How Do You Use a Silicone Coat?

Silicone coatings can reflect up to 90% of solar rays, significantly cutting cooling costs and relieving strain on your cooling system.

Modern silicone formulations contain high solid content, enabling more coating to be applied simultaneously without jeopardizing workmanship or system integrity, thus cutting labor costs.

Applying the Base Coat

Step one of silicone coating is to prepare the existing substrate. It must be clean, dry, and debris free; otherwise the new silicone coating won’t adhere as expected and won’t perform optimally.

Roof contractors typically power wash their clients’ roofs before giving it a thorough rinse to remove detergent residue. Next, they apply a base coat of silicone roofing system adhering to manufacturer instructions so that dry film thickness meets specifications – usually 15 mils is recommended as minimum thickness.

An updated roof coating can revitalize and extend the lifespan of commercial building roofs while saving their owners money on energy costs. A reflective white coating reduces sunlight penetration into rooms and thus decreases air conditioning requirements.

Silicone roof coating can be applied by rolling or spraying it onto surfaces. It will protect seams and repairs while sealing against water intrusion and potential damage, usually in one or two thick layers.

When sealing metal roofs with silicone sealant, it’s imperative that a roofing contractor addresses all seams. Metal roofing systems tend to rust in these vulnerable spots and if these seams go untreated water can seep in.

There are various kinds of silicone sealants, and your roofing contractor will select one depending on your roof’s type and its method of installation. For instance, during re-coating projects a solvent-based silicone may be beneficial as it grabs onto existing coating and helps hold it in place.

An optimal roof installation uses high-solids silicone sealant, a newer product which has proven itself superior to solvent-based versions. When spraying it is important to do it in short bursts and move the can in an arc so as to control how much sealant is released; wait three days after application before you cover with more sealant so as to avoid becoming gooey and sticky.

Applying the Top Coat

Removing and replacing a commercial roof is both costly and time consuming, but installing a silicone coating system may extend its life significantly cheaper than doing a complete replacement job. Not only will you seal any cracks or gaps that exist between tiles, fill in seams where necessary and add reflective surfaces that reduce energy costs by installing this technique, it will also seal cracks that form in seams that were once missed and add reflective surfaces that reduce energy costs significantly.

As the first step of silicone roof coating application, surface preparation is crucial. To ensure optimal adhesion of silicone membrane coatings, an infrared inspection is typically conducted to detect any saturated areas on membrane and power wash those sections prior to silicone application.

Once the surface is ready to be coated, it is wise to add a thixotropic agent to the silicone to thicken and prevent drips as it cures. Once mixed, spray short bursts four inches from surface using short spray wand or medium nap roller. Or alternatively use soft brushes.

Silicone is an incredibly useful substance that can be utilized for arts and crafts projects, home improvement jobs, roof repair work or roof leak repair. Silicone spray can be applied directly onto tools or surfaces to stop them sticking or even used as an adhesive in various projects – all while being eco-friendly and easy to use!

If you are working with resin pieces, silicone coating can provide a professional gloss that makes them appear more polished and polished over time. Furthermore, this protective layer also shields surfaces from moisture damage that may wreak havoc with them over time.

Silicone roof coating can be easily applied to an existing commercial flat roof by spraying or rolling, creating an impervious waterproof membrane to fill cracks and vulnerable areas while protecting existing repair works and seams from water intrusion. Furthermore, silicone coating can also provide extra insulation protection without having to tear off or replace an entire roofing system.

Applying Reinforcing Fabric

Based on your roof type and condition, silicone coating may be applied over existing roofing to restore its waterproof layer and stop any future leaks.

Once the roof is repaired and cleaned, a silicone roof membrane can be spray or roll applied using spray guns or rollers. It can be applied on flat or pitched roofs as well as scuppers, drains and skylights – it even helps seal cracks or voids that could otherwise lead to leakage!

Silicone coating has many advantages when it comes to restoring commercial roofs, from being easy to apply by spray or roll, sealing all imperfections quickly and creating an impervious waterproof barrier that’s simple to keep clean, to its flexibility, allowing it to expand or contract as required by changing weather patterns or roof structure.

Silicone coatings can be applied to most commercial roof types; however, there may be exceptions. Built-up or gravel roof systems may make creating an even surface challenging with silicone. Ultimately, your ability to use SRM over these rocky surfaces depends on who manufactured them.

Silicone offers one key advantage over other systems by not needing to be primed or have fabric reinforcement added, making its application much simpler and cheaper.

Silicone is an extremely durable material, yet can become slippery when wet, leading to roofers adding extra traction by mixing in sand with wet silicone coatings to provide extra grip and strength in high foot traffic areas such as around HVAC units. To combat this hazard, roofing contractors sometimes add additional layers of protection over wet silicone applications in high foot-traffic spots such as these areas with additional layers of traction provided by adding sand for extra traction and support.

When applying silicone roof coating, it’s essential to follow the directions on its product label for preparation and application. For instance, temperature must exceed 40degF and substrate must be free from dirt or debris before the mix ratio of silicone/catalyst should be adhered to.

Silicone roof coatings can save money on energy costs. Their bright white hue reflects UV rays from the sun’s rays, keeping facilities cool by up to 35% less energy costs.

Repairing Damaged Areas

Silicone coatings can be the ideal choice when your roof is older but you don’t require a complete roof replacement. With them, many of the benefits that would normally come with a new roof such as increased protection from leaks and reduced energy costs due to its reflective surface can still be achieved.

Silicone roof coating systems offer an efficient and economical means of renewing an existing commercial roof, without impacting daily operations of your building. Installation requires no downtime.

Prior to beginning their silicone restoration work, your roofing contractor will conduct an infrared inspection to identify areas with saturated insulation. If found, they’ll remove and replace with similar material (ie if previous insulation was polyiso, then polyiso will also be installed again). Once removed and installed again, power washing will then take place to clear away contaminants so the silicone can bond more securely to the roof surface.

Once the roof is dry, your roofing contractor will apply a base coat of Del-Val 320 Low Solids Silicone Roof Coating at 1.5 gallons per 100 square feet. A second base coat may be necessary depending on its condition and substrate – in such an instance it should be applied at 1.2 gallons per 100 square feet.

Most roofing contractors use sprayers or rollers to apply silicone, though they may opt to roll it if necessary. Application typically takes between 2 and 4 hours on a 20,000 square foot roof depending on wind conditions and potential for overspray.

Silicone roof coatings generally don’t need a primer in order to adhere to roof surfaces, however an adhesion test should always be conducted in order to determine if one may be necessary. Certain existing roof materials do not adhere to silicone, including single-ply, metal, spray foam and built-up roofing systems. If your roof features a built-up roofing system, silicone roof coating application may still be possible; however, your contractor must first tack down embedded stones or ensure the surface is smooth enough before applying a silicone coat. However, in many instances this approach is too expensive or unnecessary; often roofing companies will add sand to high foot-traffic areas – like walkways around rooftop HVAC units – in order to increase traction and strength within their silicone.