Built Up Roof Basics

In an industry where innovation is king and roofing materials come and go, built up roofing has stood the test of time. It's been used regularly on flat roofs for over a hundred and fifty years and has firmly established itself as "old reliable" in the roofing world. Because of that don't expect any bells, whistles, or lace trim with these roofs. The formula for a quality built up roof has remained more or less the same over the years, and the old adage definitely holds true with B.U.R.'s: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

The Secret Recipe of a Built Up Roof
To be honest, this recipe isn't much of a secret. In fact, it's one of the most widely known and straightforward roofing installations in the industry. It's also not a roofing chore that most homeowners are capable of doing themselves. Here's why. Built up roofing consists of four main parts. Base sheets are initially attached to the roofing substrate, followed by a roofing felt applied with asphalt, coal tar, a special concrete, or synthetic adhesive (asphalt or tar is the most popular). Once your felt is down, a final surface layer of gravel or cap sheets is applied over the top, held down with a final layer of asphalt.

What that Means for DIY?ers
Doesn't sound too bad, does it? Read between the lines, however, and you'll quickly discover that in order to install a typical B.U.R. you'll have to haul hundreds of pounds of hot asphalt, hot tar, and gravel or other aggregate up to your rooftop. Add to that the hours spent working with those materials in the hot sun and special equipment required, and it's clear why this home improvement is better left to an experienced roofing crew. Quite simply, it's too labor intensive for most homeowners to even consider doing by their lonesome.

Increasing the Energy Savings of Your Built Up Roof
There are still some smart things you can do when planning a B.U.R. installation that will save you money far into the future, however. The main downside of these roofs in the past has been energy efficiency. Because they lay flat (i.e. are exposed to the full brunt of the sun) and because they are made of dark, heat absorbing materials (tar and asphalt), they can soak up a considerable amount of heat which is transferred down into your home. Until recently, there has been little to combat this effect other than applying a light colored gravel or aggregate as a surface material. The new wave of cool roof coatings, however, is changing how B.U.R.s are finished.

What Cool Roofing can Do for your Built Up Roof
Cool roofs, achieved through the application of a reflective roof coating over B.U.R.s, can make a huge difference when it comes to improving the energy costs, especially cooling costs, associated with built up roofing. By reflecting much of the sun's light and heat instead of absorbing it, reflective roof coatings can reduce warm weather energy costs by up to 70%. And that doesn't include the tax breaks you'll get if your reflectively coated B.U.R. meets Energy Star standards as well.

Talk to a Built Up Roof Contractor
As mentioned before, B.U.R.'s are not a practical undertaking for the vast majority of homeowners. In fact, they're best left to contractors who specialize in installing these proven roofing systems. Whether you need an entirely new built up roof or are just looking to repair or enhance the roof you already have, talk to a contractor who specializes in B.U.R. installation, repair, or enhancement about any built up roofing work that you need done on your home.