Carlisle Widens Its TPO Rolls for More Seamless Waterproofing
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Seamless Systems excels in tackling expansive retail roofs, and this project fell perfectly within our expertise. With minimal roof penetrations in the large retail store, the vast open spaces allowed us to leverage the advantages of the 16-foot TPO efficiently. Photo: Carlisle
Carlisle SynTec Systems is constantly looking for innovative ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its waterproofing systems. Its new 16-Foot TPO increases installation efficiency on the Hobby Lobby Project. Randy Purkey, President of Seamless Systems, is always on the lookout for a competitive edge. The commercial roofing contractor specializes in heat-welded single-ply TPO and PVC roofing systems. Randy and his brother, Dustin run the business, with Dustin in charge of the Fort Smith, Arkansas branch and Randy manning the home office in Memphis, Tennessee.
The company’s key clients include large retail chains, shipping companies, and universities. Seamless Systems excels at large commercial projects. When Carlisle SynTec Systems introduced 16-foot TPO, Purkey was convinced the product could save on time and labor costs by minimizing the number of seams making production crews more efficient. TPO roofing membranes also have the advantages of being reflective, and having inherent root repellent properties for green roof applications.
“It was very interesting because the width of rolls has really changed in the course of the last few decades,” Purkey says. “Initially when my dad started his company back in 1980, the width of most rolls was 6 feet, and then we went to 8 and 10 feet and then 12. I never imagined you could go to 16 feet. So, obviously, our main interest was simply more coverage per roll and fewer seams.”
Purkey was eager to ‘test drive’ Carlisle’s Sure-Weld 16-Foot TPO, and the Hobby Lobby retailer in Grand Prairie, Texas, was the ideal choice for the company’s first installation of the product. The Fort Smith office tackled the new construction project.
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Optimal for the task at hand, the 16-foot TPO proved its worth with an efficient performance, addressing the moderate to low number of roof penetrations seamlessly. Photo: Carlisle
The crew at Seamless Systems are very familiar with large retail roofs, and this was right in the company’s wheelhouse. The large retail store’s roof had relatively few penetrations, and the wide-open areas optimized the benefits of using the 16-foot TPO. “The project was very straightforward,” notes Purkey. “I would say there was an average to low number of penetrations on the roof, which made the use of the 16-foot TPO ideal for this job.”
The roof area was approximately 55,000 square feet and featured a steel deck. The roof system was installed using the RhinoBond induction welding method. “We installed two layers of 2.6-inch insulation to meet the energy code requirement of R-30,” notes Purkey. “Then we installed RhinoBond with 16-foot Carlisle 60-mil TPO.”
Fasteners were enhanced in the perimeters and the corners. “The fastening pattern is not impacted by the wider rolls,” notes Purkey. “However, in this particular job, the owner wanted a 90-mile-an-hour wind rider wind warranty, so we did increase the number of fasteners for that reason.”
The crew at Seamless Systems saw the benefits of the 16-foot TPO right away. “The 16-foot rolls made it easier on our daily production,” Purkey says. “There were less rolls to handle and fewer seams to weld.”
Purkey cites another reason the wider sheets might come in handy — weather concerns. “Sometimes in the summer if you’re roofing and there’s a chance of rain, we put out a little bit and then try to cover it up, and the 16-foot TPO rolls certainly make this more doable,” he notes. “You could cover more area and not have to worry about the rain getting you, and then move on and do a little bit more.”
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Inclement weather was a factor on the Hobby Lobby project. “The most challenging part of this project was the weather,” Purkey says. “This roof was supposed to start in November, and we ended up not starting it until February due to rain in the area.”
Details included curbs, edge metal, scuppers and downspouts. “We flashed all the curbs with Carlisle prefabricated accessories where possible,” Purkey says. “We utilized prefabricated snap-on metal at all the perimeters. At the rear, there were conductor boxes, downspouts, and through-wall scuppers.”
Purkey believes the 16-foot TPO sheets are ideal for wide-open areas, and they were used exclusively on the Hobby Lobby project. He can conceive of projects in which the company might use primarily 16-foot sheets, with smaller sheets utilized in some tight or cut-up areas. “I believe that would definitely be a possibility on a project that has some wide-open areas and then some areas with a large number of penetrations,” he says.
Purkey crunched the numbers, and he believes the 16-foot sheets provide a significant increase in efficiency. “You’re getting close to 1,600 square feet of coverage per roll, and when you have a big wide-open area, this can lead to real production efficiencies,” he notes.
Seamless Systems' team quickly recognized the advantages of the 16-foot TPO. According to Purkey, 'The 16-foot rolls streamlined our daily production, requiring less handling and minimizing seams to weld.' Photo: Carlisle
Ensuring quality workmanship and production efficiency are the goals of the company, and Seamless Systems embraces new products that can help them do the job better and faster. Purkey believes the 16-foot sheets are ideal for the company’s bread-and-butter jobs. “We only do TPO and PVC roofs,” Purkey says. “Our crews are specialized in heat-welded systems, and a lot of the roofs that we install are larger, more wide-open. And so, it’s a huge benefit for us and really enhances our expertise, so to speak.”
Seamless Systems has a long relationship with Carlisle. “We have reached the point where we are perennial ESP (Excellence in Single-Ply) contractors, which we’re proud of, and we look forward to continuing to grow our business with Carlisle,” Purkey says. “Carlisle is at the forefront of new product developments.”
Purkey found TPO comprises an increasing share of the market in his area, and he looks forward to his next project with Carlisle’s 16-foot TPO. “You know, it has been a long time in the South since I’ve seen a big project that wasn’t TPO specification,” he says. “We’ve got several jobs coming up that we have ordered it for, so we will be installing more 16-foot TPO rolls on several more jobs this year.”
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For more information, visit Carlisle’s website.
