Bitumen: An Ultimate Roofing Option for You

Bitumen roofing or a modified bitumen roof is one of the long lasting roof options for any building. Bitumen roofing can be used in either hot or cold atmospheres. Roughly 102 million tonnes per year bitumen is used across the globe. 85% of the bitumen produced is used as a binder for road construction. Bitumen grades are Penetration grade bitumen, Oxidised bitumen grade, Cutback bitumen, Bitumen Emulsion and Polymer-modified bitumen.

Bitumen and bituminous materials are used for roofing, road construction and civil engineering applications. In India, 90% of bitumen is used in road construction and the rest for waterproofing and roofing needs. It can be recycled 100% making it the most recycled construction material globally.

Why Bitumen for Roofing?

Natural bitumen was used for waterproofing, and as an adhesive. Bitumen is an essential material for the roofing industry as it will create waterproof structures that will help them last longer. Bitumen can be used for any range of roofing types including single ply membrane systems, roofing felt and asphalt roofing. 

Modified bitumen is the more-budget friendly option for roofing due to its durability, flexibility and water resistance capacity. OfBusiness is a raw material aggregator and offers competitive bitumen prices for buyers. Buyers can use the highly advanced e-procurement portal for ordering any grade of bitumen easily.

Bitumen is easy to install and offers a wide variety of protection from weather and water. Bitumen roofing is highly praised for being aesthetically pleasing. Bitumen for roofing can be applied through mopped asphalt, self-adhesive sheets or cold-applied adhesives. The material will melt and merge creating strong bonds and do not allow water to enter. Modified bitumen roofing can last more than 20 years with minimal maintenance. Weatherproof construction and high tensile strength make it ideal for locations with frequent weather changes.

There are many advantages to bitumen roofs. Modified bitumen roofing is a common choice for low-slope roofing systems and low-slope building applications compared to “tar-and-gravel” roofing. 

1. Resistance to tear – Modified bitumen roofing is tear-resistant due to its high bonding strength, making it an ideal option for commercial roofs with high foot traffic.

2. Waterproof – Bitumen itself is a substance that does not allow water to pass through. So when layers of bitumen are applied on residential or commercial roofs, it becomes waterproof.

3. Reduces temperature inside the building – Increase in temperature on the roof is positively correlated with the increase in the room temperature. Bitumen has features like solar reflectance that reflect the sunlight instead of absorbing it. It also has the capacity to do thermal emission where already absorbed heat is emitted thereby cooling indoor areas. This will result in low energy consumption.

4. High tensile strength – Bitumen is flexible and has high impact resistance. Modified bitumen roofing can expand and contract without breaking even when there are sudden temperature shifts or from adverse weather conditions.

5. Easy maintenance – Bitumen roofing can easily be repaired using bitumen patches making it very ideal for roofs with larger areas.

6. Long-lasting – Bitumen roofing can last more than 20 years with no or minimal maintenance. It is capable of withstanding temperature shifts due to its polymer modification.

Conclusion

Bitumen roofing is a durable and low maintenance roofing option for household or commercial roofing applications. Bitumen roofing is one of the strongest commercial roofing systems. OfBusiness provides all grades of bitumen at competitive prices.