Past Project

Check out this stunning project we worked on for http://www.omahabuilders.net.nz/
We Installed Butynol to gutters and roof/deck sections and also waterproofed the bathrooms with Ardex WPM 001! Design was by Martin Harnish.
http://trendsideas.com/Article12286/NewZealand/OutdoorLiving

TPO Membrane

We've been getting some inquiries lately about TPO or TPE membranes, so I thought I'd take a moment to provide a bit of info!

What's TPO you ask?

TPO is Thermo-plastic-polyefin. It's a type of plastic with fibre glass reinforcing. 

It's mechanically fastened and glued and the seam joins are joined using a hot air welder.

TPO is currently a bit of a trend for flat roofs -in the right situations  it's a useful product and we are able to to lay it (we use ARDEX TPO, which is made by Firestone). It does have some downsides though - mostly its lack of adaptability.

If you have large areas of flat roof it can be a good choice, as it is wider than Butynol and Torch on membranes and weighs less. It has great reflective properties and can be use dfor potable water.

The detailing and outlets are quite different on TPO than that are for other membranes. There are a lot more factory formed pieces (its quite a rigid material).

Because of its rigidity TPO is not suited to box gutters or complex detailing.

In the USA where it is most common TPO roofs are always formed to outlets without gutters - which obviously adds difficulty and cost to the ply laying process.

For more info:

http://www.tporoofing.org/

http://www.ardex.co.nz/products/waterproofing/tpo_

Masterseal (NZ) specializes in providing engineered waterproofing solutions

Masterseal (NZ) specializes in providing engineered waterproofing solutions for both commercial and residential applications, throughout the greater Auckland region.

It is our belief that every waterproofing situation is unique, and requires careful attention to material specification and installation. There is no single 'wonder product' for all applications.
To reflect this, we select from a wide range of high quality materials.

Roof Membrane History

Traditionally flat roofs would use a tar and gravel based surface which, as long as there was no pooling of water, was sufficient to prevent penetration. However, these surfaces would tend to fail in colder climates, where ice dams and the like could block the flow of water. Similarly, they tend to be sensitive to sagging of the roof reversing the subtle grading of the surface.

Modern flat roofs tend to use a continuous membrane covering which can better resist pools of standing water. These membranes are applied as a continuous sheet where possible, though sealants and adhesives are available to allow for bonding multiple sheets and dealing with structures penetrating the roof surface. Far more expensive flat roof options include sealed metal roofs using copper or tin. These are soldered interlocking systems of metal panels.