Silicone vs Acrylic Roof Coating – Quick Difference

Silicone vs Acrylic Roof Coating

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The roofs of our homes keep us sheltered from the hardships of weather and its adverse effects. We must take preventive measures to secure the roof to ensure its endurance.

One way to strengthen the roof is by applying roof coatings on the surface. In this article, we are comparing silicone vs acrylic roof coating so you can understand the fundamentals of each type of ucoating.

A good quality roof coating can keep it from damage in the long run and increase its life. Roof coating extends there span of the roof, toughness to ensure resilience, and reflects harmful UV rays to keep the house cool.

Whether homeowners use silicone or acrylic sheets to coat the roof, the purpose remains the same.

A Quick Comparison Table of the Silicone vs Acrylic Roof Coating

FeatureSilicone Roof CoatingAcrylic Roof Coating
LongevityUp to 15 years10 to 12 years
DurabilityHighly durableGood durability
Reflectivity80% to 90% reflectiveGood reflectivity
UV StabilityBetter UV stabilityHighly UV stable
AestheticsMediocre aestheticsHighly aesthetically pleasing
Resistance to ponding waterBetter resistance to ponding waterNo resistance to ponding water
Environment-friendlyNot environment-friendlyBetter for the environment
ApplicationEasy to applyNot easy to apply
Clean-upDifficult and frequent clean-upNot much cleaning required
CostMore expensiveAffordable option

Silicone Roof Coating

Silicone coatings are the most popular type of covering for the roof. They can protect the construction from the adverse effects of UV rays. Experts claim that silicone roof coating erodes much slower than any other kind of rooftop covering. Silicone coating does not become frangible and shows visible cracks. If you consider preventing moisture and dampness from seeping through the roof, a silicone roof coating is best to serve the purpose. 

Silicone roof coating

There is no denying the competitive performance of silicone roof coatings. With better durability, reflectivity, and resistance to ponding water, a silicone roof coating is an excellent option for homeowners and builders. However, we have seen certain limitations that might raise a red flag for some customers.

Longevity

Silicone coatings are renowned for having a good life. Experts say that a silicone coating of good quality can last up to 15 years.

Therefore, we recommend you check your roof for any discrepancies, especially if it is coated with silicone, to ensure that the weather has not left any effects on the roof. If you take proper measures to take care of the roof with coated silicone, say after a heavy rainfall season, check for any problematic areas.

Durability

Silicone roof coating has a specialized chemical composition to enhance its purposeful drive. The formulation of silicone coatings makes them extraordinarily durable. The durability of the material helps the coating to withstand harsh weather conditions. The coating will not crack or show signs of distress as it shrinks or expands with the rise and fall in temperature. The durability of silicone roof coating contributes to its longevity as well.

Reflectivity

Installing silicone roof coating in your house can considerably reduce air conditioning bills and provide you with a comfortable household temperature throughout the year.

Silicone roof coating provides 80% to 90% reflectivity against the sun. A high level of reflection means that the temperature of the building will remain lower throughout the year compared to places that do not have a silicone coating. 

UV Stability

The UV stability that the silicone roof coating provides is far more than bare rooftops. Resultantly, the house remains protected from the harmful effects of the sun. In the long run, the building experience less wears and tear on its top if you have made arrangements to instill a good quality silicone coating. 

Aesthetics

Homeowners appreciate putting silicone on their rooftops because it makes the surface neat. However, we see that light-colored silicone roof coating turns dirty very quickly if there is no proper mechanism for cleaning. Silicone rooftop coverings are not fit if you have an eye for details and keep fussing about the minute details around your house. 

The Resistance to Ponding Water

Silicone roof coating answers all your problems if you are experiencing seepage of water through the roof. Once you put up a silicone roof covering, it will seal all the cracks in the surface, leaving no place for the water to stand stagnant. 

Environmental Factors

Silicone is an inorganic product that contains VOCs. These volatile organic compounds are harmful to human health as well as to the environment. Because they cause damage and are highly volatile, we consider this a large drawback for silicone roof coating.

Application & Clean Up

Satisfied customers who have used silicone roof coatings for their homes or other construction projects find it extremely easy to apply. No special equipment or instructions are required to install silicone roof coating. All you need is a rolling brush with an extendable handle and a bucket of silicone material for this purpose. 

Silicone coatings are light-colored materials and get dirty too often and too soon. It is very tricky to clean them completely. Homeowners can clean the silicone adhesive with the help of a high-pressure hose and wash away any dust or dirt. 

Cost

The cost of silicone rooftop covering is relatively high compared to other options. Silicone coating is a unique formulation of chemicals and inorganic materials that make it robust and useful. This type of coating is a new technology in housing and construction projects. Silicone coating does not require any certified technicians to install it at your home or building, saving up on its overall cost. The high price of silicone coating is justified because of its energy-efficient feature. 

Pros 

Cons

  • Gets dirty
  • Expensive 
  • Tears easily

Acrylic Roof Coating

Another type of roof coating that we are discussing in this article is an acrylic roof coating. The technique uses acrylic elastomeric to form a covering on top of the roof. The acrylic substance is in a thick-liquid form and is applied like paint. Builders and homeowners apply around 5 to 7 coatings of acrylic elastomeric chemicals on the roof to achieve optimal results.

Acrylic Roof Coating

Acrylic coatings differ from Silicone coatings because the former uses a water-based solution and replaces VOC in silicone coatings.

Acrylic coatings are better for sealing joints on plumbing, roof coating, and many other domains. Industrial experts claim that these coatings are best for providing a high-quality finish in the manufacturing industry. Acrylic roof coatings deliver above-par performance with lesser bills to cover the energy consumption of the building in hot temperatures.

Longevity

The acrylic roof coating has better resistance to wear and tear than silicone coatings. These coatings will last 10 to 20 years and remain fully functional. You can arrange for reapplication of the acrylic coating once it has foregone its warrantied time.

Durability

The formulation of acrylic coating is well thought out and is guaranteed to hold up for a long time without any trouble. Silicone roof coatings are better for roofs with slopes or metal surfaces. Due to their durable nature, customers prefer buying acrylic roof coatings. They are even more popular in commercial settings as compared to domestic ones. The repairing and maintenance costs of acrylic coatings are less due to their highly durable nature.

Reflectivity

The reflectivity of acrylic roof coatings is a great positive aspect.  The benefit of installing an acrylic roof coating is its high reflectiveness. The acrylic roof coating reduces the effect of the sun’s harmful rays on the rooftop. Resultantly, homeowners can save on the bills they get to maintain a feasible temperature in hot seasons. the 

UV Stability

The acrylic roof coatings are generally in white unless you prefer them to be of any other color; in that case, the manufacturer will cater to your request. The white color of the acrylic coating will ensure that the majority of the UV rays falling from the sun bounce off the surface without getting absorbed by the roof.

The acrylic roof coatings are an excellent choice to provide UV stability to the building structure. Better protection against the ultraviolet rays falling from the sun will ensure that the energy consumption of the house during hot weather decreases considerably, hence reducing your power bills.

Aesthetics

Unlike other roof coatings, acrylic coatings are better looking and align with your aesthetic sense. We have seen these coatings retaining their original look for a long period. These coatings do not accumulate dust or mold to make them look groggy over time. The shine and appearance of acrylic coatings do not fade away or lose their appeal even after years of use.

Resistance to Ponding Water

Not everything could have been picture perfect, so the acrylic coating lacks in performing well in cases like ponding water. The homeowner can compromise the overall comfort level of a house or commercial building because of the water forming puddles on top of the roof. Unfortunately, acrylic roof covering does not provide ample protection against the issue.

If you prefer using an acrylic coating system at your place but also experience ponding water, we recommend consulting an expert who will help you and guide you through the process.

Environmental Factors

What we like best about coatings for the acrylic roof is their better chemical composition. Earlier, we mentioned that silicone coatings use VOC in their formulation, which is harmful to the environment. In acrylic coatings, this water takes the place of this chemical component, making it a better choice.

With eco-friendly technology, coatings for the acrylic roof are a preferred choice for many satisfied customers. Acrylic coatings are three times better for the surroundings than silicone roof coatings. The absence of VOC eliminates the dangerous fumes radiated from the coating, thus reducing toxicity to the environment.

Application & Clean Up

The application of coating for the acrylic roof is a tricky process. One must not apply this material on the roof during hot temperatures. Experts also advise abstaining from the application during very cold and rainy seasons, as it decreases the productivity of the coating.

Cleaning coatings on the acrylic roof is easy because, unlike silicone coatings, they do not let dust and dirt cover the surface. All you need is a splash of water; they look just like new.

Cost

When we compare the cost factor of the two variants of roof coatings we have discussed in the article, we discover that an acrylic coating is better. They are less expensive due to their simpler formulation. Homeowners and builders can use this durable yet cheaper version of roof coating for their rooftops.

The lower cost price does not mean there is any compromise in quality or work efficiency. Acrylic coatings are a popular choice amongst customers because of their skillful combination of productivity and affordability.

Pros

  • Cost-effective
  • High UV resistance
  • Affordable
  • Durable

Cons

  • Ponding water issue
  • Loses mil thickness

Silicone vs. Acrylic Roof Coating – Which Is Better? 

Silicone and acrylic roof coating are two distinct ways to protect the rooftop from certain weather elements. Upon weighing their pros and cons, we have summed up the discussion by concluding that silicone roof coating is the best of all. 

With excellent features up its sleeves, silicone coating offers flexibility, durability, long life, and ease of application. There are a few downsides to this type of coating. However, its outstanding properties make it the best choice for roof coating.

Conclusion

The roof of any constructed unit remains exposed to all sorts of harsh weather throughout the year. Homeowners intervene to take preventive measures to overcome any harm to the roof with the help of silicone vs acrylic roof coating. These methods save the rooftop by keeping off that extra moisture and sun. Both of these types of roof coatings have their own sets of merits and demerits. We hope that by the end of this article, you must have understood how to save your rooftop and increase its life.


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