Skip to content
ARMORTHANE PROTECTING YOUR WORLD

PROTECTING YOUR WORLD

ARMORTHANE PROTECTING YOUR WORLD

Roof Coating
Sprayers: Airless
vs Plural

Which sprayer fits acrylic, silicone, polyurethane, polyurea and spray foam roofing, how to size the pump, tips and hose, and when a plural-component rig pays for itself.
Roofing Equipment

Adding roof coatings? Get the right rig.

Tell us what roofs you coat and how much. Our equipment team can spec a sprayer or a complete rig, with training.

  • Coating types you will spray
  • Typical roof size
  • Crew size
  • Rig or truck setup
Rather talk now? Call (417) 831-5090
Step 1 of 3
Airless
For single-component acrylic and silicone
Coating spray guides
Plural
For polyurea and spray foam roofing
Industry practice
No filter
Many silicone guides say remove filters
Silicone spray guides
Big hose
Large-diameter hose for thick coatings
Silicone spray guides

The sprayer decides how many squares a crew can coat in a day and how even the film is. Thick roof coatings are hard on equipment: silicone and high-solids acrylic need a big airless pump, large hose and the right tip, while polyurea and spray foam roofing need a heated plural-component rig. ArmorThane builds plural-component equipment and spray rigs, and this guide explains which sprayer fits which roof coating.

Quick answer

Single-component roof coatings such as acrylic, silicone and many one-part urethanes are sprayed with a heavy-duty airless sprayer sized for thick, high-solids material, usually with a large-diameter hose, a reversible tip in the size range the coating maker lists and the filters removed when the guide calls for it. Two-component systems such as spray polyurea and spray polyurethane foam roofing need a heated plural-component proportioner, heated hose and impingement gun. Choose the sprayer from the coating data sheet, roof size and daily production you need.

What's in this guide
  1. 1Match sprayer to coating
  2. 2Airless setup
  3. 3Plural-component rigs
  4. 4Spray technique
  5. 5FAQ
Start here

Match the sprayer to the coating

Roof coatingSprayer typeNotes
AcrylicAirless, heavy-dutyWater-based; keep hoses clean of solvent residue
SiliconeAirless, high-outputThick and moisture-curing; many guides call for large hose and no filters; never use hoses that held water-based products
One-part urethaneAirlessMoisture-curing; keep material sealed
Spray polyureaPlural-component, heatedFixed ratio, high pressure and heat; impingement gun
SPF roofing foamPlural-component, heatedProportioner, heated hose and foam gun, then an elastomeric topcoat
Always follow the coating manufacturer spray guide for pump size, tip, hose and pressure.
Water and siliconeMoisture left in a hose from a water-based coating can start silicone curing inside the hose and clog it. Use dedicated hoses.
Airless

Setting up an airless roof sprayer

Pump

Pump output

Thick coatings need a pump rated well above the flow you will use. Undersized pumps pulse and leave thin spots.

Hose

Hose

Larger diameter hose keeps pressure up on long runs to the roof.

Tip

Tips

Use the reversible tip sizes the coating guide lists, and replace worn tips.

Filters

Filters and screens

Many high-solids guides call for removing filters; check yours.

Power

Gas or electric

Gas units are common on roofs without convenient power.

Mils

Wet film checks

Check wet mils as you go to hit the specified dry thickness.

Plural

When a plural rig pays for itself

Polyurea and spray foam roofing are sprayed with a heated proportioner that meters both components, heats them and pumps them through heated hose to an impingement gun. A rig costs more than an airless sprayer, but it opens up work an airless crew cannot do: seamless polyurea roof membranes that cure in seconds, spray foam roofs that add insulation and slope, and the topcoats that protect them.

Polyurea

Polyurea roofs

Thick, seamless membranes for metal, concrete and foam roofs. See polyurea roof coating.

Foam

Spray foam roofing

Insulation plus a new roof surface. See spray foam roofing.

Urethane

Urethane systems

Base and topcoat systems. See polyurethane roof coating.

Rig

Mobile rig

Proportioner, generator, compressor and drums in one trailer. See spray foam rigs.

Spray it right

Roof spraying technique

  1. Prep the roof

    Clean, repair seams and wet areas, and prime as specified. See surface preparation.

  2. Detail first

    Brush or spray seams, flashings, drains and penetrations before the field.

  3. Spray in passes

    Overlap each pass by about half and cross-hatch for even thickness.

  4. Watch the wind

    Overspray travels. Use screens and stop spraying in high wind.

  5. Check thickness

    Measure wet film as you go and verify dry film after cure.

Protect what is nearbyCover HVAC intakes, cars and neighboring buildings. Overspray claims cost more than masking.
Roofing equipment

Spray more squares every day.

ArmorThane builds plural-component equipment and spray rigs for polyurea and foam roofing, and trains crews to run them.

Get a free quoteFind an applicator

Contractors: become an ArmorThane applicator

FAQ

Roof coating sprayer questions

What sprayer do I need for silicone roof coating?

A heavy-duty, high-output airless sprayer with large hose and the tip sizes in the coating spray guide. Many silicone guides say to remove filters and use hoses that have not held water-based products.

Can I spray roof coating with a paint sprayer?

Small homeowner paint sprayers usually cannot move thick roof coatings well. Use a pump rated for high-solids coatings.

What equipment sprays polyurea roof coating?

A heated plural-component proportioner with heated hose and an impingement-mix spray gun.

What tip size for roof coating?

Use the range listed in the coating spray guide. Thick coatings typically use larger reversible tips than paint.

Is spraying faster than rolling roof coating?

Yes, on most roofs spraying covers far more area per day and gives a more even film, especially on textured surfaces.

AT
Written by the ArmorThane technical team. We have manufactured polyurea, polyurethane and polyaspartic coatings, spray foam and plural-component spray equipment in Springfield, Missouri since 1989. Always follow the coating maker spray guide and the equipment manual.

Sources

  1. Progressive Materials, silicone coatings spray equipment guide. pmsilicone.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Silicone-Spray-Equipment-Guide.pdf
  2. Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance, roofing resources. sprayfoam.org
  3. ArmorThane roof coating guide. armorthane.com/knowledge-center/roof-coating-guide

latest news & bLOGS

Learn more

Coat roofs faster.

Contractors can add polyurea and foam roofing with ArmorThane equipment and training, with no franchise fee and no royalties. Owners can find a certified applicator near them.

Find an applicator →Become an applicator
United States 417-831-5090 · Canada 780-444-6200

CONTACT US

REQUEST A QUOTE OR

BECOME AN APPLICATOR

ArmorThane has built a strong reputation over the past 30 years for producing high-quality, durable protective coatings.

group 115 660555abebfe4
Phone Number

Tel: 417.831.5090

group 115 1 660556c21395c
Email Us

moreinfo@armorthane.com

Step 1 of 3

We want to help you find the best ArmorThane applicator for your protective coating project. Please either fill out the request form below or call us toll free at 417-831-5090, any time Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.

RV Find An Applicator

Step 1 of 3

Connect with an authorized ArmorThane professional to get a long-lasting, seamless protective coating for your RV. Submit the form below or call us directly at 417-831-5090 (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM CST).

Facebook Twitter Youtube

Find An Applicator

Applicator Login

Armorthane Logo Outlined
CALL NOW
BECOME APPLICATOR
FIND APPLICATOR

Protective Coating Applications

Products

Applicator Opportunities

Knowledge Center

Galleries