Coatings and Sealants Steven Wadding RRC, RRO, CDT, Corporate Projects Manager, Polyglass U.S.A. Inc.
The Built Environment
What is the built environment? When we talk about the traditional building, it is typically seen as a three-sided structure including the foundation or underground, the vertical walls and, our favorite, the roof. With a vast expansion of products and usages, the building is an object that has become increasingly more complex, becoming less traditional and using a wider variety of products, hence the reference to the “built environment.” Though it may still have three main areas of work, the intricacies of the building have become more complex and sometimes overwhelmingly confusing, as each area performs on its own as well as interfacing with the others.
Advancements Industry and Technology
With advancements in technology, chemistry and process improvements comes not just new products for the built environment but improvements to long-standing products we have grown accustomed to using and depend upon as contractors and professional designers. Coatings or, what is more appropriately referred to as fluid-applied materials and systems, are no exception. Great expansions and advancements have been made in this category of products. Sealants have also seen enhancements and improvements but their uses within the built environment remain more traditional.
Products for the Built Environment
Though at times both membrane sheet goods and fluid-applied materials can be used in the same or similar conditions, when specifically discussing fluid-applied coatings and sealants, we generally think of the following applications and product types: ■ Waterproofing below-grade – fluid-applied (urethane, asphaltic emulsion) ■ Waterproofing plaza/between slab (non-exposed) – fluid-applied (urethane, asphaltic rubber) ■ Waterproofing (exposed) – fluid-applied (urethane, PMMA, polyurea/polyurea urethane hybrids) ■ Low slope roofing – fluid-applied reinforced systems and protective-only coatings (aluminum/ acrylic/silicone, urethane) ■ Low slope flashings – fluid-applied flashing systems (silane-modified, PMMA) ■ Low slope remediation – fluid-applied (acrylic, silane-modified, silicone, PMMA) ■ Steep slope flashing/detailing – fluid-applied (acrylic, silane-modified, PMMA) 26
FLORIDA ROOFING | July 2022
■ Metal roof restorations – fluidapplied reinforced systems (acrylic, silicone) ■ Metal roof restorations – fluid-applied protective-only coatings (acrylic, silicone, aluminum) ■ Air and water resistive barriers – fluid-applied (acrylic, STPE, silicone). Though their use remains relatively traditional, sealants as a whole are a critical component in the control of water, moisture and air management for the modern built environment. Some may be a secondary barrier to a primary system. For example, the sealing of metal counterflashing with the roof flashings, which is the primary. However, others can be the primary barrier such as most glazing, fenestration openings and expansion joints. A wider variety of sealant chemistry has emerged to be more specific to an application. There are still many general-purpose sealants available. Typically, urethane or silicone chemistries are used that work reasonably well. However, if you look closely, there are many specific products within these and other chemistries designed for better performance in more specific applications. This can be as simple as a better bond to a surface material type. In previous decades, fluid-applied materials for the built environment were limited and conventional for both underground areas as well as the roof. For the exterior, there were roof coatings such as emulsions (fibered and non-fibered), aluminum (fibered and non-fibered) and acrylics. For the exterior walls, there were primarily acrylic-latex paints. For the occasional horizontal deck such as parking garages, there were urethanes. Sealants were primarily used at wall joints, flashing and counterflashing, window interfacing and sometimes, where expansion control was needed. In a more modern built environment, many things determine the products and designs used.
Codes for the Built Environment
As contractor’s experience in the building code world, the only real constant is change. As codes are continuously under review, adoption and implementation, contractors (and designers) are faced with the