PVC Membrane Roofing

Restaurant kitchen exhaust. Rooftop grease exhaust deposits airborne oils and grease wash on the roof surface around the exhaust curb. Grease attacks the asphalt mat in modified bitumen and the polymer chains in TPO — both degrade visibly within 10 years near grease exhaust. PVC is chemically inert to grease and oils; the membrane around the exhaust looks the same at year 20 as year 1.

Industrial chemical exposure. Manufacturing facilities with airborne chemical fumes (cleaning solvents, processing chemicals, exhaust gases from production) need a membrane that resists the specific chemicals on site. We pull manufacturer chemical-compatibility charts for every PVC commercial install — Sika Sarnafil and IB Roof have detailed compatibility data.

Hospital and lab environments. Off-gassing from chemicals stored or used in the building, condensate from HVAC systems with refrigerant, plenum exhaust from labs — PVC handles these where TPO and EPDM have specific failure modes.

Saltwater exposure. Shore-county commercial within a few miles of the Atlantic — PVC's chemical resistance includes salt aerosols that accelerate aging on other membranes. Right answer for commercial in Atlantic City, Cape May, Long Branch, Asbury Park.

Where chemical resistance isn't needed: inland warehouses, schools, retail without grease exhaust, residential. PVC's premium pricing doesn't pay back when the specific chemical-resistance benefit isn't being used.

Heat-welded seams. PVC seams are heat-welded with the same robotic and hand welders used for TPO. Done correctly, the welded seam is stronger than the field membrane. PVC welds at a different temperature than TPO and requires installer training on PVC-specific welding — we're certified on Sika Sarnafil and IB Roof welding methods.

Ponding-water resistance. PVC is the gold standard for roofs with chronic ponding water. The membrane and seams resist standing water indefinitely. For NJ commercial buildings with drainage issues that can't be structurally corrected, PVC is the answer.

Reinforced vs non-reinforced. Most commercial PVC is reinforced with a polyester or fiberglass scrim — improves dimensional stability and seam strength. Non-reinforced PVC (for some specialty applications, walking surfaces, custom fabrication) is available but rare on standard commercial roofs.

Membrane thickness. PVC commercial typically runs 50-80 mil. Thicker membrane for high-traffic roofs and premium warranty class. Lighter than equivalent TPO, easier to handle on hand-detail work.

Color options. White is the standard (cool-roof, Energy Star). Gray, tan, and other colors available — Sika Sarnafil has a particularly broad color palette for visible commercial applications where the roof reads from grade.

Sika Sarnafil. Swiss-developed PVC originally in 1962. 50+ years of field data globally; the premium PVC brand with the broadest international install base. Sika Sarnafil G410 is the standard mechanically-fastened residential and commercial system; G476 is the fully-adhered premium. 20-30 year warranties (Sarnafil 25 is the standard premium warranty class). Higher cost than IB.

IB Roof Systems. US-based PVC manufacturer with strong NJ contractor network. IB 60 mil and IB 80 mil are the workhorse commercial systems. Pricing more accessible than Sika; comparable performance on most spec items. Strong choice for budget-conscious commercial projects where PVC is the right material but Sika's premium pricing isn't justified.

Decking-spec considerations. PVC mechanically-fastened installs use longer fasteners than TPO because PVC's expansion characteristics — Sika and IB both have specific fastener-penetration-depth specs that we follow exactly.

Insulation compatibility. PVC is incompatible with asphalt-saturated insulation and certain polystyrene products — direct contact causes plasticizer migration that degrades the membrane. We use a separator layer (slip sheet) between PVC and incompatible substrates. Most polyisocyanurate insulation is compatible without separator.

Warranty class differences. Sika Sarnafil Diamond Pledge (25-year) requires Sika-certified contractor + specific spec items + manufacturer rep inspection. IB Roof has comparable premium warranty class with similar qualification requirements. Standard 15-year warranties don't require the same level of certification.