Roofing
Concrete tiles
With the exception of materials such as thatch, it is possible to imitate most traditional roofing materials with concrete.Control of the concrete’s properties and processing is vital to achieve the required surface texture and color without compromising functionality, i.e. that of thin interlocking plates designed to keep out water.
The tiles must conform to national standards for specific properties, including water permeability, freeze-thaw performance and strength. To meet these performance requirements, concrete roof tiles are typically made of a mortar mix with a sand grading known as “sharp sand” and calcium carbonate fines such as Betocarb® to improve the density of the concrete matrix.
Iron oxide pigments are added to create the desired color. This method is the most cost effective way of making terracotta, black, brown and yellow tiles.
Efflorescence may occur after the roof is installed but also during manufacturing or packaging. Roof tile manufacturers therefore take a number of steps to eliminate its occurrence. This is a complex field. Most manufacturers simply aim to reduce the quantity of calcium hydroxide present in the hardened mortar by replacing part of the cement or fillers with more or less insoluble calcium carbonate fines, thereby reducing the risk of surface carbonation.
Bitumen Membrane Roofing
Bitumen is used in general waterproofing products, including roofing felt and sealing for flat roofs.Shingle is the generic term for roofing material. These products are produced in rolls or as membranes. Fiberglass-based asphalt shingles, a fire retardant, are by far the most common roofing material used in residential roofing applications.
Asphalt shingles are made of bitumen embedded in an organic or fiberglass mat.
Asphalt is mixed with polymers such as APP or SBS and our calcium carbonate filler such as Bitucarb®, then applied to fiberglass and/or polyester mat; seams are sealed by melting the asphalt on-site with heat, hot mopping of asphalt, or adhesive.
Asphalt roof shingles are the most common covering used on residential properties in North America.
Shingles were once made by saturating rag-felts with asphalt and by coating each side of the saturated felt with an asphalt-mineral filler-coat, covering the top surface of the shingle with mineral granules (for resistance to sunlight and weather), and then coating the bottom surface with a coarse calcium carbonate filler to prevent shingles from sticking together in storage or shipment.
High Quality
State-of-the-art technology is used to manufacture calcium carbonate products that are tailor-made for a variety of applications.
