Rubber (EPDM) Roofing: Is It for You?

Apr 12, 2017

Rubber roofs are a membrane kind of material that are either fully adhered, mechanically fastened, or loosely laid on a roof. And they’re more affordable than other roofing materials except in cases where the rubber has been treated and improved to be weatherproof and resistant to extreme temperatures.

Fully Adhered EPDM

Fully-adhered rubber roofs are a great material to cover your roof if it’s flat, irregularly shaped or contoured because of how easy and quick it is to install. Their extremely light weight makes structural planning for the roof’s capacity to bear a material’s load basically obsolete. So, if you decide to replace your shingle roof with a rubber membrane, you’ll be relieving your roof of a heavier weight.

Some membranes come reinforced with a scrim to add more depth to contact if the roof is going to be subject to heavy use.

The membrane is rolled out in successive strips from end to end until the entire surface is covered. The membrane is made immovable using fasteners or adhesives, making them perfect for modern architectural residential designs that commonly incorporate flat roofs.

Rundown of advantages:

• Can be used for any slope
• Isn’t heavy
• Can be used in unorthodox roof layouts
• Resistant to high winds
• Doesn’t interfere with HVAC or PV set-ups

Mechanically Fastened EPDM

Mechanically fastened membrane roofs are the most popular choice for America’s homes, occupying around 80 percent of the rubber roofing market. They work so well because of their method of installation, which involves nailing down the edges of each strip with fasteners that screw the material to the third deepest layer of the roof – the metal deck. This is done to every strip and then sealed off from any air by welding it completely to the roof using a hot-air gun, permanently protecting the roof’s layers from any air and water penetration.

Rundown of advantages:

• Faster and more affordable to install than fully-adhered rubber roofs
• Lightweight
• Can be used in unorthodox roof layouts
• Resistant to high winds
• Doesn’t interfere with HVAC or PV set-ups

Loosely Laid & Ballasted EPDM

Ballasted roofs make up 35 percent of the rubber roofing market because of how effective they are in certain climates. They’re installed by applying the same ply membrane or rubber over the roof’s insulation without gluing or welding, then it’s covered in smoothly finished pavers made out of stone or concrete. And for this reason, such roofs are typically reserved for larger buildings or unpitched homes known to be able to handle the extra weight.

Thanks to the easy and quick method of installing loosely laid roofs, the job is practically inexpensive and creates a final product that is more organic and grainy in appearance. Perfect if you want ‘curb appeal’ to apply to your flat roof as well.

Rundown of advantages:

• Naturally aesthetic
• Perfect protector against Class A fires
• Attractive grainy look
• Inexpensive
• Easy & quick to install
• Minimal use of seams
• Doesn’t interfere with HVAC or PV set-ups

The Costs of Rubber Roofing

The price of supplying the material and installing it depends on the house’s location, square footage, and the quality of the product it needs. Generally, EPDM are by far the cheapest option out of all roofing materials, with the exception of a few high-end options that run up to relatively the same cost as asphalt shingles. The national average cost of EPDM roofs varies between $2.50 and $5.55 for every square foot. And the price goes up in regions with low demand and roofing layouts that are more complex.

Installing the material for a house of the same size can run between $4,400 and $6,800.

To reduce the cost of such a project, make a deal with your contractor to supply, install, and distribute the full cost of the project among their subcontractors. This will ensure a discount be made on each item. If you’re going to remove an existing roof first, doing so factors in more labor costs that run between $3 - $5 per square foot or $40 - $80 per hour.

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