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Hot melt waterproofing for inverted, podium and buried roofs

Hot melt is a monolithic rubberised bitumen waterproofing bonded directly to the structural deck, with no laps and no seams. It is the specification of choice for inverted roofs, podium decks, green roofs and any waterproofing that is going to be buried under ballast, paving or planting for the life of the building.

What is included

Every hot melt roof, specified and guaranteed

Bonded to the structure

The hot melt compound is applied in two coats with a reinforcement between them and bonds fully to the concrete deck, so water cannot track beneath it. If the surface above is ever damaged, the leak is where the damage is, which is exactly what a buried system needs.

Inverted and podium roofs

On an inverted roof the insulation, filter layer and ballast or paving sit on top of the waterproofing, protecting it from UV, traffic and thermal shock. Podium decks over car parks and plant rooms, roof terraces and landscaped courtyards are the usual applications.

Green and blue roofs

Root resistant hot melt build-ups carry extensive and intensive green roofs and blue roof attenuation, where the membrane has to perform for the life of the building with no maintenance access. The system is designed with the manufacturer and detailed for the drainage design.

Designed for a 40 year life

Hot melt systems are BBA certified for the design life of the structure and carry manufacturer guarantees of up to 25 years. Because the membrane is protected from the weather, a correctly installed hot melt roof is realistically a once-in-the-life-of-the-building job.

Questions

Asked and answered

What is hot melt waterproofing?

A rubberised bitumen compound heated and applied hot to the deck in two coats with a reinforcing fleece between them. It cures into a seamless monolithic layer fully bonded to the structure. It is not a felt and not a liquid coating in the usual sense, and it is always covered by a protection layer and then insulation, ballast or a finished surface.

Where is hot melt used?

Inverted roofs, podium decks over car parks and basements, roof gardens, terraces, blue roofs and green roofs. Anywhere the waterproofing is buried and has to last the life of the building without access for maintenance.

Is hot melt suitable for refurbishment?

Yes, where the existing build-up is being stripped back to a concrete deck. It is not an overlay product, so if you are looking to overlay an existing roof a liquid applied or single ply system is normally the answer.

How is a hot melt roof guaranteed?

We install as approved contractors, the manufacturer inspects the work before it is covered, and an insurance backed guarantee of up to 25 years is issued to the building owner. Design life certification from the BBA runs well beyond that.

Can you carry out the whole inverted roof package?

Yes. Waterproofing, protection layer, insulation, filter layer, ballast, paving and green roof build-up, along with outlets, upstands and the interfaces with the structure, all under one contract and one contracts manager.

Coverage

Hot Melt Roofing from two offices

Nationwide, with the survey and the site team coming from whichever office is closer. Pick your division and the phone numbers on this page follow.

Midlands & South

Coleshill office

Covering the West and East Midlands, the South, the South West, East Anglia and the home counties from Jubilee Estate, Gorsey Lane, Coleshill.

The Midlands division

North & Scotland

Congleton office

Covering the North West, the North East, Yorkshire, Cumbria and Scotland from Riverside, Mountbatten Way, Congleton.

The North division
Next step

Planning a hot melt roof?

Send us the outline or the tender documents and a surveyor will come back to you, normally the same working day. The survey and report are free.

Tender and project enquiries

Have a project for us?

Send Absolute Waterproofing your roofing enquiry or tender. Give us the outline below and one of our surveyors will come back to you, usually the same working day.

Your division South and Midlands office Jubilee Estate, Gorsey Lane, Coleshill, West Midlands B46 1JU Call the Midlands office Email us
Your division North and Scotland office Riverside, Mountbatten Way, Congleton CW12 1DY Call the Northern office Email us
Free diagnostic survey We attend site quickly from the initial enquiry and provide an inspection report at no cost, with digital photographs, options and costs for the proposed work.

Prefer to talk it through? Call the office nearest the site and ask for a surveyor.