PVC roofing for tough rooftops

What PVC is and where it fits

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) roofing is a reinforced single-ply sheet with hot-air welded seams. It has been used on commercial roofs for decades. Like TPO, it's white and reflective, installed over insulation and a cover board on low-slope roofs.

The difference is chemistry. PVC resists animal fats, cooking oils and many chemicals that soften or swell other membranes. That makes it the usual choice for restaurants, grocery stores, commercial kitchens, food processing and manufacturing buildings, and for any roof where exhaust fans discharge onto the surface.

Pros and trade-offs

Where PVC earns its higher price, and where it doesn't:

• Best resistance to grease, oils and many chemicals among the single-ply membranes
• Welded seams and flashings that stay weldable for repairs later in the roof's life
• Good fire performance: PVC is slow to ignite and tends to self-extinguish
• Reflective white surface that keeps the roof cooler in summer
• Costs more than TPO for the same thickness, so it isn't the value pick for a plain warehouse
• Can't touch asphalt-based materials directly: over an old asphalt roof it needs a separator layer
• Becomes less flexible as it ages, so very old PVC needs care in cold-weather repairs

What's included in a PVC roof

Our PVC proposals list every layer and every option, so the scope is clear before work starts:

• Tear-off, or a recover with a separator sheet when the existing roof is dry and code allows
• Insulation and tapered insulation to correct ponding
• A cover board for hail and traffic resistance
• Membrane thickness options, typically 60 or 80 mil, priced as alternates
• Mechanically fastened or fully adhered attachment, matched to the deck and wind exposure
• Grease containment at kitchen exhaust fans, so fats are collected instead of spread across the roof
• New flashing at curbs, pipes and walls, edge metal, drains and walkway pads

Lifespan and warranty

A well-installed PVC roof commonly lasts 20 to 30 years. Grease is what shortens roof life on restaurants, and that's a housekeeping problem as much as a roofing one: containment at the fans and regular cleaning protect any membrane.

Our own workmanship on commercial roofs is covered by a 20-year workmanship warranty, in writing. The manufacturer's warranty on the materials is separate, and we register it for you at closeout.

Manufacturer material and system warranties are available for PVC. Eligibility depends on the manufacturer's design and installation requirements, and we tell you which apply to your project up front.

PVC repair and maintenance

PVC is one of the easier membranes to repair because clean PVC welds to itself throughout its life. Typical repairs are new flashing at a unit that was replaced, patches at punctures from service work, and re-welding a seam at a wall or curb.

On restaurant roofs, maintenance means more than looking for leaks. We check the grease containment, clean around the fans, clear the drains and report what the kitchen exhaust is doing to the roof, with photos.