Post date: May 4, 2015 12:48:45 PM
I originally thought of EPDM - a single-ply rubber membrane - for my flat roof. But it is black, and black absorbs considerable heat from the sun, making it environmentally a poor choice in the desert southwest.
My architect suggested PVC, so I studied PVC roofing materials, techniques, installation, and local vendors. I got several bids, and some of these included an even newer material TPO.
After a lengthy telephone consultation with an experienced roofing engineer in Albuquerque I went back to EPDM. His company has installed these roofs in the ski areas above Taos and at the Albuquerque airport.
So, what changed? I had considered laminated EPDM, with a white layer over the naturally black rubber. But the white laminate is expensive, not very robust, and must be renewed every decade or so at considerable expense. The engineer suggested simply spray painting the black EPDM with white acrylic paint.
The paint also has the advantage that traffic wear will show up with the paint — allowing be to protect the roof with a walkway — and is easily repainted without special preparation.
So it appears that I will be using a 50-year-old material to cover my fake-adobe house.