Some people prefer to finish their flat roof with lead flashings instead of grp flashings as a fibreglass roof installer i prefer the look of traditional lead flashings also.
Fibreglass flat roof coverings.
Grp stands for glass reinforced polyester a composite material formed by strengthening plastic with fine fibres made of glass.
A grp flat roof or fiberglass roof as it s also known is one of the most popular flat roofing solutions in the uk.
There is a downside to fibreglass unlike bitumen felt it cannot be laid onto old ply or chipboard.
The epdm roof is now the most common flat roofing system in the u s.
It s commonly seen on smaller flat roofs such as single garages porch roofs and door canopies.
Fibreglass is suitable for any shape roof.
Materials can be cut to the shape of the roof and the appropriate trims used to cover a surface effectively.
Glass reinforced plastic grp is comprised of polyester resin and chopped strand mat glass fibres which are mixed together to form a laminate.
Potential problems with flat roof coverings.
Roll asphalt flat roof roll asphalt is made up of layers of asphalt coated fibreglass tar felt and water resistant materials all of which are kept in place with nails or asphalt cement.
This can include epdm rubber and fibreglass talked about above but commonly especially in the trade and in this article it refers to pvc tpo tpe and pib.
In short any roof covering that can make a flat roof waterproof in one layer unlike roofing felt with its 3 layer system for instance.
The flexibility of grp flat roofing means that it can easily be applied to both large areas and small as well as fit any design.
One of the benefits is that you can finish with sand and cement and retain the look of a period property for example.
The top layer is covered with gravel which protects the roof from ultraviolet rays.
Thus when many people use the term flat roof they are really talking about a rubber roof.
Topseal grp fibreglass flat roofing systems have been installed on millions of square metres of roofs over the last 20 years all over the uk.
The biggest allure of course is the low up front cost.
It was first used on flat roofs several decades ago but got an undeserved bad reputation due to poor workmanship and techniques that have now been improved with updated standards.
Below is a guide to each type of flat roof covering.
This material has been used for decades and is often seen on boats.