How to Capitalize on Colored Self-Adhered Cap Sheets in Residential Roofing
The EasyStick Plus self-adhering cap sheet is designed for use in low-slope and steep-slope roofing systems. That includes residential and light commercial, institutional and industrial applications of all shapes and sizes.
Ever since EasyStick Plus was added to the TARCO LeakBarrier® product line, nearly two decades ago, roofing contractors have valued the value proposition it offers—high quality coupled with effective cost.
EasyStick Plus first gained popularity in applications such as porches and carports. At that time, much like the Model T automobiles of the 1920s or the TVs of the 1950s, it was offered only in two colors: Black and White.
How things have changed!
EasyStick Plus, along with EasyBase and EasyNailBase, is broadly applied in an endless range of applications today. Suffice it to say that the imagination of roofing contractors and architects is boundless in finding new applications for EasyStick Plus. Now, it is routinely used on high-end residential homes as well as office buildings, retail stores, farms, factories and warehouses.
You name the application: Most likely you will find EasyStick Plus has been used in it.
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While it is acceptable to install EasyStick Plus directly to the deck or substrate, a superior system involves two or three layers of membranes.
A typical EasySystem consists of two plies. The bottom ply (or base ply) consists of either the mechanically attached EasyNailBase or the self-adhered EasyBase. The top ply consists of the self-adhered EasyStick Plus cap sheet surfaced with a ceramic granular surface. Whether the base ply is EasyBase or EasyNailBase usually depends on various considerations such as the type of roof deck, project budgetary constraints, new or re-roofing, preference of the contractor/owner, and/or local Building Code.
For example, if the roof deck is not nailable, then the self-adhered EasyBase is the way to go. Self-adhered EasyBase is also the choice of underlayment if the owner does not want any penetrations through the roof as occurs when a mechanically attached base sheet is secured to the roof deck using fasteners such as nails. Self-adhered EasyBase also would be the preferred as a base ply if other materials and methods might disturb the occupants of the building. Self-adhering EasyBase avoids the noise of mechanical attaching as well as fumes from hot mopping.
On the other hand, some building jurisdictions such as the Miami-Dade do not allow direct adhesion to the deck. There are also concerns of roof ventilation when a self-adhered base sheet is attached to the roof deck. In such cases, a mechanically attached base sheet such as EasyNailBase is first installed and then EasyStick Plus is adhered to the base ply.
A “bulletproof” roofing system involves three plies:
- The bottom ply consists of EasyNailBase nailed to the deck;
- The middle ply consists of EasyBase self-adhered to the EasyNailBase; and
- The top ply consists of EasyStick Plus self-adhered to the EasyBase.
The following short video shows how to install an EasySystem.
A Rich Palette of Colors
There is no question that EasyStick Plus can function as a high-quality primary roofing system in many settings. As the applications expand, so does the demand to add to the palette of colors. EasyStick Plus is offered in a variety of colors to match the plethora of shingle colors available in the market. The colors are —White, Black, Cedar, Weatherwood, Brown, Red, Green, Slate Grey and Hickory.
EasyStick Plus Sample Color Board consists of small samples of EasyStick Plus. All nine colors are mounted on the board.
More colors mean EasyStick Plus also offers “curbside appeal,” a hard to define feature that can make or break the relationship between the roofing contractor and the owner of a home or business.
Black and White remain popular colors, accounting for 22 and 21 percent of total sales, respectively, but Weatherwood is the bestseller, accounting for 35 percent of all EasyStick Plus cap sheet sales. The other six colors together account for only 22 percent of sales. (See Pie Chart.)
Weatherwood is the most popular color for EasyStick Plus followed by Black and White. The remaining six colors make up 22 percent of the sales.
It's not surprising that Weatherwood accounts for more than one-third of all EasyStick Plus sales: it is the top shingle color in the United States.
The four “wood colors” from dark to lightest are Dark Brown, Hickory, Weatherwood and Cedar Blend; with the latter two being more popular. These colors precisely match shingle colors. Indeed, the granules are from the same suppliers of raw materials so that the transition from shingles to membranes on the roof is seamless and any difference in shades of colors is not noticeable.
Slate Grey matches slate roofs or faux slate shingles as well as a variety of exterior wall claddings. Less popular colors are Red and Green, which go well with a variety of terra cotta tiles or metal siding exterior wall panels. Red is more popular in areas along the Southern border of the United States whereas Green has its pockets of use all around the country.
All about Curbside Appeal
It is highly recommended that distributors keep good supply of EasyStick Plus rolls in various colors to meet their customer needs. Tarco maintains a sufficient inventory of these colors ready for immediate delivery.
Local distributors know best which colors are popular in their areas. The main criterion for color choice is aesthetics. It is a matter of curbside appeal. How well does the EasyStick Plus match the shingles of the residence or commercial building?
Contractors select colors for their compatibility with color schemes used in modern architecture, including homes and commercial buildings. Tarco’s color palette reflects the most popular shingle colors of the major shingle manufacturers. Roofing shingle manufacturers offer various color selection tools for designing residences to enhance curbside appeal. The appearance of a home from the street has a bearing on its value.
There are also regional preferences. In Florida, for example, White is very popular while for other Southern states, black is popular. In the Midwest, Weatherwood is common. Besides maintaining a large inventory of Weatherwood, Black and White, Tarco also keeps a reasonable inventory of the other colors. In some cases, Tarco may need to manufacture the product upon customer order, which takes no more than two weeks.
Tarco provides several great marketing tools for distributors and contractors so the customers can visually inspect the products and experience the look and feel of the products to make the right choice. EasyStick Plus Sample Cards include a product sample along with a brief outline of the product’s features and benefits.
The Bottom Line
EasyStick Plus is one of the most versatile roofing products in the market today.
While EasyStick Plus is designed as a primary roof, i.e. , meant to be left exposed, EasyStick Plus also makes an excellent underlayment for tile roofs. Its polyester reinforcement provides a high strength and the exceptional granule press renders it perfect to install roof tiles by mechanical attachment or via foam adhesive. The SBS compound offers superior waterproof characteristics.
It offers Low Cost, High Quality, Labor Savings … and Curbside Appeal. There is practically no limit to what can be done with EasyStick Plus.
That’s enough to make your customers smile
