Coatings Challenge: A Steep Slope Roofer Looks to Expand His Business.

By GAF.

With a low investment, and ease of installation, GAF coatings are a great way to grow your business, whether you’re a low slope or steep slope contractor.

Welcome to the GAF Coatings Challenge with Michelle Carlin, GAF senior product manager, coatings.

Challenge:

• A steep-slope pro looking to branch out into small low-slope roofing jobs.
• Hopes to handle both metal and asphalt roofs.
• Does not know where to start.
• What would YOU recommend?

Indicators:

• “Small low-slope roofing jobs” suggests a desire for a balance of cost and performance with minimal capital investment

Recommendation:

United Coatings™ Roof Mate™ Top Coat

• As a water-based acrylic, the contractor can start with a minimal investment in personal protection equipment (always check the product Safety Data Sheet for proper equipment).
• It can also be applied with brush, roller, or sprayer, so it may accommodate equipment the crew already uses.
• Easy cleanup helps maximize productivity as the company grows.

Get to know more about one of the most popular commercial roofing systems, including resources for training and education, at the Liquid Membrane Roofing Systems page at gaf.com.

Watch the video or read the transcript below.

Michelle Carlin: Welcome to the Coatings Challenge. I'm Michelle Carlin, senior product manager with GAF. Today we're talking about a coatings challenge from Jim in Lemon Grove, California. Jim writes, "I'm a long time steep slope roofer expanding into small commercial jobs. I have opportunities to preserve both metal and asphalt roofs for small businesses in the San Diego area, but I'm not sure where to start. What's my best bucket?"

Michelle Carlin: Great question, Jim, and welcome to the low slope team. The fact is there's no single solution for every room, and as your business grows, you'll want to learn more about silicons, acrylics, liquid membranes, and so much more, but since you're really just starting out, one solution offers a great balance of cost and performance without a big capital investment in equipment. That is GAF United Coating's Roof Mate Top Coat.

Michelle Carlin: It's a water-based acrylic roof coating which means you invest minimal personal protection equipment, and it's really easy to use and to clean up. You also have multiple ways to apply the coating. You can choose to use a sprayer, roller, or a brush, so your application tools can easily conform to your crew and the project's needs.

Michelle Carlin: The downside of water-based coatings is that they're not great against ponding water, so make sure the roof has sufficient drainage. As a California roofer, you're used to complying with stringent regulations. The good news is Roof Mate has low VOCs, and since it's got a high reflectivity, it can help in lowering cooling energy cost. As I mentioned, there's no single coating solution for every roof.

Michelle Carlin: Roof Mate is water-based, so store it in an area that is at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit to make sure it doesn't freeze, and make sure to apply it at 50 degrees Fahrenheit and rising. Neither should be a problem in the San Diego area, but it's  important to know.

Michelle Carlin: Jim, good luck with your new opportunities. Remember, when you're ready for bigger jobs, GAF has a solution for you from  coatings to liquid-applied membranes to single-ply PVC and TPO. Thanks for checking out the coatings challenge by GAF. Got a tough coatings question? Send it to coatingschallenge@gaf.com. Until next time, I'm Michelle Carlin.

For informational purposes only. Always review published application instructions, product Safety Data Sheets, and Limited Warranty on GAF Liquid-Applied Roof Coatings for complete coverage and restrictions. For technical, system, and warranty information, visit gaf.com or call 1-800-766-3411.

Source: GAF