Roof leaks aren’t just inconvenient—they’re expensive. When you invest in a roof coating project, you expect it to last. Yet countless property owners discover months or even years later that their roof still leaks, forcing them to spend even more money on repairs or, worse, a complete roof replacement.
The frustrating truth? Bad products don’t cause most coating failures. Preventable mistakes occur during the application. After helping property owners solve roof problems for over 25 years, we’ve identified five critical errors that sabotage coating projects and drain your wallet.
Understanding these mistakes before you start your project can save you thousands of dollars and years of headaches.
Mistake #1: Rushing Surface Preparation and Ignoring Seams
This is where most coating projects fail before they even begin. Surface preparation is the most time-consuming part of any roof coating application, which is precisely why it gets rushed or skipped entirely.
Think about it like painting a wall. You wouldn’t paint over dirt, grease, and peeling paint, would you? The same principle applies to roof sealants. Our Liquid Butyl Rubber creates a chemical cross-link with your roof surface, effectively fusing into a seamless membrane. But this bond can only happen on a clean, properly prepared surface.
What goes wrong: Property owners skip the power washing, leave debris scattered across the roof, and ignore separated seams. Then they wonder why water still seeps through.
The fix: Thoroughly power wash and vacuum the entire roof to remove all chalking, dirt, and loose debris. Pay special attention to seam areas—any significant separation must be sealed with two-sided tape before applying your coating. Don’t forget penetrations around chimneys, vents, and HVAC units. These are prime spots for future leaks if not adequately addressed.
The chemical bond that makes Liquid Butyl Rubber so effective simply cannot form on contaminated surfaces. Skip this step, and you’re essentially throwing money away.
Mistake #2: Choosing Multi-Coat Systems That Require Primers
Many property owners make purchasing decisions solely based on price per gallon. It sounds logical—why pay more when you can pay less? But this thinking leads to one of the most expensive mistakes in roof coating.
Budget rubber coatings often require separate primers and multiple coats to achieve adequate thickness. What initially seemed like a bargain quickly triples in both cost and complexity.
The hidden costs:
- Primer purchase and application
- Multiple coat applications (usually 2-3 coats)
- Additional labor hours
- Increased weight on your roof structure
- Extended project timeline
Our Liquid Butyl Rubber requires no primer and can be applied in just one coat. It serves as its own rust inhibitor, adhesion promoter, and UV stabilizer all in one product. When you calculate the total cost—materials plus labor—single-coat systems consistently outperform cheaper alternatives.
Why complicate a project with multiple steps when superior performance comes from simplicity? An actual do-it-yourself product should make your life easier, not harder.
Mistake #3: Using Coatings That Can’t Handle Ponding Water
For flat roof owners, this mistake is devastating. If your roof coating cannot withstand standing water 365 days a year, you haven’t solved your problem—you’ve just delayed it.
Flat roofs naturally collect water in low spots. If water sits for more than 48 hours, you have ponding water. Many epdm rubber coatings, particularly water-based acrylics and traditional elastomeric coatings, cannot handle this condition.
Why water-based coatings fail: These coatings are breathable, which sounds positive, but creates a critical weakness. When water sits on acrylic coatings for extended periods, the coating can soften, bubble, and eventually delaminate from the roof. This is why many elastomeric warranties explicitly exclude damage caused by ponding water.
The solution: Solvent-based coatings like Liquid Butyl Rubber are significantly less susceptible to climate conditions, freezing temperatures, and extreme weather. Our product will withstand ponding water literally 365 days a year—it’s the only roofing product in the U.S. warranted against ponding water on flat roofs.
One customer from St. Louis reported: “There was standing water on the product, which was not even fully cured… this was the first time in 4 years our roof did not leak after a rainstorm”.
Mistake #4: Stretching Material Too Thin
Some applicators try to stretch a gallon of coating beyond its engineered coverage rate, thinking they’re saving money. This rookie mistake creates a thin, weak membrane that fails quickly.
The thickness of your coating directly determines how many years are added to your roof’s life. Our Liquid Butyl Rubber has a thicker consistency than other roof coatings, resulting in a 20-mil film thickness when applied at the correct rate. Different coatings may require 2 or 3 coats to achieve the same level of protection.
The proper coverage rate: Liquid Butyl Rubber covers 50 square feet per gallon on smooth surfaces, providing an optimal 20-mil thickness. On rougher surfaces, adjust to approximately 40 square feet per gallon. This rate is non-negotiable for success.
Under-applying might save a few gallons now, but it guarantees premature failure and the expense of redoing the entire project within a few years. That’s money wasted.
Mistake #5: Ignoring Temperature Requirements
Even the best roof coating will fail if applied outside the recommended temperature ranges. While Liquid Butyl Rubber has a 5-year shelf life and works in various conditions, temperature matters for proper curing.
Critical temperature guidelines:
- Apply when temperatures are above 50°F for at least three hours to waterproof.
- Product cures in 8-10 hours at proper temperatures
- If temperatures drop to freezing before complete cure, the product won’t continue curing until temperatures rise above 50°F again.
- The product can withstand temperatures down to -40°F once fully cured.
Applying coating when it’s too cold prevents the chemical cross-link from fully forming. This compromises the entire protective membrane you’re trying to create. The solution is simple: check the forecast and plan your application during a stretch of appropriate weather.
The Bottom Line: Quality Application Equals Long-Term Savings
When applied properly in accordance with these guidelines, Liquid Butyl Rubber delivers 18-20 years of leak-free performance—an economical, long-lasting alternative to the expense of roof replacement.
The mistakes outlined above share one thing in common: they trade short-term savings for long-term expense. Rushing preparation, choosing cheap multi-coat systems, ignoring ponding water requirements, under-applying material, or applying in the wrong temperatures might save a few dollars or hours today. But they guarantee costly failures tomorrow.
Avoiding these five critical mistakes ensures your investment protects your property for decades, not just seasons. The question isn’t whether you can afford to do it right—it’s whether you can afford to do it twice.
Explore more expert insights in our epdm coatings blog to learn how to avoid costly roofing mistakes.
Ready to protect your roof the right way? Visit epdm coatings or call 855-281-0940 to speak with our technical support team about your specific roof coating needs.