Benefits of Spray Foam Roofing & Roof Coatings for Metal Truck Docks

Trucking is the lifeblood of the American economy - without the trucks running 24/7 along America's highways, the essential goods we take for granted would vanish from shelves. 

Truck docks are critical nodes in this nationwide network. Speed, efficiency, and safety are vital - which is why the last thing you want is to disrupt your operations with a large, expensive maintenance project like a commercial roof replacement or repair. 

And yet, the integrity of your roof is critical to your business, from protecting valuable assets and inventory to maintaining a comfortable work environment for employees. 

Fortunately, at GIDEON, we have been helping commercial building owners and managers with their roofing needs for more than two decades. We understand the complexity of your operations and can help you get the best roofing solution possible - without sacrificing efficiency or safety.

In this article, we'll introduce a solution that enables rapid, efficient roof repair and replacement with minimal disruption to your operations - "roof restoration" with spray polyurethane foam (SPF) and elastomeric coatings. We'll show how roof foam and coatings restoration addresses the common problems associated with metal roofs and why it is the ideal solution for your trucking company. We'll also explain the additional benefits of using roof foam and coatings, from sustainability to substantial cost savings.

Table of Contents

• Roofing Challanges Faced by Trucking Companies
• The Solution: Spray Foam Roofing & Elastomeric Coating Restoration
• Benefits of Roof Restoration for Trucking Companies

Roofing Challenges Faced By Trucking Companies

If your truck dock has a metal roof, you may find yourself faced with two significant challenges when it comes to roofing:

#1 Metal Roofs Are Prone to Leaks

One primary challenge arises from the structure of truck dock roofs themselves. Often constructed with metal panels, they can be prone to issues like leaking, particularly as they age. Metal roofs can contract and expand tremendously due to temperature fluctuations, leading to the loosening of fasteners, which in turn can result in leaks.

#2 Roof Replacements & Retrofits Are Disruptive

Replacing an entire roof is extremely disruptive to operations. Large areas are needed to stage materials, cranes, and waste containers; and continuing operations while contractors work on an open roof is difficult, if not impossible.

One common solution to the problem of replacing a truck dock roof is a single-ply retrofit, in which the metal panels are covered with a single-ply sheet, such as TPO or PVC. While this avoids removing metal panels (and thus exposing the dock below to the elements), retrofits can still be disruptive to operations. They still require an abundance of materials, like bulky insulation and numerous sheets of single-ply membrane. The logistics of bringing these materials onsite involve multiple trucks, cranes for lifting, and considerable manpower, all of which can interfere with the day-to-day operations of an active and bustling trucking dock, perhaps tying up as many as 3 or 4 bays.

This is where innovative solutions like roof foam and coatings come into play.

The Solution: Spray Foam Roofing & Elastomeric Coating Restoration

Roof foam & coatings are a game-changer, tackling the common issues associated with metal roof and trucking operations and offering a host of benefits that traditional solutions just can't match.

Roof foam, or Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF), is a material that can be sprayed directly onto the existing roof. SPF is both an extremely powerful insulation material as well as a durable, flexible, waterproof membrane. It expands and hardens upon application, creating a seamless, monolithic, watertight barrier that self-flashes around pipes, vents, and other protrusions, making it ideal for large, complex roofing systems. 

Meanwhile, roof coatings, often made from silicone, acrylic, or polyurethane, are applied on top of the foam layer. They protect the foam from the one element against which it has no defense: the sun's UV rays. Together, foam and coatings protect and restore the underlying metal substrate from the elements with a tough, flexible, and surprisingly lightweight barrier.

Benefits of Roof Restoration for Trucking Companies

#1 Requires Fewer Workers & Less Equipment

The application of foam and coatings requires fewer workers and less equipment, reducing the risk of accidents and keeping your dockyard running smoothly. A typical foam and coatings restoration requires half the manpower of a single-ply retrofit, no cranes, and will only take up one truck bay. And, of course, there's no need to tear off the existing roof or expose the inside of the building to potential weather damage.

#2 Faster Installation

The installation is quicker too. As the SPF expands to up to 30 times its liquid volume in seconds, large areas can be covered rapidly. The coating application follows soon after, effectively halving the time taken to complete the project compared to a traditional roof replacement or retrofit. What used to take 6 to 8 days can now be done in just 3 or 4.

#3 Leak Resistance

Roof leaks generally occur around seams, flashings, or fasteners. Because the coatings form a seamless, monolithic barrier, leaks are much less likely than they are on traditional roofs. On metal roofs specifically, the foam and coatings will cover and seal all fasteners, plus minimize temperature fluctuations, which will in turn minimize expansion and contraction.

Ultimately, this means substantially reduced safety risks, much less disruption to your operations, and fewer future repairs.

But that isn't all. Spray Foam and elastomeric coatings come with a host of other benefits

• Energy Efficiency: Because spray foam is the most powerful insulation material on the market and elastomeric coatings reflect the rays of the sun, a restoration system can reduce your energy usage dramatically, making the building environment more pleasant for employees and saving you considerably on HVAC costs.
• Longevity and Sustainability: Roof foam and coatings restoration provide a renewable warranty; that is, after 15-20 years, when the top coat begins to deteriorate, an inexpensive maintenance coat can be re-applied, which renews the warranty for another 15-20 years. This prevents the need for a full replacement, keeping your maintenance costs low and preventing future disruptions.
• Eco-Friendliness: Roof foam and coatings restoration is more environmentally friendly than traditional methods. Instead of removing and disposing of the old roof, which contributes to landfill waste, the restoration process is simply applied on top of the existing structure, reducing environmental impact.

The Upshot

As we've discussed, managing the recurring costs, safety concerns, and operational downtime associated with maintaining metal roofs can pose a significant challenge for a busy truck dock. Fortunately, roof foam and coatings not only offer an efficient solution, but also present a host of additional benefits. From cost savings to increased sustainability and safety, this innovative roofing method can help you protect your asset and keep operations running smoothly.

Now that you've learned how roof restoration can help, we recommend learning more in detail about the benefits of spray foam roofing and elastomeric coatings for commercial buildings.