During his 17th inspection of the day in Grove, Oklahoma, Tim Yates of Ridgeline Roofing & Solar encountered a common issue we see far too often—acrylic roof coatings failing prematurely on a closed-cell foam roofing system.
At first glance, the roof appeared to be a typical setup: closed-cell spray foam layered over a fiber base sheet or B-deck, topped with an acrylic coating. But beneath the surface, the problems were piling up—literally.
What Went Wrong?
🔹 Acrylic Coating Breakdown
This roof is only around 8 years old, yet it shows signs of dilapidation, patchwork, and extensive leaking. Over time, small cuts or cracks in the acrylic allow water to penetrate the foam, which absorbs moisture like a sponge. Once that happens, the only way to remove the water is by venting the entire system—an expensive and invasive process.
🔹 Patchwork Repairs Aren’t Enough
Multiple areas had been patched repeatedly, but with the underlying foam already compromised, the repairs were only temporary. Tim noted that some of the most severe leaks were occurring between roof levels, further complicating drainage and moisture management.
🔹 Acrylic Isn’t a Waterproofing Solution
While acrylic coatings might offer UV reflectivity and temporary cooling benefits, they’re not designed for long-term waterproofing—especially on roofs with slopes, penetrations, or surface wear. They simply don’t hold up against pooling water, foot traffic, or seasonal movement.
Our Recommendation:
❌ Avoid acrylic coatings for any system where long-term water resistance is essential.
✅ Silicone coatings, TPO, or spray-applied polyurethane foam (SPF) with silicone top coats offer superior longevity, waterproofing, and elasticity.
If your roof has been coated with acrylic in the past or you’re considering a restoration, let our team give you an honest assessment. At Ridgeline Roofing & Solar, we believe in solutions that last, not quick fixes that fail.
Hear Tim’s Thoughts
Video Transcript: "Hey. It's Tim Yates with Ridgeline Roofing and Solar. I'm in Provo, Oklahoma today, doing my seventeenth roof inspection today, and, it's a pretty day for it. This is a, I haven't poured it yet, but this is a closed sale film with an acrylic on top of it. I'm assuming over probably a fiber and a b duct, some sort of base sheet.
You can see over time what this roof actually does. It starts dilapidating, all these little places start taking on water and I've got a spot of view I'll show but over time it just if you have a cut or a slit or a problem with the acrylic, then it starts washing out the foam, and it just weakens the roof. And the only way to get the water out is to vent it. But it takes you know, this is a b deck. It might be coming in here and running down that way, so you'd have to vent the whole thing to get all the water out.
So I I advise every everybody to stay away from acrylics. I see people advertising acrylics for metal roofing and for this and that. They're a short term fix. They're not something I would recommend putting on your roof as a waterproofer because, you know, maybe for UV purposes, you wanna cool it off inside. I get it, but they're just not a product that, I'd recommend for waterproofing.
This roof is, you know, probably eight years old. And you can see all the problems that's that's going on with it. It's got, you know, several leaks, and I've seen between this lower area and the upper area, it's got a ton of areas that have been patched, and people try to fix, you know, some of the problems. But, you know, you're just it's just not gonna help because it's just the, it was at the end of its life several years ago. So, stay away from the quick fixes and, stay away from acrylics.
Anyway, I'm going back to work. Have a good day."