We’re getting closer; only 17 days now until spring! In our last blog we talked about Roof System Selection. This week we want to focus on preparation. Preparation is one of the most important and critical steps for successful and long lasting roof coating applications.

You must make sure the preparation of the roof is done correctly to get the best results for a long lasting roof. First step in the preparation is removing all the dirt, debris, oils, and contaminants from the roof. This can be done by the following methods:

• High Pressure washing
• Vacuuming/Air-blowing
• Mechanical cleaning

Beyond your standard contaminants (dirt, debris, etc.), your project may have contaminants that require more rigorous methods to remove.  Corrosion needs to be well prepared and may require wire brushing or other aggressive methods. Biological growth may require chemical cleaning additives. Certain surfaces like EPDM are generally wash-primed with products like Acrymax PR-101 in order to accept coatings.

Preparation is a crucial step in any coating system process and should be evaluated. This can be done with a tape test which involves applying masking tape to the surface, and then peeling off the tape. If there are contaminates on the tape that will interfere with adhesion of the coating, further cleaning or use of a primer are necessary. A primer is NOT a substitute for good preparation.

Acrymax Technical Bulletin ATB-103 describes preparation methods and how to evaluate the effectiveness of the preparation method used.

Check out our next blog on Coating System Installation.