Viking Coloured Enviroclad – and it’s matching accessories
Membrane roofing has traditionally been pigeon-holed as an unsexy, functional part of a building that shouldn’t be seen. To be fair, most membrane roofs are hidden from the ground and have been specified to do just the one job (albeit an important one). Additionally, as a generalisation, membranes have tended to be available in just black or grey. More recently, there has been a shift in the use of membrane roofs in architecture to make a visual statement.
A membrane system leading the way in this fresh area of design, is Viking Enviroclad. Viking Enviroclad is a TPO (thermoplastic) heat-weldable membrane system which not only comes in a range of attractive earthy colours, but also has a series of matching TPO-weldable ribs which can be used to create some aesthetic appeal.
A classic example is a recently completed project on the edge of Queenstown’s beautiful lake Wakatipu. This project was a refurbishment, where the old steel roof (visible from the ground) had been poorly installed; had rusted and was leaking. The new owners took the opportunity to replace the roof With Viking Enviroclad, and with that, made the decision to install matching TPO-weldable ribs to create a modern wide-trough steel tray look, but without the worry of potential premature corrosion.
The beauty of the ribs, which simply heat-weld onto the membrane once the waterproofing has been complete, is that they can be laid out in any pattern and spaced at any interval; obviously assuming watershed isn’t compromised by the layout. A key advantage of the Viking Enviroclad ‘system’ is that the lion’s share of accessories (such as the weldable ribs) have also been manufactured by the membrane manufacturer with the same material and in doing so, have been lab-tested overseas to demonstrate long term compatibility. Any TPO accessory not supplied by the membrane manufacturer must be officially tested and deemed compatible for the long-term in order to be included, in this instance, as part of Enviroclad’s CodeMark Certificate or BRANZ appraisal along with the rest.
In addition to the traditional white or dove grey membrane, Viking Roofspec’s Coloured Enviroclad TPO is available in six earthy colour tones: Medium Bronze, Mansard Brown, Rock Brown, Slate Grey, Ironsand and Patina Green, providing architects and building owners versatility for the aesthetics of their designs and buildings respectively – all of which have the matching weldable rib accessory to create that standing seem look. Viking Coloured Enviroclad offers the same watertight integrity as standard range.g.
Since not all flat roofing is unseen, these colours can add extra flare to a surface, allowing you to complement other construction materials such as timber, stone or copper; all with tones found in natural surroundings.
