Questions Customers Should Ask
The questions you should ask if you're looking to purchase the best high-quality roof paints, coatings, and sealers — whether you buy from us or anyone else.
Read a label like a pro. Every roof coating manufacturer's label tells you what their product can — and cannot — do. Most homeowners don't know what to look for. The sections below explain exactly what questions to ask, what the answers reveal, and how to separate genuine hurricane-rated rubber systems from generic elastomeric paint dressed up in marketing language.
Home Depot roof paints and coatings — including Lanco Harris, Siliconizers, Somay Roof Mastic, Sherwin Williams Karnak, and Nu-tech — are suggested by their own manufacturers NOT to be used in ponding water. Just read their warranty. These are good products for painting walls, but they are not engineered for flat roofs.
Elastomeric is a process of manufacturing made by combining enamel and thickeners. It is not a finished product but a category of similar products with completely different uses. Elastomeric is essentially caulk — then you have to paint it. Mastic is caulk. Paint is paint. And premium 100% Rubber is 100% Rubber — which they are not.
To test the true waterproof characteristics of any roof coating, simply place it in the freezer. Generic elastomeric products will easily break — because they are not designed to push all the water through even at their driest cure state. That is why ponding water is the real litmus test, and why these manufacturers include specific exclusion statements on their labels. Real rubber does not crack in the freezer.
Elastomeric paints and mastics alone were not designed for waterproofing roofs or below-grade projects — they are limited to verticals (walls), because they hold a percentage of water in the film, regaining some water then returning to a dry state. Water barrier elastomeric paints or mastics require a third paint coat to protect from weathering — 'protect the protectant' doesn't make much sense. Additional coats are required every 3 to 5 years, which is very costly. Do the math before you buy.
The TAS-106 Dade County Approved tile pull test is required on all new tile roof replacements in Florida after tiles are set. New tile roof replacement requires a minimum of 35 lbs of lift in the field and 55 lbs at the ridge caps — equal to about 120–130 MPH. Miami Dade High Velocity Wind Zone Rated means the structure has been tested to the minimum wind resistance standard at 130 MPH within its own strength design criteria before any mastic, caulk, or elastomeric is applied. If you Google "hurricane coatings," companies will show videos where you can see the gaps between the tiles — obviously painting alone adds no uplift resistance whatsoever. Our Roof Shield (RP3) is the only liquid coating in the world that has received an independent TAS-106 Uplift Pull Test certification.
Roofprotect Advanced Rubber roof coating can be submerged under water for prolonged periods without subsequent damage due to saturation of the coating — ideal for flat roofs. Generic elastomeric products cannot make this claim.
This is one of the most common objections you'll hear from roof-replacement companies — and it's misleading. "Breathable" in roofing terms means vapor-permeable: the coating blocks liquid water from entering while still letting trapped moisture vapor escape. Our elastomeric coatings have a high permeability rating, and our silicone-based Roof Shield system — while somewhat less permeable than pure acrylic — is still vapor-permeable and lets the roof assembly dry out over time. The real risk isn't breathability, it's coating over a roof with existing trapped moisture or unrepaired leaks — which is why every installation starts with an infrared moisture scan to confirm the deck is dry first. Learn more about when and why we specify silicone on our dedicated silicone roof coating page.
Download Technical Documentation
For MSDS, Performance Rating Material Data, and TAS-106 Wind Resistance Tech Data — call 954-210-9614 or contact us and we'll send the documentation directly.
Quick Comparison — Our Products vs. Generic Brands
Still Have Questions?
Call us for a free over-the-phone consultation. We'll answer every question you have honestly — whether we end up being the right fit for your roof or not.