CCS Influencer Johnny Walker says that successful roof restoration begins with a thorough evaluation of the roof’s condition, maintenance history, moisture levels and the building owner’s goals to determine whether restoration is truly the right solution.

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Johnny Walker of ICP APOC. You can read the interview below, listen to the podcast or watch the recording.

Emma: Hi everyone, I'm Emma Richardson. I'm here with CoatingsCoffeeShop.com and our Coatings Influencer Johnny Walker of ICP APOC. Johnny, how are you?

Johnny Walker: I'm good. Emma, how are you today?

Emma: I'm doing just fine, thank you. Well our topic for August is knowing when restoration is the right option for a roof. Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share?

Johnny Walker: Man, lots of thoughts. You know, restorations are great, but they're not meant for every roof. So you you need to start with evaluation, knowing the roof condition, the age of the roof, moisture content in the system, and also understanding what the building owner's looking for. What's their long term, short term goals on this? You know, sometimes they're just looking to sell the building and maybe they're going to be tearing the building down. So knowing what their objective is is important, but then also knowing the roof condition. Is there moisture in the roof? What's the makeup of the roof? Can we have what systems on it now and can we properly bond to it? Is there a lot of ponding water? So all of those types of things are going to come into determining if this is a viable option for that particular roof.

Emma: Awesome. Thank you so much. That's a great answer. And what would you say people are looking for when they do a roof inspection that might flag it for being good or bad?

Johnny Walker: Yeah, so one of the biggest flags is when we block these roofs and they're just horribly maintained. Every roof system, I don't care what it is, needs to be inspected twice a year. After every major storm, somebody should be looking at that, cleaning drains, removing debris and doing minor repair and touch up. Doesn't matter whether that's a modified built-up roof, a single ply roof or a metal roof. They have to maintain those roofs. Poorly maintained roofs are going to have more internal problems. They have leaks that have occurred. You could have potentially more wet insulation in there. So the big red flag for us is on day one we're going to walk that roof, look at the maintenance, we're going to walk on the inside. How many active leaks do they have? Those types of things are going to give us a real idea of what the internal structure of the roof is.

Emma: Awesome. Thank you so much, Johnny. And we will catch you next month for September.

Johnny Walker: Sounds great, Emma. Thanks for having me on.

In this CoatingsCoffeeShop™ Coffee Conversations, host Megan Ellsworth is joined by John Kenney from Cotney Consulting Group and Johnny Walker from APOC to examine market research into the profitability, challenges and opportunities shaping commercial roof restoration today. Drawing on insights from the APOC Roof Restoration Index and years of industry experience, the discussion examines how restoration is helping contractors address labor shortages, improve efficiency, create new business opportunities and deliver greater value to building owners. Watch this episode for some surprising numbers!

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By Emma Peterson. 

Johnny Walker explains how contractors can guide clients through the decision between roof replacement and restoration coatings. 

Coatings can be a reliable and convenient way to improve a roof. But they’re not necessarily right for every situation. To learn how you determine whether to suggest coatings to a client, Megan Ellsworth sat down for a special episode of CoatingsCast™ featuring Johnny Walker from APOC/ICP Group.  

Over the course of his career, Johnny has had around four decades of experience with coating systems. Over the decades, he has found that many building owners instinctively lean towards tear offs and replacements over coatings. He explained, “They think, ‘If I tear it all off, I'm getting a brand-new roof and that's the way I want to go.’”  

And this decision isn’t technically wrong. Some building owners prefer starting fresh, whether it’s because they received the building from someone else and don’t know the pre-existing roof state or just prefer to stay in their comfort zone. But, for a lot of building owners, a contractor who asks the right questions and has the right information to share can shift their decision towards coatings.  

What type of things do you need to ask? Johnny explained:  

The first step is always determining a roof’s physical eligibility. And if it is something you could coat, you then need to think about what the building owner’s priorities are. Because if they want to save on the cost of labor and materials, coatings are going to be a great option. Same with sustainability, if they’re trying to reduce waste and build something that can be perpetually restored rather than replaced, coatings are a great choice. 

Further, roof restorations are less invasive than tear-offs, which can make them a good solution for crucial buildings like hospitals that cannot be closed for the course of project. Overall, it is key for every roofer to take the time to work with their client to understand their motivations. Because by understanding their motivations, you will be better equipped to talk to them about restoring their roof with a coating and the benefits that come with that. 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about advising clients making the choice between restoration and replacement. 

By Jesse Sanchez. 

ICP’s Jay Doubman shares how coatings help protect, restore and extend the life of surfaces across roofing, sports and building materials. 

From rooftops to courts, coatings play a powerful role in helping surfaces last longer and perform better. At the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) show in San Antonio, Texas, Jay Doubman, CEO of ICP Building Solutions Group, joined Heidi J. Ellsworth to talk about the many ways coatings support the built environment; including rooftops, building envelopes, sports surfaces, parking garages and flooring systems. 

ICP has grown through acquisition into what Jay described as “a rollup of coatings, adhesives and sealants companies” serving the building materials industry. Today, that includes product lines connected to architectural coatings, sports surfaces, polyurethane products and roof coatings, which Jay noted is one of the company’s larger segments.  

Across all of those markets, one thing remains consistent: coatings are at the center of the work. “We are really all about coatings,” Jay said, explaining that ICP’s research and development teams often collaborate across categories. That shared technical knowledge allows expertise from one market to help support innovation in another, strengthening the company’s broader coatings portfolio. 

One of the biggest opportunities Jay sees across the coatings industry is restoration. Whether it is a low-slope commercial roof, a playing court or another surface that still has a sound structure beneath it, coatings can offer a practical way to protect existing materials and extend their service life. “If you think about a commercial roof, a flat roof or low slope roof on a factory that’s reached an end of life or started to leak, you can take a very expensive option of taking the whole roof off or oftentimes you can coat it,” Jay said. “If it’s in good structural condition, you can coat it and extend the life.” 

That same protection mindset applies beyond roofing. In sports surfaces, ICP has seen strong international activity, including a notable presence in Australia. Jay highlighted Cool Top, a pigment system developed in Australia to help reduce playing surface temperatures and support better performance for athletes and facilities. 

But even the best coating depends on the people putting it down. Jay emphasized that proper installation, contractor training and strong installer relationships are essential across ICP’s markets. He noted, “No coating is going to really perform if it’s not installed correctly.” 

ICP also continues to stay active in industry associations, including ASBA, the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) and the American Coatings Association (ACA). For Jay, these organizations give the industry a shared voice on challenges, opportunities and issues that no single company can solve alone. 

From restoration to surface protection, ICP’s work shows how coatings can help contractors, building owners and facility managers get more life and value out of the surfaces they already have. 

Watch the full interview to learn more about ICP’s coatings, restoration and surface protection solutions!

By Emma Peterson. 

APOC’s sloping compound makes it easier to fill low spots, improve water flow and protect roofing systems from long-term damage. 

Ponding water is standing water on flat or low-lying parts of a roof and, as every commercial contractor knows all too well, can cause a series of issues including but not limited to moisture intrusion, roof system deterioration and mold growth. Ponding water can also be a frustrating problem to solve, as fixing it often entails changing the slope of the entire roof.  

To help make this problem easier to solve, the team at APOC developed a cost-effective, acrylic-modified, cementitious sloping compound specifically engineered to address ponding water issues. This product, RoofSlope®, provides “a way to fill in low spots on flat roofs and achieve positive slope to aid in proper drainage.” RoofSlope is perfect for both new construction and retrofit work as the patented technology behind the product allows it to create a durable finish that attaches to a wide variety of substrates and matches existing roof compositions. 

The best part? Application in the field is as simple as five steps that can be completed in one trip to the job site: 

1. Clean and prepare: As with any low-slope roofing application, the first step is to clean your roof and ensure that the membrane you’re installing on top of is sound. 
2. Mix, mix, mix: RoofSlope is designed to be mixed with water for application. APOC guidelines dictate that one pail of RoofSlope needs to be thoroughly mixed with 1 ¼ gallons of water. 
3. Application: Once the roof is prepared and the mixture of RoofSlope and water is smooth, contractors should apply it to the roof using a screed board and a trowel. A wet paintbrush is also recommended in order to slope the product flush to the membrane without any lips or raised edges.  
4. Broadcast: This product is fast drying, so you want to immediately broadcast roof granules or sand of similar size (16 grit) onto the product after application while it is still wet. 
5. Clean up: Warm soapy water should be used to clean both tools and hands, with a thorough rinse to ensure product has been removed. 

And with just those five steps, contractors can achieve positive slope on roofs, achieve proper drainage and resolve any ponding issues before they lead to roof system failures.  

Learn more about RoofSlope!

Join us for this special Live CoatingsTalk on the final day of a three-day multi-sport athletic surface install project with California Sports Surfaces and CourTex Construction. We’ll explore the growing sport surface niche, the unique demands of athletic coatings and the importance of strong contractor-manufacturer relationships. From selecting California Sports Surfaces CoolTop® to applying color coats, laying out lines and completing final touch-ups, the conversation will highlight how each step affects texture, playability and long-term performance. We’ll also cover common installation mistakes, final inspections, cure times and the details that separate a court that simply looks good from one built to perform.

Register now!

Join us for this special Live CoatingsTalk on the final day of a three-day multi-sport athletic surface install project with California Sports Surfaces and CourTex Construction. We’ll explore the growing sport surface niche, the unique demands of athletic coatings and the importance of strong contractor-manufacturer relationships. From selecting California Sports Surfaces CoolTop® to applying color coats, laying out lines and completing final touch-ups, the conversation will highlight how each step affects texture, playability and long-term performance. We’ll also cover common installation mistakes, final inspections, cure times and the details that separate a court that simply looks good from one built to perform.

Register now!

In this CoatingsCoffeeShop® Coffee Conversations, sponsored by APOC, industry leaders take a deep look at where the roof restoration market is headed right now and what’s driving change. We start with introductions and move quickly into the biggest trends shaping the sector, from economic pressures and sustainability priorities to the growing impact of AI and technology on restoration practices. The panel explores why demand for restoration services is rising, how customers respond to sustainability as a selling point compared with tear-offs, and what larger market forces are influencing contractor decisions. Along the way, we dig into how the insurance environment intersects with these trends and whether we’re seeing similar patterns across the country. Finally, we point contractors to resources and strategies that can help them stay ahead in a fast-evolving restoration landscape.

Listen to the podcast.

Watch the Coffee Conversations.

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how APOC goes above and beyond for their contractors. 

In a new Roofing Road Trips® episode, Karen Edwards sat down with Anthony Martin to talk about how APOC, an ICP Group brand, works to help contractors succeed both on and off the roof. Anthony is the Southwest regional sales director for APOC, putting him in direct, daily contact with contractors from Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.  

In his work with these contractors, Anthony follows one clear philosophy: “Our job as manufacturers is to make it easy for our contractors.” What does making things easy look like? Anthony elaborated:  

We're really here to help build people's businesses, help contractors that maybe have done steep-slope roof systems for the last 30 years and are looking to launch other avenues and create new revenue streams for their companies. And we want to help them with that because we know that without our contractors we wouldn’t be here. 

A great example of this in action is Anthony and his fellow territory managers’ day-to-day work. Anthony described how the territory manager system operates:  

We have multiple territory managers strategically placed throughout the country, and they’re all considered training experts in our field.  So we make sure there is always someone there to support the contractor, whether that requires roof walks, roof inspections, project installs, on infield, on-site training.  

Another example of APOC’s contractor support is their rewards program, which gives contractors an opportunity to earn points (which can be redeemed for cash and other prizes) as they install APOC products.  

Want to learn more about APOC’s rewards program and the other ways they support their contractors? Listen to the whole podcast or Watch the recording.  

In this CoatingsCoffeeShop® Coffee Conversations, sponsored by APOC, industry leaders take a deep look at where the roof restoration market is headed right now and what’s driving change. We start with introductions and move quickly into the biggest trends shaping the sector, from economic pressures and sustainability priorities to the growing impact of AI and technology on restoration practices. The panel explores why demand for restoration services is rising, how customers respond to sustainability as a selling point compared with tear-offs, and what larger market forces are influencing contractor decisions. Along the way, we dig into how the insurance environment intersects with these trends and whether we’re seeing similar patterns across the country. Finally, we point contractors to resources and strategies that can help them stay ahead in a fast-evolving restoration landscape.

Listen to the podcast.

Watch the Coffee Conversations.