immediately after correctly applying the torch to the membrane, roll forward only the distance of the heated portion of the membrane roll. Repeat these steps until you reach the end of the roll. When installing consecutive membrane rolls, the rolls generally overlap at side laps by three to four inches. Headlaps are formed at roll ends and generally overlap six to eight inches. To ensure complete bonding and seam integrity, both membranes must be heated equally during the torching process. A visual cue for correct heating is the flow of molten compound out of the membrane seam or headlap. For APP torch-applied membrane installations, the compound flow out should be approximately one-half inch. For SBS torch-applied membrane installations, the compound flow out should be approximately one-quarter inch. During the membrane roll installation, the side lap seam is preheated by the torch approximately twelve inches in from the edge of the roll. This results in an L-shaped torching pattern. To ensure that seam compound is molten at the time of roll advancement, start the torch L pattern at the side lap, move across the width of the roll, and then back to the side.

With the torch at the side lap, advance the roll forward. To ensure full bonding at side and head lap seams, the use of a four-inch seam roller is recommended. The roller should follow approximately twelve to eighteen inches behind the membrane roll being installed. Tri-Ply also has a complete line of membranes that can be used in hot-mopped asphalt systems. These systems require specialized equipment, extra training, and a full crew, and should only be applied by trained professional roofers.

The techniques shown here are used by professional roofers to create roofs that last for decades. Without proper installation, the finest materials cannot perform to their rated specifications and they will fail to provide protection. Following the proper procedures with Tri-Ply will give your project superior performance and create roofing jobs that will make you proud. Whether you’re a professional roofing contractor or a do-it-yourselfer, Tri-Ply can provide the products and systems you need.

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