Modified Bitumen

Bitumen is a naturally occurring substance made from petroleum. It’s waterproof, flexible, and relatively inexpensive. Modified bitumen has had polymer and other modifiers added to the bitumen to enhance its strength, elasticity, and waterproofing.

A mod-bit roof can last more than 20 years, making it a great choice for commercial buildings. However, getting two decades of use out of a mod-bit roof requires professional installation and the regular maintenance, both of which Nations Roof can help with.

While they’re sometimes compared, mod-bit and built-up roofs are not the same. Mod-bit roofs are generally thinner, easier and faster to install, and have fewer layers. Mod-bit roofs also use factory-made sheets or rolls, while built-up roofs are constructed piece by piece on-site.

The process of installing a modified bitumen roofing system includes cleaning and preparing the existing roof, installing the base sheet and securing it to the roofing deck, applying a primer, installing the bitumen sheets, and heating the sheets until they adhere. Some mod-bit roofs might use peel-and-stick sheets or adhesive instead of heat.

Walkway pads are recommended in high traffic areas and around mechanical equipment.

Typically, modified bitumen roofs look like black strips stretching across the roof with an adhesive that appears to have spilled out between the strips. The adhesive is the actual modified bitumen, and it squeezes out from under the strips during heating to create the seam.

Modified bitumen roof systems typically use fiberglass or polyester reinforced base sheets for a substrate. They're applied to the substrate and then the modified bitumen sheets are applied on top in various methods.

Modified bitumen roofs have many advantages. They’re quick to install and cost-effective. They’re also durable and long-lasting. Once they do outlive their service life, they’re recyclable. They’re also Class A fire-rated.