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Roof coating is a fluid-applied membrane system that seals, waterproofs, and extends the service life of virtually any commercial or industrial roof at a fraction of tear-off replacement cost. This definitive guide covers every major coating chemistry — polyurea, silicone, acrylic, and SPF — with substrate compatibility matrices, side-by-side performance data, a step-by-step installation breakdown, real-world cost and ROI figures, and a climate-zone specification guide — giving you everything needed to specify the right system for any roof.
Plain-English Definition: A roof coating is any fluid-applied product that is installed over a roof surface to create a waterproof, protective membrane. The coating seals seams, penetrations, and aging surfaces; reflects solar heat; and restores or significantly extends the roof’s functional life — at a fraction of the cost of full replacement.
Not every roof — and not every budget — calls for the same coating chemistry. Six primary fluid-applied roof coating technologies cover the vast majority of commercial and industrial applications. Understanding where each system fits is the foundation of a specification that performs.
Specification Note: Compatibility testing — a small-patch adhesion test on the actual roof surface with the actual primer and coating — should be performed before any full-scale roof coating application. Substrate variability, contamination, and coating age can all affect adhesion in ways that laboratory compatibility charts cannot predict. ArmorThane technical support provides substrate-specific guidance at (417) 831-5090.
When building owners and roofing consultants evaluate the full life-cycle of a roof coating investment — installed cost, service life, maintenance requirements, and the cost of failure — pure polyurea consistently delivers the best total value for demanding applications. Here is the technical case.
A sprayed polyurea roof coating is applied wet-on-wet in overlapping passes. There are no seams, no laps, and no seams to fail. The result is a continuous membrane that conforms to every penetration, pipe boot, drain, parapet wall, and transition in the roof assembly. Sheet-good membranes and traditional roof systems rely on seams that are only as strong as the adhesive or welded bond. On a large commercial roof, there may be hundreds of linear feet of seam — each one a potential failure point. Polyurea eliminates all of them.
Polyurea wins on mechanical performance, fast cure, and chemical resistance. It is the default recommendation for SPF roof topcoats, metal roofs with foot traffic, and any application where the roof sees mechanical abuse or chemical exposure. Silicone wins on ponding water resistance and is the standard recommendation for flat roofs with drainage challenges. Acrylic elastomeric is the lowest-cost entry point for sloped roofs with reliable drainage in moderate climates. SPF + polyurea topcoat wins on total performance — seamless, insulating, renewable, and nearly indefinitely recoatable — at a higher upfront investment that most large commercial buildings recoup in energy savings within 5–10 years.
Specification Note: Performance targets for any individual project should be pulled from the ArmorThane Technical Data Sheet that matches the system selected. Call ArmorThane technical support at (417) 831-5090 for the TDS and SDS set that applies to your roof and project.
SPF + polyurea roofing systems add structural rigidity to the roof deck. Pure polyurea coatings on metal roofs prevent rust and corrosion that would otherwise require panel replacement. The coating becomes part of the building envelope — protecting it from water intrusion, UV degradation, and mechanical damage simultaneously.
A roof coating only performs to specification if the substrate preparation and application are executed correctly. This is what a properly managed roof coating installation looks like on a commercial building.
Before a coating is specified, the applicator performs a complete roof survey: core cuts to assess insulation and deck condition, infrared scan or capacitance testing to locate wet insulation, documentation of existing coating type, drainage patterns, and penetration inventory. Wet insulation must be removed and replaced before coating — a coating over wet insulation will trap moisture and accelerate decay.
All blisters, delaminations, damaged membrane sections, cracked seams, and failed flashings are repaired before coating application. On metal roofs, rust is removed and bare metal is treated. On concrete decks, cracks are routed and filled with a compatible sealant. The coating system is only as durable as the substrate beneath it.
The roof surface is cleaned of dirt, debris, biological growth, oil, and incompatible coatings. Pressure washing at 3,000–4,000 PSI is standard for most substrates. Metal substrates requiring rust removal are abrasive blast-cleaned to the profile specified in the TDS. The prepared surface must meet the cleanliness and profile standards specified before primer application.
Pipe boots, drains, HVAC curbs, parapet walls, expansion joints, and all roof penetrations are detailed with compatible sealant, flashing tape, or an embedded fabric reinforcement layer before coating. These transitions are where the majority of roof failures originate. Proper detailing is the most important work on any roof coating job.
A primer matched to the substrate is applied at the rate specified on the TDS. Primer selection is not optional. Concrete primers, metal rust-inhibitive primers, foam-specific primers, and modified bitumen bonding primers are different products with different chemistries and application requirements. The primer creates the adhesive bond that will hold the coating for decades.
For SPF roofing systems, the polyurethane foam is sprayed at this stage. The plural-component proportioner heats and pressurizes the A-side and B-side materials, meters them at the correct ratio (typically 1:1 by volume), and delivers them to an impingement-mixing spray gun. The foam expands 30–40 times in volume, self-leveling to fill low spots and creating a seamless tapered surface for positive drainage.
The coating — polyurea, silicone, or acrylic — is applied to the specified film thickness. For polyurea, the proportioner heats and pressurizes both components and delivers them to an impingement-mixing spray gun at high pressure. Overlapping passes build the membrane to 60–100 mils DFT in a single application session. Film thickness is checked during application with a wet film thickness gauge.
After cure, dry film thickness is verified across the entire roof using magnetic or ultrasonic gauges on metal substrates and coring on foam or built-up systems. Low spots that did not achieve minimum DFT are top-coated to specification. For polyurea systems, a low-voltage wet-sponge or high-voltage spark test may be used to find pinholes in critical waterproofing applications.
The applicator documents all inspection results: surface preparation records, ambient conditions during application, material batch numbers, film thickness readings across the roof, and photographic documentation of critical details. The documentation package is provided to the building owner as part of project closeout and supports any warranty claim process.
Get an instant ballpark estimate for your roof coating project. For a detailed project quote, call ArmorThane at (417) 831-5090.
* Estimates are ballpark ranges. Call ArmorThane at (417) 831-5090 for a detailed project quote.
Energy Savings Add to the ROI: An SPF + white polyurea roof system with a Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of 100+ will reduce cooling loads by 15–30% on most commercial buildings. On a building spending $100,000 per year on cooling, that is $15,000–$30,000 in annual energy savings. At the midpoint ($22,500/year), the energy savings alone pay for the coating system in under 15 years — before maintenance and replacement cost savings are counted. The roof coating pays for itself twice.
A roof with extensive damage, wet insulation, or multiple failed coating layers requires more preparation — and more cost — than a clean, intact substrate. Condition assessment before bidding is essential to accurate project scoping.
A roof coating is only as effective as the maintenance program supporting it. Annual inspections, prompt repair of mechanical damage, and periodic performance recoats are what separate a roof coating that delivers 10 years of service from one that delivers 30.
One of the most important advantages of polyurea and SPF + polyurea roofing systems is repairability. Damaged areas are abraded, reprimed, and recoated with matching chemistry. The repair bonds to the underlying coating and restores the original film properties when done to the manufacturer’s procedure. Unlike membrane roofing systems where repairs can be visible and mechanically inconsistent, a polyurea repair becomes part of the seamless membrane.
Roof Warranty: ArmorThane’s applicator network provides project warranties on labor and materials. Warranty terms depend on the system specified, film thickness installed, and maintenance commitments by the building owner. Contact ArmorThane at (417) 831-5090 or call toll-free at 1-800-227-2905 to discuss warranty options for your project.
Top Choice: Aliphatic Polyurea or Silicone Min. 80 mils DFT. Aliphatic topcoat mandatory. Light/white color for SRI ≥ 100.
A roof coating is a fluid-applied membrane that is spread or sprayed over an existing roof surface to create a continuous, waterproof, protective layer. The coating bonds to the substrate — metal, concrete, modified bitumen, single-ply membrane, or spray foam — and cures to form a seamless skin that seals all seams, penetrations, and deteriorated areas. Modern systems like pure polyurea cure in minutes and are formulated to deliver 15–30 years of service life before recoating is needed.
Service life depends on the coating chemistry, film thickness, substrate condition, climate, and maintenance program. Properly installed polyurea roof coatings typically last 15–25 years. Silicone coatings last 15–20 years. Acrylic elastomeric systems last 10–15 years. SPF roofs with polyurea topcoats can serve 25–30 years, with the topcoat refreshed every 10–15 years to renew the UV barrier. The common factor in all long-service-life installations is a proper annual inspection and maintenance program.
The best roof coating for a flat roof depends on drainage and traffic conditions. For flat roofs with ponding water and limited drainage, silicone is the standard recommendation — it is the only coating chemistry that does not degrade in sustained wet exposure. For flat roofs with good drainage and foot traffic, polyurea delivers the best mechanical performance. For budget-constrained projects on flat roofs with adequate drainage in moderate climates, acrylic elastomeric is the most cost-effective choice.
Yes. Metal roof coating is one of the most cost-effective roofing restoration strategies available. Metal roofs develop rust, failing seam laps, and deteriorating fastener holes over time — all of which can be addressed with a properly specified and installed coating. The process involves rust removal, abrasive blasting or power tool cleaning, application of a rust-inhibitive primer, and then a polyurea or silicone topcoat. An ArmorThane polyurea system on a metal roof eliminates thousands of seam laps and fastener points in a single seamless application.
Roof coating costs vary by system. Acrylic elastomeric coatings run $1.50–$4.00 per square foot installed. Silicone coatings run $2.50–$5.50 per square foot. Polyurea systems run $3.00–$6.00 per square foot. SPF + polyurea topcoat systems run $4.00–$8.00 per square foot. Compare these against full tear-off and replacement at $8.00–$20.00 per square foot, and the economics of roof coating are clear. Call ArmorThane at (417) 831-5090 for a project-specific estimate.
Yes — when properly specified and installed, a fluid-applied roof coating eliminates virtually all active leaks by creating a seamless, continuous membrane over the entire roof surface. Failed seams, cracked membrane, corroded metal, and deteriorated pipe boots are all bridged and sealed. However, a roof coating applied over wet insulation or structurally failed deck will not solve the underlying problem. Wet insulation must be identified and removed before coating, and any structurally compromised deck sections must be repaired.
Polyurea and silicone are the two premium roof coating chemistries, and each has a distinct strength. Polyurea delivers superior tensile strength (2,500–4,500 psi), elongation (300–600%), and mechanical toughness. It cures in minutes, tolerates foot traffic, and resists chemical exposure. Silicone is the better choice specifically for flat roofs with ponding water — it retains its properties in sustained wet exposure where polyurea and other organic coatings would eventually soften. For roofs without ponding water concerns, polyurea consistently outperforms silicone in durability and mechanical resistance.
Polyurea can be applied in temperatures down to approximately 35°F with appropriate precautions: the substrate must be dry, above the dew point, and the coating materials must be at the correct application temperature (typically maintained with heated hose and proportioner equipment). Acrylic elastomeric coatings require minimum surface temperatures of 50°F and rising, and cannot be applied when rain or frost is forecast within 24 hours. Cold-weather application requires experienced crews with heated equipment. Call ArmorThane technical support for cold-weather application guidance.
Many roof coating systems qualify for utility rebates through local energy programs when they meet ENERGY STAR or Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) minimum solar reflectance requirements. ENERGY STAR-certified roof products may also qualify for IRS Section 179D commercial building energy efficiency deductions or other federal and state incentive programs. The specific incentives available depend on your location, building type, and the coating system specified. Consult your tax advisor and local utility for current programs.
ArmorThane is a direct manufacturer — not a distributor, not a franchise. We formulate our own coatings, manufacture our own plural-component application equipment, and train and support our own applicator network. That vertical integration means one company is accountable for the performance of the entire system: the chemistry, the equipment, the installation, and the support. Our technical team is available 24/7 at (417) 831-5090, and our global applicator network spans more than 30 countries.
Spray polyurethane foam roofing is a system where closed-cell polyurethane foam is sprayed directly onto the roof deck, self-leveling to fill low spots and creating a seamless, insulating substrate. The foam is immediately protected with an ArmorThane polyurea or high-solids acrylic topcoat that seals the foam against UV degradation and provides a durable walking surface. SPF roofing delivers R-6.0 to R-7.0 per inch — the highest thermal performance of any roofing system — while providing seamless waterproofing and structural stability. Learn more about ArmorFoam spray foam systems.
ArmorThane maintains a global network of trained and supported applicators across North America and more than 30 countries. To find a qualified applicator in your area, call ArmorThane directly at (417) 831-5090 or toll-free at 1-800-227-2905, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central. You can also submit a project inquiry online and our team will connect you with the right applicator for your project.
ArmorThane is the manufacturer — coatings, equipment, and technical support under one roof, supporting a global applicator network. Not a franchise. No franchise fees. Get a project quote or find a qualified applicator near you.
ArmorThane has built a strong reputation over the past 30 years for producing high-quality, durable protective coatings.
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Everything facility managers, engineers, and applicators need to know about secondary containment — what it is, when regulators require it, how polyurea coatings compare to the alternatives, and how ArmorThane systems are specified and installed.
Secondary containment is the backup barrier that catches a leak when a primary container fails. If the primary container is a fuel tank, chemical drum, or process vessel, the secondary containment is the berm, dike, sump, or lined pad around it. When the primary leaks, the secondary holds what escaped until the spill can be recovered.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency writes the rule the way any engineer should think about it: secondary containment must be sufficiently impervious to contain leaks, spills, and accumulated precipitation until the collected material is detected and removed. That definition sets the bar for every coating system, every liner, and every design choice that follows.
Two layers of protection exist for a reason. The primary container does the day-to-day work of holding the product. The secondary system exists because primary containers fail. Welded seams crack. Gaskets degrade. Operators overfill. Equipment ages. Without secondary containment, one failure becomes an environmental release, a regulatory action, and a cleanup invoice that dwarfs the coating that would have prevented it.
Secondary containment is any engineered system — a berm, dike, sump, spill pallet, tray, or coated surface — built to capture and hold a spilled liquid long enough for it to be cleaned up before it escapes into soil, groundwater, or a waterway.
In the United States, secondary containment is not optional for most facilities that store oil, fuel, or hazardous chemicals. Two federal rules drive most requirements, and state and local codes add more on top. The distinctions matter because the type of material stored determines which rule applies, which then determines the design requirements.
The Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule lives at 40 CFR Part 112. It applies to non-transportation-related onshore facilities that could reasonably be expected to discharge oil into U.S. waterways. SPCC is triggered when a facility has:
Under 40 CFR 112.7(c), covered facilities must provide "appropriate containment and/or diversionary structures or equipment to prevent a discharge." Under 40 CFR 112.8(c)(2), bulk storage container installations must have secondary containment sized to hold the entire capacity of the largest single container plus sufficient freeboard to contain precipitation.
Freeboard is the extra capacity above what the largest container can hold, reserved for rainfall and snowmelt. Most engineers design outdoor containment for the largest container volume plus a 25-year, 24-hour storm event on the exposed containment footprint. Indoor and covered containment is sized for the container volume alone. Check your state SPCC guidance for stricter local rules.
If the facility stores hazardous waste rather than oil, the governing rule shifts to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Under 40 CFR 264.175, a container storage area must have a containment system with:
That "sufficiently impervious" standard is what drives most facilities to a sprayed polyurea or polyurethane coating rather than bare concrete. Concrete alone is porous to hydrocarbons and many solvents. A coated concrete pad, sized correctly and maintained, meets the 264.175 definition in a way bare concrete does not.
This guide summarizes federal rules at a high level. It is not legal advice. Confirm your applicable regulations with your SPCC Plan preparer, your state environmental agency, and your local fire marshal before specifying a containment design.
Not every containment situation calls for the same design. Six configurations cover the majority of real-world applications. Each has a role, and the right system often combines more than one.
An earthen berm is a raised barrier of compacted soil, clay, or sand surrounding a tank farm or process area. On its own, earth is not "sufficiently impervious." Earthen berms become compliant only when they are lined — almost always with a sprayed polyurea or polyurethane over a geotextile reinforcing fabric.
Poured concrete is the most common secondary containment construction in industrial facilities. It is strong, fire-resistant, and easy to inspect. It is also porous to hydrocarbons and many solvents unless coated. Applying a polyurea or polyurethane liner over a properly prepped concrete pad converts it into a seamless, impervious system that meets 40 CFR 264.175 and common SPCC requirements.
Sumps collect spills at low points so they can be pumped out. Trench drains route spills to a central sump. Both require coating systems that handle immersion, chemical exposure, and the mechanical punishment of debris and cleaning.
For drum and tote storage, prefabricated polyethylene or steel spill pallets are common. These are useful for smaller operations or interior storage of limited quantities. They are portable, but their capacity is fixed and they are not a substitute for a lined pad when drum counts grow.
For large footprints — frac tank pads, oilfield containment, mine leach ponds — the practical system is a geotextile fabric pulled taut over a compacted subgrade and then sprayed with polyurea. The geotextile provides tensile reinforcement. The polyurea provides the impervious, chemically resistant surface.
Portable, bolted-panel containment systems exist for temporary operations — rig moves, emergency response, construction staging. They are fast to deploy but temporary. For permanent installations, spray-applied systems consistently win on total cost of ownership.
Polyurea is a spray-applied elastomer formed by the reaction of an isocyanate component with an amine resin. The reaction is fast: on a heated plural-component sprayer, gel times are measured in seconds and tack-free times in minutes. A ten-man crew can line a large containment pad in a single day.
Three properties make polyurea the dominant chemistry for secondary containment work:
Sprayed polyurea is applied wet-on-wet in overlapping passes. There are no seams to fail. The result is a continuous membrane that adheres directly to the substrate and conforms to every corner, penetration, and transition in the containment geometry. Sheet-good liners like HDPE rely on welded seams that are only as strong as the weld.
Most polyurea systems can be walked on within an hour and returned to light service within 24 hours. For facilities where downtime has a per-hour cost, that cure profile changes the economics of recoating work.
High-quality pure polyurea elastomers deliver a combination of tensile strength, elongation, and chemical resistance that few other coating chemistries can match. That combination is what lets a coating absorb mechanical impact, thermal expansion, and chemical exposure over decades without cracking.
Most procurement teams evaluating secondary containment compare polyurea against four alternatives: epoxy coatings, HDPE sheet liners, concrete alone, and traditional paint. The comparison below summarizes where each chemistry fits.
ArmorThane has been formulating pure polyurea and hybrid polyurea systems in Springfield, Missouri since 1989. We manufacture the coating, manufacture the proportioning equipment, and train the applicator network that installs it. We are not a franchise. Coating chemistry, spray rigs, training, and 24/7 technical support are developed and supported under one roof.
HighLine 510H is a two-component, 100% solids, pure polyurea elastomer formulated for high-build spray application. It is the workhorse system for chemical containment, tank linings, secondary containment pads, and bermed areas where mechanical toughness and chemical resistance matter most. Gel time is measured in seconds; tack-free time is minutes. Typical build is 60 to 125 mils in a single pass.
For large-footprint lined containment — frac tank pads, oilfield containment, mine leach ponds, agricultural runoff basins — ArmorThane applicators spray HighLine polyurea over a geotextile fabric anchored to a compacted subgrade. The geotextile adds tensile reinforcement. The polyurea provides the impervious, chemically resistant surface. Together the system installs faster than welded HDPE and holds up better over irregular terrain.
For containment structures with blast-mitigation requirements — ammunition storage, military fuel depots, high-consequence civilian infrastructure — ArmorThane manufactures UltraBlast, a purpose-engineered polyurea system designed to absorb and dissipate blast energy.
Tensile Strength
2,500–4,500 psi
ASTM D412
Elongation at Break
300–600%
Shore D Hardness
45–60
ASTM D2240
Tear Resistance
300–500 pli
ASTM D624
Solids Content
100%
Zero VOC
Gel Time
3–15 sec
Plural-component spray
Tack-Free
15–90 sec
At specified ambient
Return to Service
1–24 hr
Application-dependent
Performance targets for any individual project should be pulled from the ArmorThane Technical Data Sheet that matches the system selected. Call ArmorThane technical support at (417) 831-5090 for the TDS and SDS set that applies to your design.
Secondary containment is a requirement across every industry that handles oil, fuel, or chemicals. The design details shift by sector, but the coating strategy is consistent.
Upstream well pads, midstream tank batteries, downstream refining, frac water pits, and crude oil transloading all run on lined secondary containment. Polyurea over a reinforced substrate delivers the chemical resistance needed for crude, condensate, produced water, drilling mud, and frac chemistries. ArmorThane systems are in service across U.S. oilfields and at international operators through our global applicator network.
Heap leach pads, solution ponds, concentrator sumps, reagent storage, and equipment wash-down areas require a containment system that handles acidic or caustic chemistries and heavy mechanical abuse. Pure polyurea systems tolerate the combination better than the alternatives.
Chemical feed areas, clarifier walls, digester exteriors, and secondary containment around sodium hypochlorite, ferric chloride, and polymer storage all demand an impervious coating. Polyurea protects steel and concrete substrates against both the stored chemistry and the aggressive atmosphere inside a treatment plant.
Fertilizer storage, pesticide and herbicide storage, bulk chemical delivery pads, and ag retail sites all fall under state and federal containment requirements. Dry fertilizer operations need abrasion resistance. Liquid fertilizer and crop protection chemistry need chemical resistance. ArmorThane systems are specified in both.
Process areas, solvent storage, and hazardous waste satellite accumulation areas require surfaces that are both impervious and cleanable. Polyurea's non-porous surface meets the hygiene requirement; its chemical resistance meets the spill requirement.
Wash-down areas, chemical sanitizer storage, and secondary containment at bottling and processing sites need a surface that survives hot water, caustics, and daily cleaning. Polyurea holds up where epoxy flooring begins to fail in two to three years.
Fuel farms, munitions storage, vehicle maintenance facilities, and bulk chemical storage on federal installations run under DoD UFC standards and EPA rules simultaneously. ArmorThane systems have been installed on U.S. and allied military assets for decades, including blast-rated and ballistic-rated configurations.
Hydraulic fluid storage, quench tank secondary containment, paint kitchen containment, and solvent storage in manufacturing plants are bread-and-butter polyurea applications. Fast return to service matters more here than in most sectors because plant downtime is expensive.
A polyurea containment coating only performs to spec if the substrate preparation and application are correct. This is what a compliant installation looks like on a typical concrete containment pad.
Before a coating is selected, the applicator reviews the SPCC plan or RCRA plan, the capacity calculation, the substrate condition, and the operating environment. Existing cracks, joints, penetrations, and drainage all drive the detailing approach.
Concrete substrates are mechanically prepared to a surface profile specified by SSPC-SP 13 / NACE 6 or ICRI CSP 3 to 5, depending on the coating system. Steel substrates are abrasive blast-cleaned to SSPC-SP 10 near-white metal for immersion service. Oil, laitance, curing compounds, and incompatible existing coatings are removed.
Cracks are routed and filled. Expansion joints are detailed with a backer rod and a compatible joint sealant. Pipe penetrations, drains, and anchor bolts are dressed with a gasket or fillet bead so the coating ties in without a weak point.
A primer matched to the substrate is rolled or sprayed at the rate specified on the TDS. Primer selection is not optional and is not interchangeable between substrates. Concrete primers, steel primers, and geotextile primers are different products with different jobs.
On large lined containment areas, a geotextile fabric is anchored and tensioned across the area. On detail areas — inside corners, penetrations, crack repairs — a fleece or scrim may be embedded in the first polyurea pass for reinforcement.
The plural-component proportioner heats and pressurizes the A-side and B-side materials, meters them at the correct ratio, and delivers them to an impingement-mixing spray gun. The applicator lays down overlapping passes to build the specified film thickness — typically 60 to 125 mils for a single-pass pure polyurea liner.
Wet-film thickness is checked during application. Dry-film thickness is verified after cure using a magnetic or ultrasonic gauge on steel, or a coring sample on concrete.
For containment linings, a low-voltage wet-sponge or high-voltage spark tester is passed over the cured coating to find any pinholes, holidays, or thin spots. Flaws are marked, abraded, and recoated.
For outdoor exposure, an aliphatic polyurea or polyurethane topcoat is applied over the aromatic base coat to preserve color and reduce surface chalking.
The applicator documents surface preparation, ambient conditions, batch numbers, film thickness, holiday test results, and any repairs. The documentation package becomes part of the facility's SPCC or RCRA file.
Secondary containment is only as effective as its inspection program. Regulators expect documentation. Insurers expect documentation. And in the rare case of an actual spill, the paper trail is what demonstrates that the facility met its duty of care.
SPCC-covered facilities perform documented monthly inspections of each containment area. Inspectors look for:
Depending on the chemistry stored and the local regulation, periodic integrity testing of the coating may be required. Options include visual inspection by a qualified coating inspector, hardness testing, coring, and holiday testing. A polyurea liner inspected annually and maintained should deliver decades of service.
Polyurea can be spot-repaired. Damaged areas are abraded, reprimed, and recoated with matching chemistry. The repair bonds to the underlying coating and restores the original film properties when done to the manufacturer's procedure.
Capacity sizing is where many projects get tripped up. Two rules apply depending on which regulation governs the site.
A chemical storage area holds twelve 55-gallon drums. RCRA requires containment for the larger of: (a) 10% of total volume = 10% of 660 gallons = 66 gallons, or (b) the largest container = 55 gallons. The binding number is 66 gallons. Design the pad for at least 66 gallons of capacity, with additional margin for precipitation if the pad is outdoors.
ArmorThane technical support works with facility engineers on containment sizing as part of the specification process. If you are scoping a new pad or retrofitting an existing one, call us before the concrete is poured.
Primary containment is the vessel that holds the product in daily service — a tank, a drum, a tote, a pipe. Secondary containment is the backup barrier around that vessel that catches a leak or spill if the primary fails. Primary containment does the work; secondary containment prevents an environmental release when primary fails.
The SPCC rule (40 CFR Part 112) applies to non-transportation-related onshore facilities with more than 1,320 gallons of aboveground oil storage capacity in containers of 55 gallons or more, or more than 42,000 gallons of buried oil storage capacity, that could reasonably be expected to discharge oil into U.S. waterways.
Film thickness depends on the substrate, the stored chemistry, and the mechanical exposure. For pure polyurea secondary containment systems on concrete, 60 to 125 mils in a single pass is common. Highly aggressive chemical service or heavy mechanical abuse may call for 125 to 250 mils or more. Always refer to the current Technical Data Sheet for the specified product and service.
Yes. EPA does not dictate a specific coating chemistry. It sets a performance standard — containment must be sufficiently impervious to contain leaks, spills, and accumulated precipitation until the collected material is detected and removed (40 CFR 264.175). A correctly specified and installed polyurea liner meets that standard.
Properly specified, installed, inspected, and maintained polyurea systems deliver decades of service. Actual service life depends on the chemistry stored, the operating temperature, the UV exposure, mechanical abuse, and the quality of the original installation. A lined containment area inspected monthly and repaired when damage is found will outlive most of the other assets on the site.
Yes, and it is the most common application. Existing concrete must be clean, structurally sound, and mechanically prepared to the surface profile specified for the coating system. Cracks, joints, and penetrations are detailed. A matched primer is applied, and the polyurea topcoat is sprayed to the specified film thickness.
The 1,320-gallon threshold is the SPCC trigger for aboveground oil storage. If a facility has aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity exceeding 1,320 gallons in containers of 55 gallons or more, it is covered by 40 CFR Part 112 and must develop and implement an SPCC Plan, which includes secondary containment requirements.
Yes. 40 CFR 112.8(c)(2) requires sufficient freeboard to contain precipitation on outdoor bulk storage containment. The common engineering convention is to size the containment for the largest container plus a 25-year, 24-hour rainfall event over the containment footprint.
Polyurea can be sprayed in temperatures down to freezing and in some cases below, provided the substrate is dry, dew point is controlled, and the coating material is at the correct application temperature. Cold-weather installation requires experienced crews, heated spray equipment, and weather protection for the work area.
Yes. Pure polyurea systems developed for containment service resist diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, and most crude and refined petroleum products. For concentrated aromatic solvents, ketones, or strong acids, verify compatibility against the Technical Data Sheet and the chemical resistance chart for the specific ArmorThane product before specifying.
40 CFR 264.175 is the RCRA regulation that governs containment for hazardous waste container storage areas at permitted treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. It requires a containment system with a base free of cracks and gaps, sufficiently impervious to contain leaks and spills. The capacity must be the greater of 10% of the volume of all containers or the volume of the largest container.
HDPE sheet liners are welded geomembranes used on large flat containment areas. They work well when a specialist crew can weld reliable seams and the geometry is simple. Polyurea is seamless, conforms to complex geometry, and installs faster on irregular terrain. For most industrial containment pads with tanks, piping, drains, and transition details, polyurea outperforms HDPE on both installation speed and long-term integrity.
Talk to ArmorThane directly. We're the manufacturer — coatings, equipment, and technical support under one roof, supporting a global applicator network. Not a franchise. No franchise fees.
About ArmorThane. ArmorThane USA Inc. has been manufacturing polyurea and polyurethane protective coatings, spray foam systems, and plural-component application equipment in Springfield, Missouri since 1989. We operate as a direct manufacturer, not a franchise network. Our coatings and equipment are installed in the field by a global network of trained applicators across North America and more than 30 countries. Technical support is available 24/7 at (417) 831-5090.
Everything building owners, facility managers, roofing contractors, and applicators need to know about roof coating — types, compatibility, polyurea performance, cost, ROI, installation process, and how ArmorThane protects roofs for decades.
From understanding why roofs fail prematurely to selecting the right coating system for any substrate and climate, this guide gives building owners, facility managers, and coating applicators everything they need to know.
Everything building owners, facility managers, roofing contractors, and applicators need to know about roof coating — what it is, which system fits which roof, how polyurea compares to the alternatives, and how ArmorThane protects roofs for decades.
Min. 80 mils DFT. Aliphatic topcoat mandatory. Light/white color for SRI ≥ 100.
Verify substrate is above dew point. Cold-weather requires heated equipment.
Avoid acrylic on flat roofs in this zone. Prioritize drainage improvement.
SSPC-SP 6 minimum on metal. Zinc-rich primer before polyurea topcoat.
Aging metal roof with failing seam laps and active leaks. ArmorFoam SPF + polyurea topcoat applied over existing metal deck. Zero leaks in 3 years post-installation.
“The coating paid for itself in energy savings within 7 years.” — Facilities Director
Hospital required zero downtime. Polyurea applied in weekend sections, walk-on within the hour. Modified bitumen substrate coated to 80 mils DFT.
“Our crews were packed up before the morning shift.” — VP Facilities
Aged acrylic at end of service life with thermal bridging issues. ArmorFoam SPF added R-5.5/inch. Refrigeration loads dropped 18%.
“Energy savings were better than the contractor projected.” — Operations Manager
