I’m installing epdm on my flat garage roof. The roof is approximately 30’x30′. I will have 1 friend helping with the install. We will be gluing it to a new plywood deck. A 45 mil single piece weighs around 300 lbs. I like the idea of using a single piece and avoiding seems but do you think the single piece is manageable by 2 people or would I be better off getting 2 or 3 pieces and having seems? Thanks for your input. Dan
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Replies
Unless you have experience adhering membrane, I'd avoid laying a 30' x 30' in one piece as you could easily end up with wrinkles that are at best unsightly and could cause problematic ponding.
Carefully executed seams using manufacturer's primer and seam tape will last 20-30 years (or more).
Thanks for your reply. Any thoughts on 45 mil vs 60 mil?
Depends on your climate and elevation, but thicker is always better. If it were my project I'd spend the couple hundred to upgrade to 60 mil.
Instead of applying an EPDM roof, consider applying a liquid applied roofing such as Sikalastic RoofPro
https://usa.sika.com/en/construction/liquid-applied-roofing/sikalastic-roofpro.html
or
GAF Hydro Stop Pro
https://www.gaf.com/en-us/document-library/documents/documents/legacyproductsdiscontinueddocuments/stablerustprimerdocuments/united_coatings_liquidapplied_roofing_manual.pdf
Both use a roll-on type primer, a fleece layer (rolls) and then 2 roll-on coats of liquid applied membrane. Really good stuff. Can even be done by one person though two make it 10x easier. Focus on their details and you'll have a 30 year roof.
Frankie