How Much Does a Spray Foam Roof Recoat Cost

I’m sure sometime in the past week or so, you had to stop and refill your vehicle with gas. And I’m sure you’re aware but filling up a Honda Civic and a Cadillac Escalade cost very differently.

The same analogy can be used when talking about the cost of recoating your spray foam roof. Every spray foam roof needs to be recoated and they all cost differently.

But on average, the cost of a spray foam recoat on a commercial roof is between $3-$6 per square foot.

***There are a lot of variables when it comes to cost. The current cost of materials, roof size, warranty length, details of the job, overspray potential, and much more can increase or decrease this cost range.***

Since West Roofing Systems has been in business since 1979, we’ve done hundreds of recoats on spray foam roofs that vary in size, condition, and slope.

Today, we’ll dive into these variables and explain how each of these influences the cost of your recoat, let’s begin…

What is a spray foam recoat?

You’re probably wondering, what is a recoat and why do I need one?

A spray foam roof recoat is the process of cleaning your existing spray foam roof, repairing any damages, and then adding a new layer of coating over top.

A roofing contractor needs to do this because coating breaks down slightly throughout the years due to:

Foot traffic on your roof
Wind
Dirt
Bad storms

Nothing lasts forever, and neither do spray foam roof coatings.

A spray foam roof with a 15-year warranty will start year one with 25 mils of coating overtop. At the end of year 15, you may be down to 7-10 mils of coating.

To protect your spray foam roof so it can perform how it was designed to, a recoat is necessary.

Now that we know a recoat is necessary for all spray foam roofs, what influences the cost to go up or down?

4 variables that determine how much a spray foam recoat will cost

1. The size of your roof

While a spray foam recoat will generally be in the $3-$6 per square foot range, the size of your roof can determine if your recoat is going to be closer to $3, or $6.

The reason is that setup costs are going to be very similar whether you have a 2,000 sq. ft. roof or a 100,000 sq. ft. roof.

Setup costs that happen on every spray foam recoat are:

Safety setup including stanchions and warning line systems
Use of a rig that has all the equipment needed for coating

A recoat is more cost-effective per square foot on a larger roof as opposed to a smaller roof due to standard setup costs that are very similar no matter how big the roof is.

The larger your roof = the lower cost per square foot for your recoat.

2. The current condition of your roof

The current condition of your roof influences the price of your spray foam roof’s recoat.

Chances are that if your roof is just coming out of warranty (if it ended within the past year) then there won’t be much (if any) damage on your roof.

For a roof that’s been out of warranty for 5 years, there’s a much higher chance that there’s damage on the roof that’s needs taken care of before a recoat can occur.

For example, let’s say a spray foam roof has been neglected for 5 years after its initial 10-year warranty has ended.

During that time, tools may have been stepped on that have caused small cracks, other contractors may have caused small cuts in the foam roof by inserting the HVAC panels into the roof, and a storm that came two years ago may have blown a giant branch that stuck into the roof.

And the drains may have been clogged for three years straight now.

Water will not enter this building since it has a closed-cell spray foam roof, but there will be substantial time dedicated to fixing damages before a recoat can occur.

More time dedicated to fixing damages = a higher cost for your recoat.

3. Do you have a flat roof or a sloped roof?

This one is simple.

If you have a sloped roof, it’s less time-consuming to power wash your roof clean before a recoat can occur.

On a flat roof, water doesn’t run off the roof as easily.

Less time cleaning your roof = a lower cost for your recoat.

4. How long is the new warranty period?

Let’s say you had a spray foam roof and you got a 10-year warranty. It’s near the end of year 10 and you’re about to schedule your recoat, but this time, you want to get a 20-year warranty.

The level of warranty that’s granted is in direct correlation with the dry film thickness of the coating that’s installed.

For a new:

10-year warranty, 20 mils of coating will be installed.
15-year warranty – 25 mils of coating will be installed.
20-year warranty – 30 mils of coating will be installed.

A roofing contractor will price these out and give the owner options.

For a 20-year warranty, due to the increased amount of coating, you might be in the $4.50/sq. ft. range for installation.

While a 10-year warranty may be closer to $3/sq. ft.

More coating = a higher cost for your recoat.

Other questions a building owner may ask about spray foam recoats

How long will the recoat take?

With perfect weather conditions, a 20,000 square foot roof can take around 4 days to complete a recoat.

A 100,000 square foot roof can take around 10-12 days to complete a recoat.

NOTE: perfect weather conditions = warmer than 50 degrees F with no rain and no wind.

What is the process of a spray foam roof recoat from start to finish?

Step 1: Setup safety and get everything staged

This includes setting up all warning line systems around the perimeter of the roof. This also includes getting everything on the roof so the guys are ready to go, such as:

Laying the hoses out
Having windscreens prepared if needed
Having a crane on-site if needed
Power washers are on the roof
Having loaders on-site to load all the trash

The goal is to have everything set up, so tomorrow the crew can work full throttle.

Step 2: Prep roof

Here the crew will pick up loose debris and sweep up smaller particles such as granules and dirt.

Step 3: Pressure wash

The crew will pressure wash with a minimum of 3500 PSI. Pressure washing creates a clean surface for the base coat to be applied properly.

Step 4: Add base coat and repair

The next step is to apply the base coat.

After application, if the roof is in good condition, meaning there are no incisions into the foam larger than teacup-sized, the base coat will repair all the minor damaged areas and the crew can move on to Step 5.

If the roof is in bad condition, meaning there are incisions larger than the size of a teacup, the base coat will reveal those areas by leaving a void. These voids will need to be covered with sealant before moving on.

Here is an image of a spray foam roof with a basecoat that has had the larger damages repaired with sealant.

Step 5: Install topcoat and granules

This is where the crew will install the topcoat of coating to the thickness the warranty recommends, and then add a protective layer of granules that will be embedded into the application.

Here’s a photo of a recoated spray foam roof with the topcoat and granules:

Step 6: Finalize

The crew will return to the job site and insert drain covers, put back wood blocks if gas lines needed to be lifted, and complete a walk-around to make sure everything looks good and all areas are coated and granulated.

Step 7: Warranty

If the warranty is through the manufacturer of the coating used, then they will appear on-site and perform an inspection to make sure everything is coated, and the correct level of the coating was applied.

Finishing touches on spray foam recoat costs

Hopefully today you learned that spray foam roofs need to be recoated and that the price of the recoat is usually $3-$6 per square foot.

At West Roofing Systems, we’ve done recoats since the 1980’s, including recoating the same roofs over and over once their warranties end.

But did you know, recoats are just one aspect of the spray foam roofing universe.

Want to learn everything possible about spray foam roofing in one place?

Our Ultimate Guide to Spray Foam Roofing (no information required) will answer all the questions you have, such as:

If not, please contact us and we’ll answer any question you have.