The Past and Future of Self-adhered Membranes

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

Chris Gory tells Heidi about the evolution of self-adhered membranes, how they are eliminating contractor pain points and delivering a great roof.  

On Season 3, Episode 43 of Roofing Road Trips, Heidi J. Ellsworth chats with long-time roofing friend and national low-slope business development manager with Polyglass, Chris Gory. In this episode, Chris shares data that proves the self-adhered roofing market is evolving and growing, and Heidi and Chris, having both been a part of several launches of self-adhered roofing, discuss where self-adhered roofing will go from here. 

“I've been in the business now for over 20 years,” says Chris. “I've worked as a tech rep for a fastener company. I've been in sales. I've been in distribution. I've worked for one of the largest single-ply manufacturers in the country. And I've spent my last nine years with Polyglass. And currently, I'm the national low-slope manager for Polyglass, covering all of North America.” 

Chris is well versed in the history of self-adhered roofing, telling Heidi about how the self-adhered technology became accepted in commercial roofing and rose to popularity. 

“We think of it as a newer technology in roofing, but it's actually been around since the 1960s. In Europe, they were doing self-adhered waterproofing, and that kind of evolved in through the sixties,” says Chris. “It was Polyglass in the late nineties, like 96, 98, when they came up with the first reinforced self-adhered membrane here in the US. And then in 2003, they patented a system called a Adeso, which is a unique technology to self-adhered. And from there on, it just took off.” 

Chris continues to explain the growing popularity of self-adhered membranes because of what they do for the roofing contractor, providing easier, quicker installs and consistently delivering a durable roof.  

“Right now, self-adhered membranes make up over 30% of all mod-bit membranes sold in the U.S.,” Chris tells Heidi. “So, it's the fastest-growing segment in low-slope roofing by percentage, but it is just really jumping off by leaps and bounds because the technology is getting better and guys are trusting it.” 

Chris discusses with Heidi the future of the self-adhered membrane as a solution for pain points on the roof and delivering a good roof.  

“[The technology] has come light years,” says Chris. “I think any of those worries that people had at one point, they don't exist anymore. We just don't have those same problems. So it's a neat time for self-adhered.” 

Listen to the entire podcast to hear more about how self-adhered roofing technology has evolved and its place in the industry today.