The case for traditional roofing rolls

By Jesse Sanchez.

Smaller, traditional rolls offer a safer, more efficient solution for contractors without sacrificing productivity.

In a thought-provoking Read, Listen, Watch® (RLW) hosted by Karen Edwards, Jason Stanley, CEO of IB Roof Systems, talked about a common misconception in commercial roofing: that wide-width rolls save significant time and labor. With decades of experience and industry leadership, Jason methodically dissected the claims around these oversized rolls, revealing critical safety and productivity challenges that contractors may overlook.

The allure of wide-width rolls, some stretching up to 16 feet and weighing over 600 pounds, lies in their promise of fewer seams and faster installation. However, Jason warns that the perceived efficiency gains are often exaggerated. “Every aspect of the roof is completely unchanged with the exception of one and that is the welding of the seams,” Jason stated. While fewer seams reduce welding time, he noted that for a 20,000-square-foot project, the savings amount to just 45 minutes for one worker. “Add two extra hours of fastening screws and plates to save one hour of welding, that doesn’t seem like we’re coming ahead really at all,” he expressed.

Jason’s insights extend beyond productivity to the real cost of handling these massive rolls. On congested rooftops with skylights, varying elevations or structural limitations, maneuvering 600-pound rolls often falls to manual labor when cranes or dollies become impractical. The result? A surge in soft tissue injuries. “I think we're up 300 plus percent in the last decade with soft tissue injuries. And the number one reason is for material handling claims,” Jason noted. He stated that these injuries often serve as a gateway to pain medication, which can lead to far more devastating consequences, including addiction and job site absenteeism.

Jason also referenced a landmark two-year study led by Colin Murphy, a thermoplastics pioneer. The findings, published in Interface Magazine, confirmed that traditional rolls — smaller and lighter — are actually 23% faster to install. “But the facts are, if you'll read the white paper, I challenge anybody to go and read Colin's study. Again, a two-year study across 42 projects and then peer reviewed and then ultimately published in Interface Magazine January of this year, 2024. It will show you that traditional width rolls are 23% faster, meaning they use 23% less labor to install what we've historically done, which is a safer roll for contractors to maneuver, to handle.”

Roofing contractors may feel pressured to adopt wide width rolls under the belief they are an innovation. Jason argues this narrative benefits manufacturers more than laborers. “You can fix this tomorrow as a contractor by just starting to order half-rolls, right? Instead of a 16-foot-wide roll, buy an eight-foot roll. Instead of a 12-foot roll, buy a six-foot roll. Instead of a 10-foot roll, buy a five-foot roll. You won't see a negative impact in your labor or your production. There'll be a perception of change, but you won't realize one.”

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the webinar to learn more about the wide-width roll debate and explore why a return to traditional practices might be the industry’s best move forward!