Project Profile: Reroofing Norway Elementary School After Midwest Derecho

Photos: Versico Roofing Systems.

The school district selected Versico’s VersiWeld TPO Metal Retrofit System, as it was a good match and could be installed over the existing metal roof, eliminating the need for costly and disruptive removal and replacement.

The system also included Versico’s VersiWeld TPO Rib Profile, which provides the look of a standing seam metal roof.

Manufactured from the same weather-resistant compound as VersiWeld TPO membrane, the TPO Rib Profile system provides the aesthetic appeal of a standing seam metal roof at a lower cost than conventional metal roofing.

On Aug. 10, 2020, a devastating weather event known as a derecho ripped through parts of the Midwestern United States, leaving behind large-scale utility disruptions and severe property damage. According to the National Weather Service, a derecho is a widespread, long-lived windstorm that can cause tornado-like destruction. Unfortunately, the Norway Elementary School building in Norway, Iowa, experienced wind damage from the 2020 derecho storm and needed to be reroofed.

It was important to the Benton School District that they maintain the look of the existing metal roof on Norway Elementary School. They ultimately selected Versico’s VersiWeld TPO Metal Retrofit System, using the Medium Bronze color from the VersiWeld TPO color palette. This system was a good match and could be installed over the existing metal roof, eliminating the need for costly and disruptive removal and replacement.

The system also included Versico’s VersiWeld TPO Rib Profile, which provides the look of a standing seam metal roof. VersiWeld TPO membranes are enhanced with Versico’s high-performance OctaGuard XT™ Weathering Package, which offers extreme weatherability and excellent long-term performance.

The existing metal roof was infilled with Versico’s EPS Flute Fill Insulation. Next, Versico’s 1.5-inch-thick VersiCore Polyiso Insulation was installed, followed by half-inch-thick SecurShield HD Polyiso Cover Board. The 60-mil Medium Bronze VersiWeld TPO membrane was fully adhered to the cover board using CAV-GRIP 3V Low-VOC Adhesive/Primer.

Once the membrane was installed and the penetrations were flashed, the crew installed the TPO Rib Profile system. Manufactured from the same weather-resistant compound as VersiWeld TPO membrane, the TPO Rib Profile system provides the aesthetic appeal of a standing seam metal roof at a lower cost than conventional metal roofing. The product is dimensionally stabilized and strengthened by a one-eighth-inch fiberglass reinforcing cord that runs the length of each 10-foot-long section, and its non-penetrating application has no effect on the roof’s watertight integrity.

When the project was complete and had been inspected by a Versico roof inspector, Norway Elementary School received a 20-year Total System Warranty covering winds up to 72 mph.

The Project