Why coatings certification starts with the roof itself

By The Coffee Shops™. 

ASC Building Materials’ contractor certification program helps roofers identify better coating candidates. 

For commercial roofs, long-term performance is determined by many factors. One of which is knowing when a roof is suitable for a coating, or when a membrane or bitumen would be a better solution.  

On a recent episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Megan Ellsworth sat down with James Conneely of American Standard Coatings Building Materials (ASC Building Materials) to discuss why contractor certification programs matter in the coatings industry and how they help contractors move beyond product knowledge into practical roof evaluation. 

For James, the value of certification begins with quality assurance. “Even the highest quality product will fail if installed incorrectly,” he said. “Certification programs ensure that the end product, in this case the roof coating system, performs exactly as intended.” That performance, he explained, reflects not only on the contractor but also on the manufacturer whose name is tied to the completed work. 

A major part of that responsibility is knowing when a roof should not be coated. James noted that “not every roof is a good candidate for a coating system,” which makes training essential for helping contractors understand the difference between a roof that can be restored and one that may need replacement. 

That distinction becomes especially important when property owners are looking for cost-conscious options. “The biggest downside of coating a roof is that we want to help a lot of property owners that don't have other options,” James said. “Unfortunately, a lot of times those are the roofs that are in the worst condition. We don't want to coat over a roof that's been completely saturated with water.” Instead, contractors need to understand when saturated areas can be addressed and when the overall condition of the roof creates too much risk. 

Preparation is another recurring theme. James emphasized that cleaning, addressing penetrations and preparing movement-prone areas are essential steps before coating begins. 

By grounding contractors in evaluation, preparation and installation fundamentals, certification helps set expectations before a project starts. It also gives contractors a clearer way to explain coatings to owners who may still think the process is simply painting a roof. 

Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about contractor certification programs.