Commercial roof coatings
Commercial flat roof coatings in North Jersey
For warehouses, storage facilities, offices, stores, restaurants, factories, schools and every other kind of commercial building. A coating can add years to a flat roof that is still sound and dry. It will not fix wet insulation, failed seams or a roof that holds water. We inspect first, then tell you straight whether to coat, repair or replace.
The basics
What a roof coating is, and is not
A roof coating is a liquid that goes over the whole existing roof by roller, brush or spray. It dries into one seamless layer of a set thickness. It renews the surface and protects it from sun and weather. It does not replace the roof under it.
A coating is not the same thing as a sealant. Sealant fixes one seam, one joint or one pipe. A coating covers the entire roof, over repairs that are already done.
It is also not a quick one-coat “roof paint” job. A one-coat job works only as well as the prep under it, and prep is the part most often skipped. A professional coating job starts with an inspection, repairs, cleaning and an adhesion test, and ends with the coating checked for thickness and a written warranty.
Every coating wears over time. The good news is that a worn coating can usually be cleaned and recoated without tearing anything off.
What we install
Silicone, acrylic and aluminum coatings
We install three kinds of flat roof coating, using coating systems from Mule-Hide and Bulldog. Which one fits depends on the roof you have now and how it drains.
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Silicone
Handles standing water better than acrylic and stands up well to sun and weather. It is slippery when wet and tends to hold dirt. Later on, only silicone bonds to silicone, so a silicone roof stays silicone.
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Acrylic
A water-based coating, usually the lower-cost choice, and easy to recoat in the future. It needs a roof that drains well, because it is not made to sit under standing water, and it needs warm, dry weather to go on.
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Aluminum (fibered)
An asphalt-based coating with aluminum and fibers, for asphalt roofs: torch-down (modified bitumen) and built-up (tar) roofs. The silver finish reflects the sun. It is not used on rubber (EPDM), TPO or PVC roofs, or on coal tar or gravel roofs.
| Silicone | Acrylic | Aluminum (fibered) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goes over | EPDM, TPO, PVC and modified bitumen, where the maker approves it, with the right primer | Many sound flat roofs that drain well, where the maker approves it for that membrane. Not over silicone. | Asphalt roofs: torch-down (modified bitumen) and built-up (tar). Not EPDM, TPO, PVC or coal tar. |
| Standing water | Handles it better than acrylic, but low spots still get fixed first | Not for roofs that hold water | Not for roofs that hold water |
| Recoating later | Only silicone bonds to silicone, after a thorough cleaning | Easy to recoat | Can be recoated; a different coating needs a primer over it |
| Weather to apply | A wider temperature range, but the roof must be fully dry | About 50°F and rising, with a dry forecast | About 50°F and rising, with no rain expected for a day |
| Good to know | Slippery when wet; plan walkway pads on service paths | Takes more coats to reach full thickness | Reflective silver finish |
Temperatures, dry times and primers vary by product. We follow the maker’s instructions for the exact product on your roof.
Is your roof a candidate?
Our honest checklist
Coating the wrong roof wastes your money and can trap water inside the roof. So before we price a coating, we check the roof against this list.
A good candidate
- The membrane is still attached and mostly in one piece
- The insulation under it is dry
- Drains, scuppers and gutters work, and water runs off
- Seams, flashing and edges can be repaired
- The surface shows its age: fine surface cracks, chalking or worn granules
Not a candidate yet
- Wet insulation. Small wet areas can be cut out and replaced before coating, because water trapped under a coating blisters it. If much of the roof is wet, replacement is usually the better fix.
- A worn-out membrane: brittle, split, or failing at the seams all over
- A damaged deck: soft, rotted or rusted through
- Ponding: water that still stands 48 hours after rain because the roof sags or has no slope. Drainage gets fixed first.
- A rooftop deck or terrace people use. That needs a walkable deck membrane, not a coating.
- Gravel roofs and coal tar roofs (an older kind of tar roof that most coatings cannot go over)
- Metal roofs. We coat EPDM, TPO, PVC and asphalt flat roofs only.
If your roof is not a candidate, we show you the photos, tell you what it needs instead and give you a free estimate for that work: a commercial roof repair or a commercial roof replacement.
Coat, repair or replace
Three honest options, side by side
| Option | When it fits | What it fixes | What it does not fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repair | A few leaks, failed seams or flashing on a roof that is otherwise in good shape | The leak points | An aging surface everywhere else |
| Coat | A dry, sound roof whose surface is wearing out, after any repairs are done | Adds a new seamless surface with no tear-off, and it can be recoated later | Wet insulation, a damaged deck or poor drainage |
| Replace | Wet insulation across much of the roof, a damaged deck, a brittle membrane, or drainage that has to be rebuilt | The whole roof, down to the deck where needed | Nothing. It is the biggest job of the three |
Your free written estimate says which option fits your roof and why. See also commercial roof repair and commercial roof replacement or recover.
Commercial buildings
Coatings for all kinds of commercial buildings
If your building has a flat roof that is still sound and dry, a coating is worth a look, whatever the business under it.
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Warehouses and distribution centers
Big flat roofs over stock and equipment. A coating renews the whole surface without a full tear-off over your inventory.
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Self-storage facilities
Long, low flat roofs over the units your tenants rent. After repairs, a coating renews the whole roof in one seamless layer.
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Offices and medical buildings
Occupied every day, with rooftop units and air intakes. We plan with you for the intakes to be shut off or covered while the coating cures.
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Stores, strip centers and restaurants
Many tenants and many roof penetrations: rooftop units, exhaust fans and vents. Each one is flashed and reinforced before the coating goes on.
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Factories, auto shops and industrial buildings
Big flat roofs, rooftop equipment and regular service traffic. Walkway pads go on the paths your crews and service techs use.
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Schools, churches, hotels and gyms
Timing matters around classes, services, guests and events, so we plan the work schedule with you.
Roof types and operations
What we coat, and what to expect during the work
We coat EPDM, TPO, PVC, modified bitumen and built-up (tar) commercial roofs. Each needs a coating the maker approves for that membrane, and the right primer. Asphalt roofs under silicone also need a bleed-blocking primer, or oils from the asphalt stain the new coating.
A coating means no full tear-off: less noise, less debris, and the roof is opened only where wet areas are replaced. While the coating goes on and cures, we plan with you for rooftop air intakes to be shut off or covered, and the roof stays clear of foot traffic for a few days. Walkway pads go on the paths service techs use, because a coated roof is slippery when wet.
A white coating can also lower summer cooling costs when it goes over a dark roof, most on one-story buildings and top floors. Results depend on the building, so we do not promise a number.
How we do it
Our coating process, step by step
The coating is the last step. What happens before it decides how long it lasts.
Inspect
We walk the roof, check the ceilings below and take photos, with a drone where it helps. You see what we see.
Check for moisture
On insulated roofs we check for wet insulation, with a moisture survey and core cuts where needed. Wet areas are cut out and replaced with new insulation and membrane.
Repair first
Open seams, blisters, splits, flashing, edge metal and drains are fixed before any coating goes on.
Clean, test and prime
The roof is cleaned the way the coating maker requires. Then we run an adhesion test to make sure the coating sticks, and prime where the roof needs it, including a bleed blocker on asphalt roofs under silicone.
Reinforce and coat
Seams, flashing and pipes are reinforced first. Then the coating goes on at the rate the maker requires for the warranty, and we check the thickness with a gauge as we go.
Final check and paperwork
Once the coating has cured, we go over the finished roof with you, hand over the photos and register the manufacturer warranty where the roof qualifies.
Warranties
Warranties, in writing
Every coating job we do carries our own 5-year workmanship warranty. Where the roof qualifies, the coating maker adds its own warranty, and we register it for you.
A longer manufacturer warranty needs more coating. Coating makers publish tables that tie each warranty term to a minimum thickness, and rough or granulated roofs need more material than smooth ones. That is why a coating with a 20-year warranty costs more than one with a 10-year warranty on the same roof.
Manufacturer warranties also ask something of the owner. Keep the drains clear, and have the roof checked about twice a year and after big storms. Your warranty papers list exactly what is required.
If your roof already has a manufacturer warranty, a coating can affect it. Check with that manufacturer first.
Timing and price
When we coat, and what drives the price
New Jersey weather
Coatings need the right weather to cure. Acrylic needs about 50°F and rising and a dry forecast, and it has to dry before the evening dew. Silicone can go on in cooler weather, but only on a fully dry, frost-free roof, well above the dew point. Cold slows curing.
In North Jersey that puts most coating work between late spring and early fall. In winter we can still inspect, make repairs and fix leaks, then coat when the weather allows.
What drives the price
- The size of the roof
- Wet areas that have to be cut out and replaced
- Repairs to seams, flashing, edges and drains
- Cleaning, primer and bleed blocker
- The coating type, and the thickness for the warranty term
- Access: height, parapets and how materials get up to the roof
- The number of curbs, vents and other roof penetrations
We do not publish coating prices, because no two roofs need the same prep. Every estimate is free and in writing. If your roof cannot be coated, we give you a free estimate for the repair or replacement it needs instead.
Before you hire anyone
Questions to ask any coating contractor, including us
- Which product, and is it approved over my type of roof?
- Did you check for wet insulation, and how?
- How thick will the coating be, how many coats, and how will you check it?
- Will you run an adhesion test before coating?
- Who issues the warranty, and does it cover labor or only material?
- What does the estimate include, and what would cost extra?
Be careful with one price and no breakdown, no moisture check, rushed prep, “lifetime” or “never leaks again” promises, and pressure to sign today.
Questions
Commercial roof coating questions
Will a roof coating stop my leak?
Not on its own. The leak has to be found and repaired first, and the roof has to be dry. Failed seams, open flashing and wet insulation are fixed before any coating goes on. If water is coming in today, see our commercial roof repair page.
Is my flat roof a good candidate for a coating?
Yes, if the membrane is still attached and mostly in one piece, the insulation is dry, the drains work and the seams and flashing can be repaired. No, if the insulation is wet across much of the roof, the membrane is brittle, the deck is damaged or water stands for days. We check before we quote.
What warranty comes with a commercial roof coating?
Our own 5-year workmanship warranty comes with every coating job. Where the roof qualifies, the coating maker also gives a warranty of 10, 15 or 20 years, depending on the coating system, how thick it goes on and the roof under it. Your estimate names each warranty and what it covers before any work starts.
Does the building have to close while you coat the roof?
Usually not. There is no full tear-off, so the roof stays on over your business, except where wet areas are cut out and replaced. Some coatings and primers have a strong smell while they go on, so we plan with you for rooftop air intakes to be shut off or covered while the coating goes on and cures. The roof stays clear of foot traffic for a few days.
How long does a flat roof coating last?
It depends on the product, how thick it goes on, the roof under it and how it is looked after. Manufacturer warranties on commercial coating systems commonly run 10, 15 or 20 years, and the longer terms need a thicker coat. When a coating wears, it can usually be cleaned and recoated, which extends it again.
Can you coat a flat roof that holds standing water?
Silicone handles standing water better than acrylic, but no coating removes ponding, and manufacturers can still require low spots to be fixed for the warranty. We clear the drains first. Where a low spot needs rebuilding, that area gets new insulation and membrane before it is coated.
Can you put a coating over torch-down, EPDM, TPO or PVC?
Usually, if the roof is sound and dry and the coating is approved for that membrane. Torch-down needs a bleed-blocking primer under silicone, which keeps asphalt oils from staining the coating. EPDM, TPO and PVC need the cleaner or primer the coating maker calls for. Tar-and-gravel and coal tar roofs are rarely a fit.
Is a roof coating the same as roof sealant or roof paint?
No. A sealant fixes one seam, joint or pipe. A coating covers the whole roof at a set thickness, over finished repairs and primer. Quick one-coat roof paint jobs depend on prep that is often skipped.
Can service techs walk on a coated roof?
Occasional, careful service traffic is fine once it cures, but keep off for a few days after it goes on. Coated roofs, silicone especially, are slippery when wet, so we put walkway pads on the service paths. A coating is not a deck or terrace surface. A rooftop area people use needs a membrane or deck system instead.
Can you coat a roof in the winter in New Jersey?
Usually not. Acrylic needs about 50 degrees and rising and a dry forecast. Some silicones can go on colder, but only on a fully dry, frost-free roof, and they cure slowly in the cold. In winter we inspect and repair, then coat when the weather allows.
Will a coating void my existing roof warranty?
It can. If your roof is still under a manufacturer warranty, check with that manufacturer before any coating goes on, and share the warranty with us so the plan follows its rules.
Does a white roof coating lower energy bills in New Jersey?
It can lower summer cooling costs when it goes over a dark roof, most on one-story buildings and top floors with air conditioning. Results depend on the building, so there is no guaranteed percentage. The New Jersey energy code does not require a cool roof. The ENERGY STAR roof program ended in 2022, so where the product has a Cool Roof Rating Council rating, we show you that instead.
Not sure your commercial roof can be coated?
We will check it, show you the photos and tell you straight: coat, repair or replace.