By Emma Peterson. 

Industry experts break down what roof restorations are and why they are growing popular now. 

Roof restoration has grown to be the go-to alternative for traditional tear-offs and replacements. To help people learn more about what defines a restoration project and the key standards that guide a successful restoration project, the Roof Coating Manufactures Association (RCMA) recently sponsored a Coffee Conversation® on the topic. In the episode, Megan Ellsworth sat down with an expert panel that included Josh Poole from Tremco, Cody Wilson of Uni Roofing and James Santiago from Benchmark. 

Josh opened the conversation by defining what a roof restoration is, explaining, “I would define it as the process of extending the service life of an existing roof. And generally, that's going to feature a roof coating or some type of a liquid-applied roofing product.” As for why the fluid-applied restoration market has taken a while to grow in popularity, it all has to do with a misunderstanding of what coatings are. Cody explained:  

A lot of people used to think restoration meant temporary repair. And it really isn’t; we’re not just painting your roof and calling it a day. When a contractor restores a roof, there’s a lot of prep work that goes into it, from assessment of the existing structure to repairs that need to be done beforehand to make sure that this roof is tight and ready to go. 

James shared a bit more about what these preparation tasks might look like, saying, “The first step is always determining if a roof is a good candidate for restoration. Here, good contractors will do things like perform infrared scans determine the attachment of the existing system.” And, as the industry has finally begun to realize, when these proper preparation steps are taken, coatings can be a powerful option for aging roofs. As Josh added: 

Restoration has really established itself as a viable solution that truly performs for the customer or the end user at the end of the day. It can typically be done at a fraction of the cost of replacement, it minimizes disruption to the building beneath it, requires minimal contractor labor/equipment and has a number of sustainability benefits including reduction in landfill material and greenhouse gases. 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the episode to learn more about liquid-applied roof restoration and its benefits.  

By Emma Peterson. 

Tremco’s cold fluid‑applied solutions for new construction and restoration. 

In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards sat down with Jay Anderson, a business development specialist of fluid-applied roofing for Tremco, to talk about their newest product – the VULKEM® Roofing System. The goal of this release was to reach the construction market in a new way. Jay explained: 

Our applications for new construction were really focused on direct to concrete applications. And when we think about that particular market strategy, it's typically gone to hot rubberized asphalt roofing systems. And one of the challenges of those systems is the safety aspect of working with hot rubberized asphalt. So, what we did with VULKEM was create a cold fluid-applied product that fills that role performance-wise without the safety concerns. 

Within the VULKEM line there are four main product options – MCW, X4, AT and 4083. Jay shared a bit about each of these:  

1. VULKEM MCW – The MCW, or moisture cure waterproofing, product was developed from Tremco’s high-performance below-grade waterproofing products. Jay explained, “MCW is designed for direct to concrete and plywood decks. It is ideal for high build systems because it goes down at 120 wet mils in application with an additional coarse layer of protection on top of that. The result is 180 mils of product installed that is going to give you long-term performance.” 
2. VULKEM X4 – As for X4, this is the VULKEM line’s low-odor, reinforced membrane perfect for light-traffic applications (such as maintenance). In Jay’s words, VULKEM X4 is “a multi-component modified polyurethane methacrylate membrane that cures in as little as 45 minutes, no matter the temperature.” 
3. VULKEM AT – And while VULKEM was created with new construction in mind, they have not forgotten the role of fluid-applied roofing in the restoration market. In fact, that’s what VULKEM AT is designed for. Jay shared, “AT is a single-component urethane product designed for roofing and waterproofing restorations...It is a fully reinforced system and goes down in two coats over everything from a smooth BUR system, a granulated modified bitumen roof system and a single-ply system.”   
4. VULKEM 4083 – Last but not least is the VULKEM 4083, which is an elastomeric acrylic coating designed to protect existing metal roofing. Jay explained what this means, sharing, “It's not intended to be a waterproofing; it's really intended to be a protective coating. Think about these low-slope roofs that are beginning to rust, this is a great opportunity for VULKEM 4083 to come in and provide a protective coating that's going to help sustain that existing metal asset.” 

Overall, if you are looking for a high-performance fluid-applied restoration or new construction roofing system, the VULKEM line stands out. Jay explained, “VULKEM stands out because we developed it by taking what we’ve learned from the industry over the past several decades with our existing products to re-engineer our products into the more competitively priced VULKEM series.” 

Listen to the whole episode to learn more about Tremco’s new VULKEM line of products.

By Keely Warren, Tremco. 

Contractors complete a successful shopping centre reroof thanks to Tremco's roof diagnostics. 

A significant plant building situated on the roof of Centrale Shopping Centre in Croydon was leaking. The roof was covered in limestone chippings that made it near impossible to visually inspect and locate the source of the issue.  

Before any thorough investigation could be undertaken, scaffolding was erected, and tonnes of limestone chippings were removed by a scarifying machine, manually bagged and hoisted down. This allowed for roof diagnostics to be carried out.  Roof diagnostics entails initial core samples to evaluate, not only the build-up, but to establish moisture data benchmarks.  

Once complete, a thermal scanning camera can then pinpoint areas of moisture and its severity to give data-led insights of problematic areas. Resulting in an informed cost-effective solution to refurbishment. 

The diagnosis 

A comprehensive report and specification were produced by Tremco, which recommended an overlay of the existing 700m2 roof to restore its waterproofing, and to replace, like for like, 80m2 of roof that was badly affected by water ingress. Some of the chippings were heavily embedded within the existing waterproofing. 

It was decided to line the roof with TremPly to deliver a coat-able surface that was compliant to BROOF(t4) classification. StructureCare, an internal contracting arm of Tremco, installed the TremPly and coated the new surface with Tremco’s liquid applied roof solution; AlphaGuard PUMA. 

The solution 

AlphaGuard PUMA Liquid Applied Flat Roofing System is a fast-curing solution in both low and high temperatures, ideal for installs throughout all seasons, certified with BROOF(t4) classification, BBA certified and delivers a 25-year warranty.  

The facilities project manager on site shared some thoughts on the project:  

The roof diagnostics followed by a holistic report meant we could visually see the areas of moisture in the plant room’s roof. We knew the solution specified was therefore the most suitable and cost-effective to resolve the issue. This service will be utilised on other roofs of the shopping centre to ensure they still remain watertight and/or to identify issues... StructureCare delivered a high-quality install and will inevitably work with them again on future works. 

Overall, the project was completed within the desired time to minimise construction disruption to the shopping centre’s operations. And as the solution was specified and supplied by Tremco and delivered by StructureCare, it granted a complete single source approach to refurbishment. 

Download the full case study.

By Emma Peterson. 

Nudura ICFs are engineered and certified for structural integrity in the face of earthquakes.  

Across the world, seismic activity has been growing more threatening. In 2020 alone there were three major earthquakes across Croatia, Turkey and Greece that not only caused more than 1 billion Euros in damage but also put large numbers of human lives at risk. One of the most important things we can do in the face of this rising threat is to build stronger buildings that can endure Mother Nature’s worst.  

The first step to doing so? Making higher-performance products that can withstand high winds, flying debris, seismic waves and more. Products like Tremco Construction Products Group’s Nudura® Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs). 

Nudura ICFs combine the strength of concrete with advanced engineering that not only provides increased energy efficiency but also safeguards lives during seismic events. In fact, Nudura ICFs meet and exceed a variety of building codes that cover earthquake resistance, such as the International Building Code (IBC), National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) and Eurocode 8.  

Further, Nudura has just been tested and certified to meet the ASTM E2126 standard. What is this standard? It is a dynamic seismic shear test that assesses the performance of framed wall assemblies in the face of in-plane seismic forces. The test of Nudura ICFs was conducted by the third-party Eucentre Foundation out of Pavia, Italy. Their findings indicated that:  

The Insulated Concrete Form walls performed equally compared to the conventional concrete walls in reducing lateral sway when faced with seismic shear loads. The findings also indicate that the success of concrete shear walls is less dictated on whether the walls use insulated concrete forming systems or traditional formwork, but rather dependent on steel reinforcement layout and type of concrete utilized. 

In addition to this, Nudura ICFs comply with Department of Defense (DoD) standards UFC 4-010-01 and UFC 4-023-03 and EN 1991-1-7 (Eurocode 1: Accidental Actions), which assess structures’ ability to endure and resist progressive collapse. 

Download Tremco’s Disaster Resilience Brochure to learn more about how Nudura stands up to earthquakes and more.

Por Jessica Bravo. 

Involucrándose, participando y alzando la voz marca la diferencia en la industria y más allá. 

En este episodio de La Voz de los Ruferos, Jessica Bravo conversa con Monica Vornbrock de The GLO Group y Lorna Rojas de Tremco, ambas miembros activas de National Women in Roofing y su iniciativa Conexión Hispana, sobre su experiencia participando en Roofing Day en Washington, D.C. 

Cada año, National Roofing Contractors Association organiza Roofing Day con el objetivo de reunir a profesionales de la industria con miembros del Congreso para dialogar sobre los desafíos que enfrentan. Este año, los temas principales incluyen la escasez de mano de obra y la vivienda asequible. 

La conversación destaca la importancia de la representación, la comunidad y el impulso para que más profesionales hispanohablantes y mujeres participen activamente en la construcción del futuro de la industria del techado. 

Ambas dicen que participar en eventos como Roofing Day es clave para generar un impacto real en la industria. Como explica Lorna, “para que la industria avance, tiene que haber comunicación en ambas direcciones. Tenemos que participar, dar nuestra opinión y ser parte del proceso para que realmente nos puedan apoyar” y Monica agrega que “cuando te mantienes informada y participas, tu voz importa. Las organizaciones están escuchando pero tienes que presentarte y compartir lo que está afectando a tu mercado.” 

Durante el mes de marzo, como preparación para Roofing Day, escuchamos a nuestros Influencers En Español reflexionar sobre la importancia de este evento. Como explica Carlos Rodríguez, “Nuestra voz tiene un impacto que va mucho más allá de los techos que construimos o reparamos,” mientras que otros también destacan que “en donde no estamos, no somos vistos” y que “las voces siempre hacen falta,” reforzando la idea de que no podemos generar un cambio si no participamos ni usamos nuestra voz. 

Escucha este episodio para entender la importancia de presentarte, porque cada voz cuenta y ahora es el momento de alzarla.

By Emma Peterson. 

Two days of learning, networking and industry recognition. 

At the beginning of May, the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) brought building enclosures professionals from across the industry together for their annual conference. Held in Minneapolis, Minnesota this year, the conference featured a full schedule of networking opportunities and education sessions! 

Networking 

On the networking side of things, the conference featured an extensive expo floor with leading companies like Rainscreen Association in North America (RAiNA), Sika, Georgia-Pacific, DuPont Tedlar, VaproShield, Polyglass and SOPREMA in attendance.  

There were also notable events to attend, like the Board Meet & Greet, a keynote session from Brian Callaghan and Mary Kilnay and the much-anticipated ABAA awards ceremony!  

The award ceremony saw a variety of celebrations and recognitions, including the distribution of the Years of Service Award (which recognizes ABAA members who have completed 12 consecutive years of service as directors) to Peter Barrett, Andre Desjarlais, Brian Stroik and Craig Wetmore. Further, Matthew Giambrone was given the Leadership Award and Uri Portillo received the Staff Recognition Award.  

As for the Peter Spafford Award, it went to Spray Foam Technologies of Kentucky for getting the “minimum number of audits (10 per year for 2 years, totaling 20) with a minimum percentage (95%) of audits without any demerits.” And last but not least, the Air Barrier QAP Award was presented to 13 different organizations who each showcased exceptional air barrier installation.  

Education 

On the education side of the event, attendees were given the opportunity to accumulate one AIA continuing education credit per hour of conference education sessions attended! These education sessions were divided into two tracks to help professionals get the most out of their time at the conference. 

The first track focused on foundational education. For example, one such course was led by Robert Dazel from Tremco, “Building Enclosure Architectural Details - Conveying Construction Drawing Clarity.” This course walked through the anatomy of the building envelope and helped attendees understand how to design airtight, watertight and energy efficient buildings. 

As for the second track, featuring more intermediate and advanced presentations, attendees could participate in courses such as Donald B. Snell (Building Forensics Group)’s seminar. Titled “Catastrophic Failures and the Net Effect of Design and Construction Errors on Moisture Management,” this session explored how “seemingly minor design and construction flaws can compound into major building and HVAC system failures, often with costly consequences.” 

Didn’t get a chance to attend or want to refresh your memory of the show? ABAA has downloadable files sharing the highlights from each of the presentations!

Por Emma Peterson, traducido por Alberto Torres 

Celebra el Mes del Orgullo escuchando a profesionales LGBTQ+ de la industria hablar sobre autenticidad, comunidad e inclusión. 

Al acercarnos al Mes del Orgullo, reflexionamos sobre algunas de las conversaciones que hemos tenido la oportunidad de compartir con diferentes profesionales de la industria del roofing pertenecientes a la comunidad LGBTQIA+. Estas historias nos han permitido conocer experiencias, desafíos y perspectivas que ayudan a construir una industria más inclusiva y donde la autenticidad también tiene un espacio. Una de esas conversaciones tuvo lugar el año pasado durante un episodio especial de Coffee Conversations, donde profesionales del sector compartieron cómo su identidad, experiencias y orgullo han influido en su camino dentro de la industria.  

En este episodio, patrocinado por Tremco WTI, RoofersCoffeeShop® celebra el Mes del Orgullo con una conversación especial sobre autenticidad en la industria del roofing. Megan Ellsworth conversa con Maureen Greeves y Justin Ray de Tremco, Sarah Lechowich de True North Roofing y Joshua Adams de Roof Scout sobre la conexión entre la excelencia profesional y el orgullo queer. Durante el panel, cada invitado compartió parte de su experiencia en la industria y la importancia de crear espacios donde la diversidad y la inclusión sean valoradas. 

Maureen, originaria de Cleveland, Ohio, ha trabajado en la industria del roofing por más de 13 años. Compartió parte de su trayectoria: “Tuve la fortuna de llegar a la industria del roofing desde una empresa donde podía ser abierta y sentirme orgullosa de quien soy, y donde mis compañeros estuvieron junto a mi esposa y a mí cuando tuvimos a nuestros hijos.” Para ella, el cambio hacia Tremco fue algo que le generó nervios, pero encontró una comunidad que la recibió con los brazos abiertos. 

Justin, paralegal corporativo de Tremco, compartió una experiencia similar a la de Maureen. Explicó, “He estado con Tremco por dos años y tengo una calcomanía del orgullo en la parte trasera de mi carro. Recuerdo que la primera vez que fui a la oficina pensé: ‘¿Debería quitarla? No lo sé… es una compañía de construcción.’” Sin embargo, encontró una comunidad que lo recibió y le permitió mostrarse auténticamente. 

A diferencia de Maureen y Justin, quienes llegaron a la industria más adelante, Josh creció alrededor del roofing. Compartió algunas reflexiones sobre lo que la comunidad LGBTQIA+ aporta al lugar de trabajo: “Comparten un mensaje interno sobre ser auténticos que puede influir en todos. Sin importar en qué parte del espectro estés, llevar autenticidad al lugar de trabajo es algo que las personas perciben y que se contagia.” También enfatizó que esto beneficia a todos dentro de la empresa, tanto a la comunidad LGBTQ+ como a sus aliados, porque la autenticidad conduce a un mejor trabajo. 

Sarah, propietaria de True North Roofing en Minnesota, también destacó cómo la identidad queer y la autenticidad benefician tanto a las empresas como a la industria en general. Explicó: “Creo que ser una empresa liderada por una mujer y también una empresa liderada por una persona queer significa no evitar esos espacios. Intento crear un entorno donde las personas se sientan vistas, valoradas y escuchadas, tanto dentro de mi empresa como entre mis clientes y propietarios de viviendas.” Al crear estos espacios, busca que todos se sientan más cómodos para trabajar mejor juntos. 

Este año, National Women in Roofing (NWIR) celebrará el Mes del Orgullo con una marcha virtual que se llevará a cabo junio 25 de 2026, donde compartirán historias para seguir construyendo un espacio donde todos se sientan valorados y bienvenidos. 

Escucha la conversación completa o mira el webinar para conocer más sobre cómo estos panelistas están haciendo roofing con orgullo. Registrate para participar en la marcha virtual del Mes del Orgullo.

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how Dryvit was used to renovate the New Mexico State Capitol, improving performance without sacrificing historical preservation. 

Santa Fe has a long and storied history as the capital city of New Mexico, even before statehood. In 1610, conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta built the Palace of the Governors in current Santa Fe as the “capital for the Spanish ‘Kingdom of New Mexico.” In 1821, when Mexico won independence from Spain, Santa Fe stayed as a capital, this time to the new Mexican province of Nuevo Mexico. By the time President William Howard Taft signed New Mexico into statehood on January 6, 1912, there was no question that Santa Fe would stay the capital. 

The current New Mexico State Capitol is the 232,000 square-foot Roundhouse. Called this because of its unique curved structure, the Roundhouse is the only round capitol building in the U.S. It was designed by W.C. Kruger based on “elements of New Mexico Territorial style, Pueblo adobe architecture and Greek Revival adaptations.”  

Not only does this design make the Roundhouse an iconic and unique structure, it also creates some unique maintenance requirements. This is something that Winter Finishes had to overcome when they were brought in to work on the Roundhouse’s façade in 2024. The last time the façade had been worked on was when a Dryvit Outsulation® system was installed 25 years ago. 

The goal of the 2024 renovation was to address cracks and minor moisture intrusions while also maintaining the historical integrity of the Roundhouse. To do this, Winter Finishes installed around 50,000 square feet of a Dryvit Direct-Applied system. This system was chosen for its impact- and crack-resistant exterior as well as its ability to secure the building envelope. They then used a custom Quarzputz® textured finish to accurately match the color and texture of the historic stucco.  

The result is a clean, vibrant finish on the New Mexico State Capitol that honors its original architectural design and historic significance without sacrificing performance.  

Por Jessica Bravo.  

Con un updated look y aún más ofertas, RCS En Español es donde se conecta la industria. 

Desde 2018, RoofersCoffeeShop ha ofrecido contenido en español para profesionales del roofing, proporcionando artículos, podcasts, eventos y recursos diseñados para la comunidad hispanohablante. 

En 2024, esta oferta se expandió en respuesta a la creciente demanda de la industria por más contenido y un centro de recursos dedicado y ahora cuenta con su propia extensión: es.rooferscoffeeshop.com, un micrositio con un nuevo look que refleja mejor la comunidad y la conexión dentro de la industria del roofing. Patrocinada por SRS Distribution Para Latinos, esta iniciativa busca seguir brindando contenido relevante, aprendizaje y oportunidades de crecimiento a los techadores de habla hispana. 

En la portada del micrositio, se destaca en letras grandes “Donde se conecta la industria”, un mensaje que reafirma la misión de crear un espacio donde la comunidad hispanohablante pueda aprovechar todos los recursos disponibles: artículos, podcasts, seminarios web, eventos y más. Además, se pueden encontrar enlaces directos a las redes sociales de RoofersCoffeeShop para mantenerse al día con las últimas novedades. 

Entre las actualizaciones también se encuentran nuevas categorías de artículos, que incluyen últimas noticias, eventos, tecnología y más. Dentro de Últimas Noticias, se destacan los RCS Influencers En Español, quienes cada mes comparten experiencias auténticas, perspectivas relevantes y voces expertas sobre distintos temas clave de la industria, ofreciendo una visión integral para empoderar a la comunidad de techadores. 

Como parte de la iniciativa Read, Listen, Watch, también hemos ampliado nuestra oferta multimedia para brindar más contenido que permita a los contratistas aprender cómo quieran y cuando quieran. Los usuarios pueden explorar episodios de La Voz de los Ruferos, Almuerzo y Aprendizaje y videos de empresas como Tremco o NRCA, todos organizados para ofrecer contenido útil y actualizado en español. Además, pueden consultar el canal de YouTube para encontrar más contenido y conversaciones con expertos de la industria. 

RoofersCoffeeShop En Español agradece a sus lectores y oyentes por el apoyo constante. La comunidad seguirá creciendo, al igual que los recursos disponibles. Por ahora, a disfrutar del nuevo look de es.rooferscoffeeshop.com y de todo lo que ofrece para conectar a esta gran industria. 

By Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

In healthcare, roofing is not just about the physical buildings; it is about patient safety and uninterrupted care. 

Healthcare facilities are among the most demanding environments in construction. Hospitals, surgical centers and specialized care facilities operate around the clock with no tolerance for failure. While attention is often focused on advanced medical technology and clinical expertise, one of the most critical components protecting both is the roof. From new construction to restoration and especially reroofing, roofing systems play a vital role in ensuring patient safety, operational continuity and long-term performance. 

The need for high-performing healthcare buildings continues to grow. According to analysis from Sage Economics, healthcare hiring has been a major driver of job growth, fueled by an aging population and increased demand for services. As more patients enter the system and facilities expand to meet that demand, the buildings themselves must perform at a higher level than ever before. Roofing is a foundational part of that performance, protecting everything beneath it from the elements while supporting a safe and controlled indoor environment. 

Unlike other commercial buildings, healthcare facilities cannot afford disruption. A roof leak in a retail building may be inconvenient, but in a hospital it can be devastating. Water intrusion has the potential to shut down operating rooms, damage highly sensitive equipment and introduce contaminants that put vulnerable patients at risk. For individuals undergoing surgery or those with compromised immune systems, even minor environmental issues can have serious consequences. This is why roofing in healthcare is not simply about durability, it is about reliability and precision under any and all environmental conditions. 

Reroofing presents one of the most complex challenges in this environment. Healthcare buildings rarely have the option to pause operations, meaning roofing work must take place while patient care continues uninterrupted. Contractors must carefully plan around surgeries, emergency services and daily operations while controlling noise, vibration and odors. Infection control becomes a central focus, with strict protocols in place to ensure that construction activities do not introduce dust, debris or airborne contaminants into sensitive areas. This level of coordination requires not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of how healthcare facilities function on a day-to-day basis. 

The selection of roofing materials plays a critical role in minimizing disruption and maximizing performance. Low-odor and low-VOC products help maintain indoor air quality during installation, while fast-curing systems reduce the time a roof deck is exposed and vulnerable. Moisture-resistant assemblies are essential for preventing leaks and long-term deterioration, and energy-efficient systems contribute to the overall performance of the facility. Manufacturers such as Tremco Roofing & Building Maintenance have developed solutions specifically for healthcare environments, focusing on restoration and fluid-applied systems that can be installed with minimal tear-off, reducing noise, waste and disruption. 

Installation is equally crucial. Even the most advanced materials will not perform as intended without proper application. Healthcare roofing demands experienced contractors who understand infection control protocols, phased construction and the importance of communication with facility managers and medical staff. Every detail matters, from staging materials to scheduling work in a way that avoids interference. There is no margin for error when patient safety is involved. 

For many healthcare facilities, restoration offers a strategic advantage over full roof replacement. By extending the life of existing systems, restoration can reduce costs while significantly limiting disruption to operations. It also supports sustainability goals by minimizing waste and preserving resources. When combined with a proactive maintenance program, roof restoration can help facilities manage long-term capital planning while maintaining a high level of performance. 

Ongoing service and maintenance are essential for healthcare roofing. Regular inspections and preventative care allow contractors to identify and address small issues before they become major problems. This proactive approach helps protect the integrity of the building envelope, maintain indoor air quality and avoid costly emergency repairs that could disrupt patient care. For roofing contractors, it also represents an opportunity to build lasting relationships with medical providers by becoming a trusted partner in maintaining their facilities. 

As the healthcare industry continues to expand and evolve, the importance of reliable roofing will only increase. Every decision, from product selection to installation to long-term maintenance, directly impacts patient satisfaction, safety, operational continuity and the overall success of the facility. Roofing contractors and manufacturers who understand these unique demands are positioned to deliver solutions that go far beyond traditional construction.