Silicone solutions for your ohana’s roof

Perhaps the last roof you will ever need could be the one that’s currently on your home now. That may sound amazing, but it is true for about 90 percent of the homes in Hawaii.

Whether you have Monier tiles, asphalt shingles, metal or about any kind of flat roof, they can be protected with the right roof coating. How long do they last? That will depend on the type of coating you choose, as well as your roof.

Some of the oldest and most respected names in the business will warrant their silicone coatings for 50 years against defects. The question about whether even a proven material like silicone will stand up to Hawaii’s tough climate for that length of time has not yet been proven, but the early results are encouraging.

Silicones don’t chalk off like acrylics, and they are not harmed by constantly ponding water. At whatever point in the future they do wear out, they can simply be cleaned and recoated with a new silicone top coat.

Which brands of roof coatings does Leak-master recommend? That depends on your type of roof, whether it’s flat or sloped, and whether you need a special color. Here are its top four recommendations — three brands are silicone based and one is an acrylic (water based) coating — each with its own special niche to fill.

NXT silicone is a high solids (96 percent) silicone, with a 50-year Manufacturers’ Material Warranty. It drys quickly to a bright, shiny white finish that is very hard for dirt and mildew to hold onto. In fact, it’s so slippery when wet, that caution must be used when trying to pick those mangos from your roof. This option is only available in bright white at this time. If the surface is smooth or primed, NXT silicone can be put down in one thick coat, which saves in labor costs.

Gacoflex silicone is a solvent-based silicone with 69 percent solids. It dries quickly, comes in a number of colors and is represented by a large, established manufacturer, who also has a 50-year material warranty. It has superior adhesion to the other silicones, due to its solvent base, which allows it to penetrate into the roof surface. It doesn’t dry as shiny or white as the other silicones, nor clean off as easily when stained. However, like all the silicones, it is unharmed by constant ponding water or mildew. It needs to be put down in two coats in order to qualify for the material warranty, so there is some extra labor involved in the application.

Apoc silicone has the same pros and cons as its friendly competition — NXT silicone. They are both high solids, and white and shiny with long warranties. Where Apoc silicone is most used is on large commercial projects, like the Matson Terminal in Honolulu. On commercial projects like Matson, it is possible to get up to a 20-year labor warranty by the manufacturer as well.

A labor warranty of 20 years is highly prized in the commercial market, more than even a 50-year material warranty. Why? Because if there ever is a need to do a warranty repair, it’s the labor costs that are sure to be higher than the material costs. Apoc is the oldest U.S. roof coating manufacturer in existence, and its warranties are highly prized.

The water-based acrylic is NXT Cool Zone from Australia, where the harsh UV sun rays are legendary. NXT Cool Zone combats that radiation by using high quality paint tints that employ nanotechnology. That makes the coating much less likely to fade or chip like regular house paint.

It comes in 36 rich colors, some quite dark, that are good color matches for most neighborhoods. It is more popular than Monier concrete tiles, as well as asphalt and aluminum shingles. With these traditional colors, your roof can blend into the neighborhood, while still reflecting a lot of the heat from the sun.

To find out more about how to protect your roof, and make it the last roof you will ever need, just call Leakmaster Roofing at 591-1900, go to the company website at www.leakmaster.com or visit the showroom at 575 Cooke St. in Kakaako.

LEAKMASTER ROOFING
contact // 591-1900
address // 575 Cooke St.
web // www.leakmaster.com