Single-Ply Membrane

Why Single-Ply Membranes Are Used on Low-Slope Roofs

Low-slope roofsRoof Types - Low-slope roofs (flat roofs) are a ty... More drain water much more slowly than steep-slope roofs, so their coverings must be waterproof rather than water-shedding. Single-ply membranes create this waterproof layer by sealing reinforced sheets together at their seams, creating a continuous sheet over the roof.

Single-ply membranes are the most common type of roof covering for low-slope commercial buildings. Unlike traditional low-slope systems such as built-up roofing or modified bitumen, which rely on multiple layers of asphalt and reinforcement, single-ply systems use one reinforced membrane layer as the primary waterproofing surface.

Because the waterproofing layer is a single manufactured membrane rather than multiple stacked layers, single-ply systems are generally lighter and faster to install than many multi-layer asphalt roof systems.

These roof coverings are called “Membranes” because of the flexible, continuous nature of the materials.

Common types of single-ply membranes include TPOMaterial - TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) is a whi... More, PVC, and EPDM.