Silicone is a tool, not a miracle

CCS Influencer Greg Hlavaty says silicone coatings are a wonderful technology when used properly, but they are not a "miracle in a bucket."

A major impact to the coating and even the entire roofing industry is the improper and over use of silicone coatings. Silicone coating is a wonderful technology when used properly. However it has become evident that it is being used as a “fix-all” for low slope roofs with problems. Because the product itself can withstand ponding water it is mistakenly thought that the roof it is rolled onto is also able to withstand ponding. Not always the case. Additionally it is thought that unreinforced silicone can be a full weatherproof membrane. Again not always the case. We get on roofs every day that have silicone brushed, rolled and slopped around as a fix for all the roofs problems.

The issue is that this product is being sold to untrained contractors and represented as a “miracle in a bucket.” This is a term that the coating industry has been fighting for decades. We have gotten away from that term being use about us but here we are again. Coatings are not a “miracle in a bucket,” but real products that if used and specified responsibly are significant addition to the entire roofing industry. The mis-use of silicone coatings has set the roof coating industry back years. All coatings should come with some education or at least proper information at point of sale. But silicone in particular has become the most widely used without any knowledge by contractors.

Like us, most coating manufacturers have a silicone in their line. It is up to us as responsible manufacturers to sell it responsibly or the impact on the coating industry will be a “black-eye” that we will have to live with for years. I am sure there will be other manufacturers that will not agree with me, but I am speaking from input we are receiving regularly from our contractors, consultants and building owners.