PRODUCTION OF ROOFING AND PROTECTIVE WORKS.5. Membrane coatings

For roofs of industrial, public and other buildings with small slopes and strong, and dense (for example, concrete) bases, membrane coatings are of interest. The membrane is made of a highly elastic rubber-like polymer material with a relative elongation of 200-400% and high tensile and puncture strength. The material of the membrane retains its properties at temperatures from -60 to +100 ° C. The dimensions of the panels of such materials are up to 15x60 m (ie, 900 m2).

One of the main advantages of membrane coatings is the speed of roofing large areas. The sheets are fed to the roof folded, unfolded and stacked on the ground. The plates are joined to each other by self-vulcanizing tapes. They also adjoin. Possible laying of membranes on the old roofing carpet. A prerequisite is a thorough cleaning of the base from solid particles (pebbles, etc.). From above, the membrane is loaded and protected from UV radiation by gravel or concrete tiles. In this case, the roof can be “exploited”. Properly executed roof can last more than 30 years.

The most well-known membrane EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer) coatings of the firm Firestone. Often in the literature (especially translated) membranes are called new generations of roll materials based on bitumen modified with polymers.

EPDM (ethylene-propylene di-monomer) membranes are the oldest of polymeric roofing materials. The first roofs made of it in the United States and Canada have been used for over 40 years. In Russia, EPDM material has been known since the 80s.
Installation of seams of a membrane is made by means of a special 2-sided self-adhesive tape, without heating. The use of EPDM membrane allows in a short time to cover large surfaces (rolls width from 3 to 15 m and length from 15 to 61 m). It has high elasticity (relative elongation of 300%), low weight (1 m2 of membrane, 1.15 mm thick, weighs only 1.4 kg), and is resistant to temperature changes (from -40 ° C to +100 ° C).

Reinforced EPDM membranes are also produced. They are more durable, but less elastic. Because of the relatively high price of widespread use in Russia, they have not yet found.

The single-layer roofing membrane of the FIRESTONE company is one of the most common in Russia and has been used since 1994.

The main advantage of roofing waterproofing systems FIRESTONE is that during the repair of the roof, EPDM membranes can be laid over the old ruberoid carpet, reducing the laboriousness of the preparatory work.