Although there are many roofing and weatherproofing compounds on the market, most roofing contractors have a favourite product that they will use time after time. Part of the reason for this is that all compounds appear to do more or less the same job. Indeed, it is a fact that in some installations the choice of compound is not critical, particularly given the tolerance there is in the products on the market. But the tolerance level can be stretched too far, and often we don’t assess correctly the whole criteria required by a particular installation.
To ensure the right product is used for the right installation, a number of factors have to be considered. How damp is it, and will it be prone to water retention? How long for the product to cure in order to become resistant to water and moisture? With roofing applications weather is always an unknown quantity and can often lead to roofing installations failing because of too much H2O. It is not always possible to cover a roof to give protection from the elements and we cannot control the weather to give us consecutive days of sunshine.
What materials are involved in the installation? Will the surface requiring priming allow the compound to adhere? Galvanised metals, in particular, offer little keying properties for most acrylic-based products, and will inherently require a primer in order to fix the compound. Waiting for the primer to dry before applying the compound can extend the application time considerably. Also, how flexible is the material? If prone to movement then a product needs to be used that will give with oscillation and won’t break down or crack. Does the product need to be high-build, and will it give a uniform one coat application? Dependant on the viscosity of the liquid will it actually flow and reduce the protective layer, or will it retain its properties, allowing the product to be moulded into areas where required most?
Ventilation will also have a bearing on the product specification. In areas of poor ventilation high VOC products can cause irritation and, in extreme cases, nausea and dizziness to the applicator, as well as subsequent residents.
There are many things to consider when choosing the right product, but with Bond It’s Seal It One Coat Room Membrane, weatherproofing situations are made easy, and it comes with added benefits.
Seal It Liquid Membrane one coat roof seal is an easy-to-apply one coat roof seal offering a modern alternative to traditional GRP, PU, silicone, and bitumen roof coatings. The material is a highly reflective, solvent-free, non-flammable liquid membrane formulated for professional roofing applications and requires no special training to apply. Designed to be used on its own, in more demanding situations it can, however, be used in conjunction with a primer, accelerator, reinforcement mat and edging, and trimming sealer. Altogether, the system delivers a high performance, watertight, permanently flexible, and extremely durable barrier coating for all existing roof substrates which is guaranteed for 25 years.
It offers primerless adhesion on a wide variety of building and roofing surfaces, such as metal, treated and untreated wood, brick, stone, polyester, glass, lead, bitumen coating, tile, plastics, polycarbonate, and concrete – all without heating or bonding. There is a wide range of applications, including repairing flat roofs, pitch roofs (less than 10o), leaking flashing, guttering and roof lights. It is also suitable for cracked roofing panels, chimney stacks, corrugated or plate roofing materials, zinc, steel, fibre-cement and façade panels, creating an impermeable seal to repel water damage and providing resistance to degradation from natural weathering like rain, snow and sunlight. Zinc guttering, downpipes and ventilation ducts can also be tackled.
Based on advanced hybrid technology and developed by the chemists at Bond It in the UK, this product remains permanently flexible once cured and will not harden or soften even under extremes of weather, temperature, UV radiation and external chemical attack. There’s excellent resistance to ageing, ultra-violet attack and discolouration, whilst under test conditions, Seal It Liquid Membrane was shown to have superb cool roof thermal properties, outperforming black bitumen by 36 per cent at just 0.8mm thickness. It was also 11.3 per cent more efficient than solar reflective paint, all helping to reduce energy costs.
System Components:
Seal It Liquid Membrane is a ‘one coat roof seal’, professional grade hybrid roof coating available in either white or grey. It is solvent-free and non-flammable, making it a safer to use, one part, moisture cure, easy to apply coating. There’s outstanding water resistance, weatherproofing characteristics, and self-levelling properties, and it is crack bridging, non-shrinking and non-cracking. The product is compatible for use with most common roofing materials.
Primer: A one-part solvent-free primer for preparation of bitumen surfaces and roofing.
Reinforcing Mat: A high grade 100 per cent polyester fabric which is non-woven and spunbonded to offer reinforcement to blisters, splits, seams, details, joints, and penetrations, etc., offering twice the strength once incorporated. It is ideal for areas subject to high movement and is tear and puncture resistant.
Cracks & Edging Sealer: A hybrid polymer sealer suitable for filling cracks, edges, details, and small gaps prior to application of Seal It Liquid Membrane. Alternatively, it can also be used after Seal It Liquid Membrane application to secure edgings and seals to create a self-terminating flashing or provide extra protection around roof elements, such as chimneys, air vents, etc.
Accelerator: For colder climates, where the air temperature can affect the cure process, Seal It Accelerator can be mixed with Liquid Membrane to speed up drying rates. When used in conjunction with the Accelerator, Seal It Liquid Membrane will withstand temperatures down to -20oC.
For more information on Seal It visit bond-it.co.uk/seal-it/
