US Liquid-Applied Roof Coatings

Report Overview

Featuring 103 tables and 14 figures

The report deals with a product segment that is rising in popularity and is not normally covered in detail in general roofing reports.

US demand for liquid-applied roof coatings is forecast to increase 1.1% annually through 2028 to 11.91 million squares. High levels of reroofing activity in 2020, 2021, and 2023 will result in slower growth during the forecast period. However, demand will be supported by:

• rising use of products that meet cool roofing criteria to improve structures’ energy performance properties

• increasing use of coatings on newly installed roofs to provide enhanced protection against damage caused by exposure to the elements

• significant interest in using coatings as a less expensive alternative to roof replacement projects

Market value is forecast to increase 1.5% annually to $1.3 billion in 2028, representing a significant deceleration from the 2018-2023 period. Gains will be primarily driven by real growth, as prices have stabilized following surges during the latter part of the historical period.

Moisture Resistance Supports Solid Gains for Silicone & Blended Liquid-Applied Roof Coatings

Blended and silicone roof coatings – which exhibited above average growth in the previous five-year period – will see the fastest growth of all liquid-applied products types. Demand for silicone will be driven by:

• increasing specification based on their more favorable performance properties, such as resistance to damage caused by freeze/thaw cracking

• silicone’s high resistance to damage caused by prolonged exposure to moisture, which is vital in regions of the US that deal with ponding water

Most blended roof coatings also offer superior resistance to moisture. Additionally, blended coatings such as PUMA can be used to meet cool roofing criteria, making them popular in parts of the country that have cool roofing mandates.

Demand for High-Performance Coatings Offers Opportunities for PMMA Suppliers

Although it accounts for a smaller share of demand than some other coatings, PMMA has seen its usage rise in recent years as building owners increasingly opt for high-performance products whose durability will prevent additional replacement or repair work in the near future. PMMA’s fast curing times also makes them ideal for projects with tight schedules or in regions where sudden shifts in weather occur, while its ability to be applied in sub-zero temperatures make it an option in cold climates. Additionally, PMMA’s are often white or light in color, which allows them to meet cool roofing criteria.

Historical Market Trends & Growth Factors

Liquid-applied roof coatings are a segment of the broader roofing industry, with use focused primarily on commercial reroofing and repair applications. Roofing demand can vary from year to year, with those shifts determined by numerous factors – primarily those related to building construction activity. Key factors include:

• the number and types of commercial buildings erected or repaired in any given year

• low interest rates, which can encourage business owners to take out lines of credit that are often used to fund roof repair and replacement projects

• the type of roofing (e.g., steep-slope or low-slope) that will be repaired or replaced

• the roofing materials originally installed on the structure

The US has a significant number of commercial buildings with roofs that are at or near the end of their life expectancies. Thus, age-related reroofing is the most significant driver of roofing material demand in the US.

Additionally, multiple other variables can affect demand for roofing in a particular year or over a short period of time. These include:

• weather conditions, especially outbreaks of severe weather that can cause widespread damage to roofs (e.g., hurricanes and tropical storms, tornadoes, hailstorms, and winter storms)

• changes and modifications to state and local building codes

• the adoption of legislation (such as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017) that can cause a temporary increase in reroofing activity

• insurers requiring building owners to replace old or worn roofs with materials that better resist severe weather as a condition of maintaining coverage

• changes in the price of raw materials (e.g., asphalt, polymers) that can cause the cost of roofing materials per square to increase or decrease sharply

Inflation & Pricing Trends

Roofing product prices can be impacted by several factors, including:

• the price and availability of key raw materials (e.g., asphalt, plastic resins, additives)

• production costs (manufacturing equipment, energy)

• transportation and distribution expenses related to delivering finished products to distributors

• labor, as many industries are having difficulty finding trained, skilled workers to operate and maintain production equipment

Prices for liquid-applied roof coatings are shaped by the type of raw materials used, performance and durability features, brand reputation, order volume, formulation complexity, supply chain factors, and regulatory compliance requirements.

Coatings that offer longer warranties, better weather resistance, and enhanced durability generally command higher prices. Premium products designed for extreme weather conditions (e.g., heavy rain, intense UV exposure) are also priced higher because of the specialized ingredients that improve their performances.

In addition, more rapid price increases will be checked by manufacturer efforts to boost market share. Roof coatings are seen as a less expensive alternative to reroofing jobs, so suppliers benefit from minimizing price increases to ensure coatings’ cost advantage over primary roofing materials.

Among roof coating product types:

• Price increases for PMMA and silicone roof coatings will result from tight supplies of methyl methacrylate and silicone resins.

• Pricing for acrylic liquid-applied roof coatings will be affected by moderate gains in acrylic resin pricing. However, manufacturers of acrylic roof coatings will increasingly opt to absorb those hikes to maintain market share in the face of greater competition from other coating types that offer enhanced performance properties.

Raw Material Trends

Demand by Material

Several raw materials are used to make liquid-applied roof coatings, key among them:

• plastic resins (e.g., acrylic, silicone, urethane, PMMA)

• refined asphalt

• fibers, mineral fillers, and other additives (such as water, mineral spirits, and titanium dioxide

Plastic resins will see the most rapid gains based on demand for coatings with enhanced protective properties and longer lifespans. In many cases, these desired properties can only be achieved by using more plastic resins – despite their higher cost – at the expense of less costly materials, such as fibers and mineral fillers.

Building Construction Activity

Trends in building construction impact the demand for liquid-applied roof coatings through several key factors. The level of new construction activity – especially in sectors like commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings – directly influences the need for new roofing materials. Liquid-applied coatings are used in these markets because of their suitability for the flat and low-slope roofs commonly encountered in warehouses, retail stores, factories, and hospitals.

Changes in the size and complexity of projects also play a role. Large-scale developments and high-tech buildings may require specialized coatings for enhanced durability, water resistance, or energy efficiency, thereby driving demand for premium coating products. Economic conditions, government funding for infrastructure, and shifts in commercial real estate development have additional effects on year-to-year demand.

Trends in residential building construction typically have less impact on overall demand for liquid-applied coatings due to the preponderance of steep roofs that are more likely to utilize asphalt shingles.

Report Details

This study analyzes US demand for liquid-applied roof coatings by product type, application (new construction or reroofing), market (residential or commercial), and building type. Demand is also presented by major US region and subregion.

Products covered by the study include:

• acrylic coatings

• asphalt coatings

• silicone coatings

• urethane coatings

• blended coatings containing two (or more) resins

• polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) coatings

• coatings made from butyl rubber, polyurea, polyaspartic, terpolymers, and coal tar

Excluded from the scope of the study are:

• bituminous compounds, such as mopping asphalt, used in the installation of bituminous roofing materials

• compounds used as joint sealants, adhesives, mastics, or other materials used to facilitate the installation of primary roofing materials

• prefabricated components used in the construction of a site-built home (such as a roof truss or a structural insulated panel, along with the additional work required at the jobsite to complete the residence

The residential and commercial markets are broken out by building type

Residential buildings include:

• single-family detached houses

• single-family attached houses (e.g., townhouses)

• apartment or condominium buildings with multiple dwelling units

• manufactured homes, which are housing units constructed on a permanent chassis with wheels for on-road transportation to the site at which the unit will be placed

Excluded from the definition of residential buildings are housing units located in a structure whose primary purpose is something other than habitation. Thus, a small living space contained in a larger retail facility would be classified as part of a retail building and not a residential building.

The commercial market consists of:

• institutional buildings (e.g., healthcare and educational facilities, religious establishments)

• office and trade structures (e.g., office buildings, retail establishments, hospitality facilities, financial facilities such as banks, and warehousing and storage facilities not located on industrial sites)

• industrial facilities (e.g., manufacturing plants and associated offices and warehouses)

• other nonresidential structures such as airport and bus terminals, recreational buildings, theaters, police stations, fire stations, and prisons

Additionally, demand for liquid-applied roof coatings is broken out for the following US geographic regions and subregions.

• Northeast (New England and Middle Atlantic)

• Midwest (East North Central and West North Central)

• South (South Atlantic, East South Central, and West South Central)

• West (Mountain and Pacific)

Historical data (2013, 2018, and 2023) and forecasts for 2028 and 2033 are presented for liquid-applied roof coating demand in current US dollars (including inflation) and in squares. Annual data is also presented from 2020 to 2027.