Stick, seal, sustain

By Jesse Sanchez. 

From cold climates to hurricane zones, this self-adhering roofing system is meeting new challenges with old-school reliability and some smart tweaks. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Heidi J. Ellsworth connects with Abby Feinstein of CertainTeed to celebrate 21 years of Flintlastic SA, a milestone that’s less about age and more about evolution. Since the product’s core formula hasn’t changed much since its launch, the conversation looks into why that's a strength. 

Abby, who serves as director of product management, marketing and sustainability, reveals how Flintlastic SA continues to check every box for contractors. “The longer an SA system sits, that bond only increases as it ages,” she says. “It really sticks.” This pressure-sensitive adhesive, long valued for ease of installation and safety, is proving it can also hold its own against severe weather and high-performance expectations. 

The system’s durability is being stress-tested by climate realities, from wind uplift to extreme hail and holding strong. Abby notes, “You wouldn’t think that a pressure-sensitive adhesive would afford you the same wind uplift that a torch does, but it does.” CertainTeed has even issued a technical bulletin to address contractor skepticism.  

Another major initiative for CertainTeed and Flintlastic SA? Waste reduction. “We’re working on a recycling facility and turning our Little Rock manufacturing facility into zero waste,” Abby shares. All Flintlastic scrap will be reintegrated into new product without compromising quality, a big sustainability win for the company and the industry. 

In regions like California, where landfill regulations and VOC restrictions are tightening, Flintlastic SA offers more than just compliance, it delivers cost-saving sustainability. By reintegrating scrap into new product without compromising quality, CertainTeed is reducing waste and helping contractors lower material costs. Abby states that this kind of closed-loop manufacturing is a game changer in states with strict environmental standards. “Hospitals, schools, areas where occupant disturbance is a problem, that’s a microcosm that is the state of California,” she notes, but the bigger win is how Flintlastic SA aligns with both environmental goals and the bottom line. 

For over two decades, Flintlastic continues to be a reliable material for contractors.  As Abby puts it, “They’re putting it down faster, it’s less labor-intensive and they’re making more money.” With some smart tweaks along the way, CertainTeed is delivering quality products while, according to Abby, “finding ways to make products more sustainable, less embodied energy at the plant, more recycled materials. That's really where our focus is on, sustainability.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about what’s next from CertainTeed!