Englund Roofing Project Spotlight: Buerkle Circle – White Bear Lake Commercial Flat Roof Project
Englund Roofing recently completed a comprehensive restoration and high-performance upgrade of a commercial flat roofing system located at Buerkle Circle in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. We were contacted for this project to transform an aging, weather-exposed roof into a highly insulated, energy-efficient, and structurally resilient building envelope capable of withstanding Minnesota’s extreme seasonal temperature swings.
Rather than executing a basic overlay, Englund Roofing engineered a custom commercial flat roof restoration plan focused on long-term structural integrity, strict moisture mitigation, and a major optimization of the building’s thermal efficiency.
Commercial Flat Roofing Project Breakdown
Skim Tear-Off and Comprehensive Structural Assessment
The process kicked off with a meticulous skim tear-off of the existing hot roof system. Technicians precisely removed the degraded top roofing layers and old membrane down to the existing insulation layer. This strategic, controlled removal method provided two distinct advantages:
- Project Efficiency: It minimized unnecessary building exposure and waste, keeping the project moving cleanly and strictly on schedule.
- Exhaustive Inspection: It left the existing base insulation completely visible, allowing for a thorough section-by-section analysis.
Once exposed, the base insulation layer was critically evaluated for structural integrity and hidden moisture intrusion. Trapped moisture is one of the single greatest threats to a commercial building; it silently destroys insulation R-value, rots underlying decking, promotes mold growth, and causes premature system failure. Englund Roofing identified and entirely removed all saturated or compromised sections of the old insulation, replacing them with clean, dry materials to secure a completely sound and uncompromised structural foundation.
Phase 2: High-Efficiency Thermal Upgrade to R-30
With the underlying foundation restored and stabilized, the roof was prepped for a significant energy efficiency upgrade.
To combat Minnesota’s freezing winters and humid summers, Englund Roofing installed approximately 2.6 inches of new, high-density insulation board right over the existing repaired layer. This built-up thermal strategy successfully elevated the entire roof assembly to a certified R-30 insulation rating. This substantial upgrade dramatically increases the building’s thermal resistance, drastically lowering seasonal heating and cooling costs while providing a highly stable, regulated interior environment for tenants.
Phase 3: Premium 60-Mil Fully Adhered EPDM Membrane Installation
The final phase of the project focused on long-term weatherproofing and environmental defense. The team prepared the freshly laid insulation surface and installed a premium 60-mil fully adhered EPDM (rubber) roofing system. Unlike mechanically fastened systems that pierce the roof with thousands of screws—creating microscopic thermal leaks and localized stress spots—a fully adhered system bonds seamlessly and uniformly to the substrate using commercial-grade adhesives.
This installation method provides several critical engineering advantages:
- Enhanced Wind Resistance: Continuous, edge-to-edge adhesion provides maximum wind uplift resistance, securing the building during severe high-wind storms.
- All-Weather Elastomeric Flexibility: The premium 60-mil EPDM membrane maintains exceptional flexibility, stretching and contracting effortlessly without cracking through rapid sub-zero temperature drops or intense summer sun.
- Continuous Waterproofing Barrier: It creates a highly durable, low-maintenance shield across wide commercial flat expanses, neutralizing the risk of seam splitting.
- Drastically Reduced Leak Profiles: Eliminating physical fastener punctures inherently eliminates the most common entry points for water intrusion over the lifespan of a flat roof.
The Completed 60-min EPDM Flat Roof for our Commercial White Bear Lake, MN
The Buerkle Circle project stands as a prime example of an intelligent, asset-preserving commercial roofing restoration. Through precise diagnostic repair, a deliberate thermal breakthrough to an R-30 rating, and the deployment of a fully bonded 60-mil EPDM membrane, Englund Roofing has delivered an ultra-durable, highly energy-efficient roofing solution built to protect the property investment for decades to come. See Client Reviews on our Google Business Listing.