Be ready to get the job done right the first time!

CCS Influencer Greg Hlavety says to come to every job site with all the equipment, clothing, tools and instructions needed to get a quality job done.

First establish which specific liquid system is being used. Then contact the manufacturer of the products being used. Ask for all pertinent information that will guide you through proper use and application. Information would include (but not be limited to) application specifications, product technical data sheets and SDSs (safety data sheets). Ask for any videos that the manufacturer might have showing proper handling and or application of the products being used.

Once the project is ready to begin be sure your crew is familiar with the application of the liquid applied system. At the very least the foreman or team leader should have experience with the application. If the company/crew is new to the system then some companies such as mine can provide a field tech person to get the crew started and guide them through the proper application methods.

Cleaning and prep of the roof surface is very important. The best quality coating available can fail if applied over an improperly prepped and cleaned roof. Find out if there is a primer required for the surface you are applying the system to. The manufacturer should help you with this.

If you are using powered spray equipment be knowledgeable about it capabilities. Some pumps have high pressure and low volume, others have moderate to low pressure with high volume. All this makes a difference in the application time and  efficiency. Some products such as acrylics benefit from being applied at high pressures. High pressure spray application can help water based acrylics dry and cure 50% faster than roller or low pressure spray applications. Some products such as urethanes or silicones which are moisture cured do not benefit from spray applications in the same way water based coatings do. But spray applications can definitely help in the time and efficiency of any coating on larger projects.

Once you have the application rate established that you are targeting from the manufacturers recommendations then use a method to gage your rate to match the requirements. One method is to mark off a known area, one square, ten squares or what ever you think is appropriate. Then establish the quantity of product you need to apply to that known area. Weather you are spraying or rolling, evenly apply the proper amount of coating called for to that area. Once you have done this your applicator will have a good idea on how much product to put down throughout the rest of the job. You should only have to do this once or twice for your applicator get “the feel” for the proper application rate.

If it is a multiple coat/application system, allow the proper amount of time in between coats for drying and or curing. Too little or too much time in between applications can compromise the quality of the system or even cause a complete failure. Don’t show up to a job unprepared. Be ready with all the equipment, clothing, tools and instructions needed to get a quality job done.