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    1. Case Studies

    Problem Solved: Underlayment Keeps Roof Prepped and Watertight Up to Ninety Days

    Feb. 28, 2003
    In Colorado, the elements are fierce for at least eight months out of the year with snow, rain, ice and some of the strongest ultra violet rays in the country.  Located at what some would call the top of the world, Boulder, Colorado sees it all.Roofing in Colorado, has its challenges in that the weather changes by the moment.  What was at one time a sunny day can change to a horrendous thunderstorm in a matter of moments.  Contractors have learned that everything has to be dried in if they are going to protect their buildings.  Until recently, that was usually done by laying down the underlayment and getting the roofing material installed quickly.Academy Roofing out of Aurora, CO, is one of the premiere tile roofing contractors in the area.  They have worked with all types of underlayments.  This year they began to use PolystickÔ TU from PolyglassÒ and things have begun to change.  “We could never leave a roof with just the underlayment before,” stated Bruce Stewart, President of Academy Roofing.  “The Polystick TU underlayment is a self adhesive underlayment that can be left on the roof for up to 90 days before being covered.  We have building officials who will only let a roof remain uncompleted for any length of time if it is dried in with Polystick TU.Polystick is a new family of underlayments that have been developed by Polyglass, Inc.  Polyglass is well known in the modified bitumen market with a full line of BUR, torch and self-adhesive products.  The Polystick line now brings the full force of their self-adhesive technology to the residential market.The Polystick technology is a result of years of research and experience, which has grown into the answer for the needs of the residential market, simple and affordable.  “We developed underlayment products that fit the need of the products they are under,” stated Ed Farina, Vice President of Polyglass USA.  “We have a market full of underlayment products that are “one size fits all”.  We felt that it was important to provide the right underlayment for the right roofing at the right price point.”

    With that philosophy, Polyglass developed Polystick TU for tile underlayment applications; Polystick MU for metal roofing applications; Polystick P, which is surfaced with high strength polyethylene film laminate; and Polystick IR-X with granular surface for skid resistance.  They are all applied by removing the peel-off backing and pressing to a suitable, dry substrate.

    Polystick is a Self Adhesive product that utilizes both SBS and APP technologies.  It’s easy self adhesive application makes it very popular with the roofing crews.  “Our crews love the Polystick TU,” stated Jason Gillis, estimator for Academy Roofing.  “They really like the fact that it is sanded.  They can walk on it without slipping.  It has definitely helped our safety.  We do a number of steep tile jobs a year and this product has really made a difference.”  Polystick TU is manufactured using a homogeneous rubberized asphalt waterproofing compound in combination with reinforced glass fiber mat.  The underlayment is engineered with a granular surface designed specifically for use under tile roofing. The rubberized asphalt seals around the nails through the weathering surface. The underlayment also has high temperature qualities for the warmer climates.  Split/perforated release backing film aids in the easy positioning of sheets to maintain proper line.  Polystick TU carries the important ICBO Classification.Recently, Academy roofed two homes in the area using the Polystick TU.  They are now specifying Polystick TU on all of their tile jobs.  One of the side benefits of the product is that they can dry in the roof immediately.  That enables subcontractors to start work much faster than in the past when the entire roofing system would have to be installed before it was considered dried in.One of the houses was new construction with a 12/12 pitch that was specified with 80 squares of WesTile.  “In new construction, the Polystick is really helping with our timelines”, stated Peter Barnes of Bowen Custom Builders.  Bowen Custom Builders is the general contractor for the new construction project currently finishing up.  “Polystick is saving us time.  Before we would have to wait for the entire roof.  Now we can begin scheduling our subcontractors as soon as the Polystick TU is laid.”Stewart agrees that it is a time saver and he notes that it is easier when dealing with stucco siding.  “Before we would have to complete the tile roofs in order to pass inspection.  That would mean fighting stucco on the tiles.  If we did use felt it was very hard getting the stucco off the felt without tearing it.  We do not have that problem with Polystick.  It dries in the roof and if it does get stucco on it, it wipes off easily.”“The crews like the underlayment too,” Gillis commented.  “The self adhesive application is easy and familiar to our crews.  They have found it is faster then felt and it is definitely more reliable when drying in the roof.”“In the last couple of years, felt shortages have really stressed the residential roofing market,” agreed Dan Govan of McCracken Sales, the Polyglass representative in Colorado.  “The Polystick family of products is filling a void for the contractors.  They can rely on it and it works very well for all types of applications.”“The advent of self adhesives is upon us,” agreed Farina.  “We are seeing both commercially and residentially that contractors are looking for alternatives.  They want products that apply easy and are designed for their specific application needs.  We are also finding that the traditional means of application, nails, heat or adhesives, are losing their appeal with the contractors, builders and homeowners.  They want a no fuss, no noise, and no smell option for their roofing experience.  Polystick and Polyglass Self Adhesives are filling that need.”The second home where Academy Roofing used the Polystick TU was a re-roof using slate.  “We have found that the Polystick TU works great under slate as well as tile,” stated Stewart.  “When dealing with the slate, the TU is very safe to walk on.  The homeowner is happy due to the fact that we are reducing noise with the self-adhesive and increasing safety with the sanded surface.  We are finding that the safety and productivity are both huge benefits of this product.”Since the slate re-roof was a 12/12 pitch, safety was key.  “Often felt and other underlayments are simply to slick,” Stewart continued.  “We specialize in reproofing high-end homes that tend towards the steeper pitches.  We need products that protect both the home and our crews.”“We are getting requests for the Polystick products from builders and homeowners alike,” said Govan.  “They are really interested in this product due to the dry in features.  We are finding that a Polystick roof can easily sit for three months without breaking down.  In fact, we have had homes survive numerous rain storms.”Barnes agrees, “As a builder, it is crucial to keep things moving.  Polystick TU gets us in quickly and protects our progress.  I have seen it withstand huge thunderstorms while staying 100% dry.  That is what we need.”

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