Been dealing with a flat roof replacement for my small business and man, it's been a bit of a ride. I went with EPDM at first cause it seemed affordable and reliable, but lately I've been hearing good stuff about TPO and PVC too. EPDM's been decent but I dunno, seems to attract dirt like crazy and looks worn kinda quick. Anyone else got experience with these roofing materials? Curious if TPO or PVC woulda been better long-term...
Went through something similar a few years back when we redid the flat roof on our garage. We ended up going with TPO after debating EPDM and PVC. Honestly, it's held up pretty well—still looks clean, and dirt doesn't stick as much as I've seen with EPDM roofs around here. PVC was tempting too, heard it's super durable, but the cost difference made us lean toward TPO. No regrets yet...knock on wood.
Good to hear your TPO is holding up well. Went the EPDM route myself about five years ago—mostly because I liked the idea of a simpler DIY install (just roll it out and glue). It's been solid overall, but definitely agree about the dirt issue...needs a good clean every spring. PVC sounded great, but the cost difference didn't seem justified for my small-ish garage. Anyway, sounds like you made a smart choice—hope it keeps going strong for you.
"PVC sounded great, but the cost difference didn't seem justified for my small-ish garage."
Yeah, I hear you on PVC. When I was researching options, it seemed like the premium price was mostly for the cleaner look and slightly better chemical resistance—neither of which mattered much for my backyard shed. Ended up going EPDM too, and it's been decent enough, though I gotta admit the dirt buildup is annoying. Still skeptical about TPO longevity, but glad it's working out for folks here...maybe I'll reconsider next time around.
Interesting to read everyone's experiences here. Recently had to tackle a flat roof replacement myself after buying my first home, and I went through a similar decision-making process. Initially leaned toward EPDM because of the cost-effectiveness, but after some digging around, I ended up going with TPO. My reasoning was mostly based on the reflective properties and energy efficiency—figured it might help with cooling costs in the summer months. It's only been about a year, but so far, it's holding up nicely. Dirt accumulation hasn't been too noticeable yet, though I imagine that could change over time. PVC did seem appealing for durability and chemical resistance, but like others mentioned, the price jump was a bit steep for my budget. Curious to see how TPO performs long-term compared to EPDM, but for now, I'm satisfied with the choice.
