It’s hard to say exactly when the first commercial roofs actually appeared. Buildings erected by merchants date back many centuries, and the use of some practices still used in commercial roofing today – such as the application of coatings – dates back more than 4,000 years to Ancient Egypt. Some of the most important innovations in commercial roofing, however, have only come in the past couple of centuries with the addition of BUR in the 19th century and modified bitumen, PVC and TPO since the last 50-60 years.
Compared to the last few centuries, it’s important to note all the numerous advances that commercial roofing technology has gone through. The introduction of cool roofs designed to reflect UV radiation and keep the building cool, the addition of improved roof coatings to protect from temperature and precipitation changes, and the implementation of fluid applied reinforced roofing (FARR) approaches are just some of the innovations that are worth mentioning.
The roofs of today are very diverse, and while the focus is still mostly on flat roofing, you have a lot of options when it comes to the shape, slope and material you want for your commercial roof. Some of the most popular installations include asphalt (particularly modified bitumen), TPO roofing for tough weather, EPDM for longevity and lower cost, and metal roofing for low maintenance applications.
Additionally, it has to be mentioned that the durability and the resistance to chemical damage that the latest PVC roofing constructions are associated with are also pretty impressive. Some commercial roofing Denver CO experts say that PVC is considered nowadays to be among the best roofing choices on the market, right up there with TPO and EPDM roofs.