I hear you on the standing water, but I’ve had a different experience with coatings—mine’s held up about five years now on a low-slope EPDM. I did two coats and made sure to hit a dry spell for curing. Maybe just lucky with the weather window, but it’s still sticking. Wonder if the brand or timing makes more difference than we think...
Brand and timing definitely play a bigger role than most folks realize. I’ve seen the same coating last three years on one job and barely make it through a single winter on another, even though both were low-slope EPDM. Prep is huge, but honestly, weather’s the wild card. If you get a surprise shower or even just high humidity during curing, that stuff can bubble or peel way sooner than it should.
I’m curious—did you do any primer before your coats? Some of these newer coatings claim you don’t need it, but I’ve had better luck when I take the extra step, especially if the membrane’s older or chalky. Also, not all brands are created equal. There’s a couple out there that just don’t seem to handle ponding water, no matter what the label says.
One thing I’ve noticed: roofs with more shade or spots that never fully dry out tend to have more issues with peeling. Sun helps cure, but too much heat can mess things up too. It’s a balancing act. Timing the job for a good stretch of dry, mild weather is almost as important as the product itself.
I’ve had clients swear by certain coatings because they got lucky with conditions, while others are convinced all coatings are junk after one bad experience. Sometimes it’s just the luck of the draw with weather and prep. Out of curiosity, did you notice any difference in how thick you applied each coat? Too thin or too thick can both cause problems down the line.
It’s kind of funny—sometimes I think we spend more time worrying about the weather forecast than actually rolling out the coating...
I get what you’re saying about timing and weather, but honestly, I’m not convinced it’s all just bad luck. I followed every step—cleaned, primed, used two different brands—and still had peeling within a year. My neighbor did his in the middle of a humid week and it’s holding up better than mine. Sometimes I think these coatings are just overhyped for older roofs, no matter how careful you are. Maybe newer membranes work better, but with anything older, it feels like a gamble either way.
That’s wild about your neighbor’s roof holding up better, especially with the humidity. Makes you wonder if there’s some secret sauce we’re all missing, or if it really is just a roll of the dice with older roofs. I’ve seen coatings peel off in sheets on some jobs, even when folks swear they did everything by the book—cleaned, primed, waited for the “perfect” weather window. Other times, someone slaps it on in less-than-ideal conditions and it sticks for years. Go figure.
Do you know what kind of roof membrane you’ve got under there? Some of those older materials just don’t play nice with modern coatings, no matter how much prep you do. I’ve had a few customers swear by switching to a newer membrane before recoating, but that’s not exactly cheap or easy. Sometimes I wonder if these products are more about marketing than real-world results... or maybe roofs just have their own personalities.
Ever notice if your roof gets more sun or wind than your neighbor’s? Sometimes microclimates make a bigger difference than we think.
Sometimes I wonder if these products are more about marketing than real-world results... or maybe roofs just have their own personalities.
Honestly, I’ve started to think my roof’s got a stubborn streak. I went through the whole prep checklist—pressure washed, let it dry for two days, primed with the “right” stuff, and still had peeling after one summer. Meanwhile, my neighbor just rolled on some bargain-bin coating and hasn’t touched it in years. Only big difference is his gets afternoon shade and less wind. Maybe that’s the trick? Still not convinced replacing the membrane is worth the cost unless you’re already redoing everything. Sometimes I feel like it’s a losing battle with these old materials, but I’m too cheap to give up yet.