Are Single-Ply Wide Width Membrane Rolls Really a Benefit to Contractors?

By Jason Stanley, CEO, IB Roof Systems.

As manufacturers compete to be the lowest cost producer, membrane rolls have grown in size, but at what cost to the contractor?

Do you ever wonder why restaurants promote a fresh fish special or catch of the day?  It’s often because they have too much product that will soon spoil if not sold.  So, ask yourself, is it really a “special” or is this just a clever way to move product to the benefit of the restaurant?

We see similar self-serving practices with construction products, but none more than that of single-ply roofing like TPO and PVC.  Traditionally, these products have been produced in rolls that are nearly 6-feet-wide by 100-feet in length, making the rolls around 200 pounds.  As manufacturers compete to be the lowest cost producer, membrane rolls have grown in size.  We’re now seeing membrane rolls at 10 and 12-feet-wide by 100-feet in length weighing upwards of 450 pounds.  The promotional and advertising support for these larger membrane rolls explain that they’re less expensive, faster to install, and obviously better.  But I would ask, “For who?” and “At what cost?”

There are economies of scale that benefit manufacturers producing wider products, such as storing and shipping.  These benefits are shown in the sales materials that are then passed on to the contractor, claiming labor savings because there are 40% fewer seams.

But in actuality, we’re seeing increasing frustrations from roofing contractors.  They find it difficult to load the materials safely on the roof, position them in place, maneuver around rooftop obstructions like AC units, and then fasten them to meet code requirements.  These challenges are left up to them and with a higher risk of job site injuries. 

According to CNA, the country’s eighth largest commercial insurance writer and the sponsored insurer of the National Roofing Contractors Association, back and other related physical injuries are increasing at surprising rates.  “The most common activity associated with low-back pain are those jobs requiring lifting and forceful movements,” according to a Minnesota University study.  Furthermore, “low-back disorders account for almost 30% of injuries, requiring time away from work.  Its estimated economic impact in lost productivity, health-care related expenses, and disability are staggering.  The average cost of a low-back associated workers compensation claim is nearly $8,500.  This is double the cost of the average injury claim.”

Three questions arise when considering wider membrane rolls: How much faster?  How much cheaper?  And for who?  When contractors are being told, “40% fewer welded seams,” this would appear to show a faster installation rate and lower labor costs.  But with wider rolls, and the dramatic increase in weight, the sum of the savings promised are not being realized in the data contractors are showcasing.

Fewer seams would logically project 40% fewer plates, fasteners, and labor.  While it appears logical, it isn’t that simple.  Actual project reports from contractors indicate that the amount of fasteners being used is actually creating a time loss.  This is due to reduced fastener spacing guidelines required when wider rolls are utilized.  For example, on a 100 square roof (100’ x 100’ or 10,000 square feet), the 6-foot-wide rolls require 2,150 fasteners versus the 2,912 fasteners required on 10-foot-wide rolls.

To be clear, we’re talking about an overall time difference of approximately two hours on the installation of those fasteners.  What contractors aren’t being told to consider is the inherent risk of injury between bending and fastening versus walking a hot air welder.

For higher wind zones, contractors are being required to install a row of fasteners or fasten a termination bar down the middle of each sheet, then a 6” cover strip is required to be welded over them.  When this is the case, the number of welded seams for the wider sheet has not lessened, but increased by one versus the traditional 6-foot-wide sheets.  Not to mention, when using a termination bar and additional welded seams, you create a roof area that is prone to water ponding, which is an entirely separate issue we can explore another time.

Using larger rolls reduce the amount of labor savings on actual installations.  On a 100 square roof (100’ x 100’ or 10,000 square feet), the 6-foot-wide roll has approximately 2,150 linear feet of seams while the 10-foot-wide roll has 1,456 linear feet of seams.  With this on the menu, it may have you thinking, “Fish sounds pretty good, maybe I do want today’s special.”  But reading further, you find that your favorite “go-to” meal has more value.

Commercial roofing projects are welded with a robotic welder that moves at a rate of about 14-feet-per-minute and is operated by just one man.  The additional 700 feet of robotic welding takes one man an extra fifty minutes to complete.  A project of this size, assuming the installation of a common roof assembly— two layers of insulation and a cover-board with a minimal amount of rooftop details and drains— would typically require a crew of four men approximately four days to complete, totaling 128 man hours.  Knowing this, it takes longer to install the fasteners on the 10-foot-wide roll versus the 6-foot-wide rolls, creating minimal, if any, labor savings.  So again, I ask, “Where are the savings?”

While most people will accept some trade-offs to gain efficiency, this one has significant impacts on the health and safety of roofing contractors that have to manhandle heavier rolls on job sites all across the country.  This indicates that the actual benefit to the contractor if any, is negligible. 

Roofing manufacturers should change their focus from being manufacturing-centric to being contractor-centric and develop products that benefit the men and women who install these products.  The wider, heavier, and more injury-prone rolls don’t seem “special” and smell more like “the fish of the day.”  I think I will have a bacon burger after all.

Follow the story for more information.  Read the statistics from CDC on maximum lifting weights.  Learn about worker compensation claims for lifting. 

Original article source: IB Roof Systems

About IB Roof Systems

Since 1978, IB Roof Systems has been a nationwide leader in providing high-performance PVC membranes and systems for the commercial and residential industry. The company is headquartered in Irving, Texas and has facilities across the U.S. in Springfield, Oregon, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Chicago, Illinois to serve contractors in any location. Learn more at www.ibroof.com.