When it comes to choosing the right kind of protective coating for your roof, there are many options. EPDM rubber coatings are one of the most popular options, but you may also come across silicone coatings and wonder, what’s the difference? What makes one better than the other? Or are they the same?

As it turns out, these are related products, but they are not the same. They are both a type of rubber that share a few features, but there are unique things about each that make them better suited to different types of buildings. Here’s what you need to know about each:

EPDM Rubber Coatings Overview

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomers, or EPDM, is a synthetic rubber of very high density, that is able to withstand extreme temperature changes. Its flexibility and strength make it ideal for buildings that are exposed to both high heats and extreme cold. Industrial building owners like it for its affordability and easy maintenance. It is also flame retardant, UV resistant, and very easy to install. EPDM is also recyclable, so you don’t have to worry about the coating ending up in a landfill in a few decades when it’s time for a replacement.

Silicone Coatings Overview

Silicone is a flexible rubber that is also very flame retardant and able to withstand high heat. It can actually withstand slightly higher heat than EPDM, which makes it ideal for engineering and automotive locations. However, it is not quite as strong as EPDM, which means that it could be damaged by extreme weather and environmental concerns more than EPDM might be. However, silicone is also recyclable, and offers plenty of UV resistance as well. Silicone is also less effective against rain because it doesn’t have good acid or alkali resistance.

So What’s the Difference?

For most applications, EPDM rubber coating and silicone coating won’t be much different. Both allow you to protect your roof from environmental factors, both protect your roof from fire, and both are highly flexible in the face of temperature changes. However, if environmental protection is your main concern, EPDM coating is the better choice – it offers more strength against rain, and is less likely to tear in hail or other strong weather.

But silicone is ideal for areas where extremely high temperatures are the biggest concern. For companies that need to do welding or repair work on the roof regularly, a silicone coating may be the better option to protect the roof better. Both options are long-lived and durable for decades, and neither require a ton of maintenance. Whichever option you do choose will last for a long time barring significant environmental concerns.

Which Coating Should You Choose?

As you can see, which type of coating you choose will depend on your requirements for your roof. It’s essential that you consider what your roof will be used for when choosing the coating material. Once you determine the utility of the roof, then you can consider the factors like price, strength, and resistant properties of the coating.