ᐅ EPDM Roofing Membrane (Weight vs. Seams)

Created on: 6 Jan 2021 20:32
D
daytona
D
daytona
6 Jan 2021 20:32
Hello everyone,
I would like to ask for your opinion and experience:
I have a gable roof with a 9° pitch, 6.8 m (22.3 ft) wide and about 5.9 m (19.4 ft) on each side from eaves to ridge. This is on an outbuilding with an eaves height of approximately 5.5 m (18 ft). I am considering installing EPDM membrane here and am unsure whether to cover the entire area with a single sheet or work with seams that would need to be welded. One single sheet would weigh around 120 kg (265 lbs). Using a pulley, I’m confident I could lift it up, but the question remains about handling. Sealing 12 m (39.4 ft) long longitudinal seams with seam tape is also quite costly.
By the way: all as a DIY project... ;-)
Knöpfchen8 Jan 2021 20:50
If at all possible, it’s best to do it in one piece.
If necessary, have a second person help.
I installed EPDM on a flat roof myself with a fleece layer in between because there was already a bitumen membrane underneath.
I glued two pieces together using a special rubber adhesive.
Cleaned and roughened the edge, then bonded them like a patch on a bicycle inner tube.
It was easy and worked well; it’s been holding for about 10 years now.
I was able to order the matching adhesive along with it.
D
daytona
9 Jan 2021 20:48
Hello, yes, I am also leaning towards a single piece...
Knöpfchen10 Jan 2021 20:31
If you install EPDM, don’t cut off the excess on the sides exactly to size right away—wait muuuch longer before trimming. Unfortunately, I did it the other way. Even though it was secured with drip edges, it still pulled back over time. 🤨
A
apokolok
11 Jan 2021 09:23
Do you have a few helpers on the roof?
The slope is quite easy to walk on.
I would say that with four people, you can manage it in one go, although bonding the parts is not that simple given the dimensions.
D
daytona
11 Jan 2021 09:32
Hello,
yes, many hands make light work ;-) I already have several helpers available on site. In the meantime, I checked with a supplier of foil regarding the question mentioned above, and they said the foil can be easily shifted due to the tallow, allowing for smooth sliding, so alignment should work well.
I will apply the adhesive in stages, first one side of the ridge, then the other. The only challenge is when folding back one side—to secure the weight on the other side and prevent it from slipping.