Membrane Roof: Sealing the Seams and Parapets

1. A torn membrane

At the edge of the roof the old membraneBitumen membraneWaterproofing that comes in rolls of reinforced bitumen. It is torched onto the roof in sheets that overlap at the seams. had torn and come away, and water and dirt had collected underneath.

2. Signs of leaks

In the corners the marks left by water getting through were easy to see.

3. Removing the loose pieces

The pieces of membrane that had come loose are cut out and taken away.

4. The foot of the parapet

At the foot of the parapetParapetThe low wall around the edge of a flat roof or balcony. The joint between it and the floor is one of the most common places for leaks., under the railings, the old finish had gone. The area is cleaned and covered with a white waterproof coatingElastomeric waterproof coatingA thick, rubbery waterproof paint for flat roofs, parapets and roofs. It stretches without cracking as the building expands and bridges hairline cracks..

5. All the way along

The white coat runs the full length of the parapet and closes the joint with the membrane.

6. The membrane seams

Every seam between the sheets of membrane is sealed with a white strip. Seams are where water usually gets in.

7. The top of the parapet

The top of the parapet, where the railings are fixed, gets the same material.

8. The result

Seams and parapets closed up, with a white line all the way round the roof.