At first glance, this looked like a typical commercial roof replacement.
It wasn’t.
Raymie Johnson Estates, located in Oak Park Heights next to Stillwater, Minnesota, is an affordable apartment complex that houses residents aged 62 and older and individuals with disabilities.
The building’s aging hot-asphalt built-up roof had reached the point where it needed replacement. But replacing this roof wasn’t simply a matter of removing the existing roofing system and installing a new one.
Before work could begin, we needed to understand how the building had been engineered and constructed decades earlier.
A Building Unlike Most Others
Raymie Johnson Estates was built using a Nilcon precast concrete structural system that is an insulated precast concrete system used in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. It was an innovative method for
its time that required careful consideration during the roof replacement process.
“The original precast concrete structural system required careful planning before roof replacement could begin. Understanding how the building was designed allowed Rayco to safely replace the roof while protecting the structure below.”
This wasn’t a roof where we could simply assume standard replacement methods would work. We had to understand what was underneath the existing built-up roofing system before determining the most effective way to proceed.
Taking a Careful, Engineered Approach
At Rayco, our goal isn’t simply to replace the roof. It’s to determine the best roofing system for the building while making the most effective use of the owner’s investment.
At Raymie Johnson Estates, the existing insulation was still in great condition. Rather than removing materials that were performing as intended, we developed a system that allowed us to preserve the existing insulation while replacing the aging asphalt roof above it.
Why an Adhered TPO Roofing System Was Selected
Projects like Raymie Johnson Estates demonstrate why experience matters in commercial roofing. Every building has its own structural characteristics, and understanding those differences can be just as important as installing the roofing membrane itself.
The existing built-up roofing was removed down to the insulation. We then hot-mopped a new layer of 1/2-inch DensDeck cover board over the existing insulation, creating a new substrate for the roofing system. A 60-mil TPO membrane was then adhered to the new cover board.
By preserving the existing insulation, we were able to avoid the cost and waste of removing and replacing material that was still performing while providing the facility with a new 30-year commercial roofing system.
The result is a modern commercial roofing system designed to provide decades of dependable protection for Raymie Johnson Estates and the people who call it home.
Every Building Has a Story
Commercial roofing isn’t always just about replacing roofing materials. Sometimes it’s about understanding what is already there, determining what still has useful life, and designing a roofing system that provides the building owner with the best long-term roof system for the money.
That’s where experience makes the difference.
Rayco Construction. Since 1978.
Always striving to make the roofing experience better.