Interactive 3D System Guide
TPO Roofing System — Explore Every Layer in Interactive 3D
This is the exact TPO assembly Coastal Roofing of Georgia installs on warehouses, distribution centers, retail, offices, schools, and churches across Savannah and Coastal Georgia. Rotate it, pull the layers apart, and press Play Install to watch the entire system go together step by step — from bare steel deck to the final heat-welded seam.
TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin) is the most-installed commercial roofing membrane in America for a reason: a white ENERGY STAR cool-roof surface, heat-welded seams stronger than the membrane itself, and a mechanically attached assembly engineered for coastal wind uplift.
Drag to rotate · Scroll to zoom · Press ▶ Play Install to watch the system installed step by step · Toggle Explode View to separate the layers
Bottom to Top
The Assembly, Layer by Layer
Structural Steel Deck
20-gauge corrugated steel
The structural substrate — welded to bar joists. Wood and concrete decks are also supported.
Vapor Retarder
Polyethylene film, 40-mil
Stops interior humidity from migrating into the insulation — critical in Coastal Georgia's year-round humid climate.
Polyiso Insulation, Layer 1
Polyisocyanurate rigid foam, 2" / R-13
First insulation layer laid in courses with tight joints.
Polyiso Insulation, Layer 2
Polyisocyanurate rigid foam, 2" / R-13
Laid 90° to the first layer with offset joints — total R-26 exceeds Climate Zone 3A code. Fastened with galvanized disc plates and #14 screws.
Cover Board
Glass-mat gypsum, 1/4"
Protects the polyiso from foot traffic, fastener pull-through, and hail. Required by most manufacturer warranties.
60-Mil TPO Membrane
Reinforced thermoplastic polyolefin
White surface at 0.86 initial solar reflectance — ENERGY STAR cool-roof qualifying. Heat-welded at every seam into one continuous waterproof skin.
The Same Sequence Our Crews Follow
How It's Installed — Step by Step
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1
Existing building & structural deck. Crew arrives at the existing building — parapet walls in place, rooftop equipment craned aside, 20-gauge steel deck exposed.
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2
Vapor retarder. Polyethylene vapor retarder rolled across the deck to block interior humidity.
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3
Polyiso insulation — layer 1. First 2-inch rigid polyiso layer laid in courses.
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4
Polyiso insulation — layer 2 + plate fasteners. Second layer at 90° with offset joints, fastened through both layers into the deck with galvanized disc plates.
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5
Cover board. Glass-mat gypsum board covers the insulation and plate fasteners.
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6
Base TPO sheet rolled out. First 10-foot-wide TPO sheet rolled across the cover board.
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7
Seam plates installed. 2-3/4" galvanized disc plates fastened along the sheet edge — 12" on-center field, 8" perimeter, 6" corners per wind-uplift spec. The only place the membrane is penetrated.
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8
Top TPO sheet overlapped. Adjacent sheet overlaps the plate row by 4-6 inches, sandwiching the plates between membrane layers.
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9
Heat-welded seam. Robotic hot-air welder fuses the sheets at ~1100°F into one continuous skin. Probe-tested after cooling.
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10
HVAC curb flashing. TPO flashing wraps up each curb side and over the top — zero exposed wood, no water entry path.
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11
HVAC unit set back on curb. Rigger crane lowers the unit onto the flashed curb; the unit clamps the cap in place.
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12
Roof drain installed. Cast-iron clamping ring compresses a TPO target sheet into the drain bowl; dome strainer on top.
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13
Pipe penetration boot. Pre-formed TPO boot heat-welded to the field membrane, stainless clamp at the pipe.
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14
Parapet wall flashing + coping. TPO runs 6+ inches up the wall, termination bar anchors it, metal coping caps the wall.
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15
Edge metal + final inspection. Perimeter drip edge installed; every seam probe-tested before handoff.
Press ▶ Play Install in the 3D model above to watch every one of these steps animate in order.
Common Questions
How is a TPO roof attached without leaking?
The fastening plates sit only along seam edges, and every plate row gets covered by the next membrane sheet and heat-welded shut. The finished field of the roof is never penetrated — the only fasteners are sealed inside welded seams.
How long does a TPO commercial roof last?
A properly installed 60-mil TPO system in Coastal Georgia typically delivers 20-25 years of service life. 80-mil membranes and FM Global-rated assemblies extend that further.
Why is TPO white?
The white surface reflects about 86% of solar energy when new, which qualifies for ENERGY STAR cool-roof ratings and measurably cuts summer cooling loads on conditioned buildings.
Is TPO right for a restaurant roof?
Usually not. Continuous grease and animal-fat exposure degrades TPO around kitchen exhaust. For restaurants and food-service rooftops we install chemically resistant PVC instead.
Ready When You Are
See it on your building.
Free inspection, straight answers, and a spec matched to your building — not a one-size-fits-all pitch.