Concrete over TPO Membrane

Please help, We just have our TPO roof installed couple months ago. There are two areas that my gerenal contractor put concrete over the TPO to make the balcony. My question is: is it a good idea to pour light weight concrete on top of the TPO membrane? Your input is greatly appreciated.

thanks.

please stand by Mike i have info for you. in regards to your pic, it's a chemical reaction. Info and stats up and come'n.... B) oh PS... the drain by the para pit is upside down.... I would take a sample of the rain water after it rains, to test the ph levels of the water to see how many chemicals are involved... just a thought. TPO ............

Thanks for your feedback Mike, yes TPO is new to the Canadian invoroment. It still is on the testing market. i've been in the roofing industry for 26 years now, and saw this product nice to install, and seeing that it is not bitumen based i thought it would last longer seeing it's rubber bases...I will forward your pic to people who would find this interesting. i still don't know why all the Wal Marts here are going with this product same with Target stores, go figger... Thanks again...

Ottawa,

How long have you installed TPO? 5 years maybe? My post said 24 years, that's where I get my info. First generation, second generation, and now third generation... it's all the same crap. Most guys "love" it because it's CHEAP, it's SIMPLE, and it's EASY.

NEVER, all my years of roofing, have I found a recipe where I could consistently count on CHEAP+SIMPLE+EASY = QUALITY

I've written volumes on TPO on this and the NRG forums if you want to look it up.

but for the sake of simplicity, here's a pic taken 1 month ago, 1 week before the 10 year completion anniversary of a well known TPO by a major US roofing mfr.

Exotic low-slope specs and applications are not my niche, but I have a question.

"or an ISO board would be better than temptest."

Why would you consider putting a concrete pour directly over a soft substrate? Seems counter-intuitive to me.

I'm with Mike, exposed to the sun and elements TPO is not the best roof membrane, cover it up and yes, I think it will be OK.

your contractor saved your roof.

Sorry Mike, I love TPO, and give me some facks on longevity...12 years? Where do you get that from?

My thoughts on cement on TPO, if your tpo is not adheared properly your light weight cement has nothing to bond with making your pour floating, you should mechanicly fasten a tmptest, or aka black joe to the deck then make your pour.Just my thought on this topic. or an ISO board would be better than temptest...given you an R value....

I would check to find out the tpo resistance to the chemical elements of the cement.I've seen TPO membranes being delaminated by the grease on restaurants roofs.

NO. I would suggest a bituminous type waterproofing system. Carlisle has some excellent systems.

24 years of installing TPO roof systems has proven to me that their advantage of being the cheapest membrane available, it comes with the caveat of also being the shortest lived roof membrane on the market today.

While I would not normally encourage a person to pour concrete over a TPO membrane, it may be the only thing that keeps the material from wearing out in 12 years, so maybe this could be a new trend in TPO protection systems.