by Brianna Crandall — March 5, 2014—Sika, a global provider of thermoplastic commercial roofing and waterproofing membranes, recently announced what the company says is the industry’s first-ever Thickness Guarantee Program. Sika now guarantees that the thickness of its entire line of Sarnafil brand roofing membranes, which can also be a component of green roofs, will meet or exceed the thickness indicated on the package label.
According to Sika, current industry standards for various single-ply membranes, established by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), allow a manufacturer to produce a membrane 10 percent thinner (or thicker) than its labeled thickness, meaning that a membrane labeled 60 mils could actually be 54 mils and still meet the standard. The company notes that specifiers and building owners and managers are generally unaware of this situation, even though it has a direct impact on product value and the quality and durability of the finished project.
Under the Thickness Guarantee Program, Sika will remunerate the building owner $0.05 per square foot for the amount of material measuring less than the labeled thickness to a maximum of $5,000 if, at the time of installation, the membrane measures less than the labeled thickness per the ASTM D-751 standard.
“Roofing membrane thickness is a key determinant to longevity, durability, and weldability,” said Jay Thomas, Vice President Marketing, Sika Corporation. “The Thickness Guarantee Program for Sarnafil membranes ensures that architects and roofing consultants can specify with confidence, and that building owners will truly get what they pay for.”
Sika reminds that roof surfaces have to withstand challenging climatic and meteorological conditions involving moisture, temperature, solar radiation, and wind, and that over time, these forces combine to age membranes, resulting in part in a loss of thickness for all products. A thicker membrane withstands these weathering and aging forces longer, says the company. In addition, commercial roofs typically host heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) and mechanical equipment, which entail foot traffic for maintenance and repair, and thicker membranes stand up better to punctures and abrasion, adds the company.
Sika AG, located in Baar, Switzerland, is a globally active specialty chemicals company, supplying the building and construction industry as well as manufacturing industries. Sika’s product lines feature high?quality concrete admixtures, specialty mortars, sealants and adhesives, damping and reinforcing materials, structural strengthening systems, and industrial flooring, as well as roofing and waterproofing systems. Sika has a worldwide local presence in 80 countries and more than 16,000 employees.
