Industries · Grain storage

Roofing for grain storage and elevators

Elevators, bins and headhouses are the tallest and most exposed structures in most Upper Midwest markets, and the least convenient to take out of service. A seamless system applied over the existing panel is the practical answer to both problems.

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Building types

What fails, and what we do about it

Headhouse and gallery

Wind uplift at height, and fasteners working loose where the structure moves.

Foam and coating that follow the profile with no lap seams to lift.

Bin roofs

Standing water at the low points and rust at the fastener line.

Monolithic surface with positive drainage built into the foam.

Driveway and scale buildings

Heavy traffic, dust, and constant door cycling driving air movement.

Coated foam roof plus air-sealing at the envelope.

Condensation over stored grain

Grain is hygroscopic: it exchanges moisture with the air around it. A roof that condenses on its underside drips into the pile, and spoilage does not stay where the drip landed. Moving the condensing surface outside the structure with closed-cell foam addresses the mechanism rather than catching the water.

Working around the harvest calendar

The work is scheduled around when the structure is empty or accessible, not around our calendar. In practice that means a narrow window in most markets, and it is why we assess and quote well ahead of the season rather than during it.

What we look at on a first walk

The fastener lines first, because that is where a metal roof on a tall structure almost always starts leaking: the panel moves, the fastener works, and the hole opens. Then the laps, the ridge and the transitions at the headhouse, where two planes meet and movement concentrates.

Inside, we look for staining on the underside of the deck and for rust blooming around fasteners, both of which say the roof has been wetting from below as well as above. A structure that is condensing internally will not be fixed by sealing the outside, and it is worth knowing that before anyone quotes a coating.

Why seams are the argument

A lapped metal roof has a linear foot of seam for every few feet of area, and every one of those seams expands, contracts and eventually opens. A sprayed foam surface has none: it is continuous from eave to ridge and around every penetration. On a structure that is tall, exposed and awkward to access, removing the seams removes most of the future maintenance.

Where we do this work

Six states

One vertical linked from every state hub, rather than a separate agricultural page per state. The building stock genuinely differs by region; the service does not.

Common questions

Can you coat a grain bin or elevator while it is in use?
Often yes, since the work happens on the exterior surface. Access, weather and cure temperature govern the schedule more than occupancy does. We confirm the sequence with the operator before starting.
How long does a coated foam roof last on a grain structure?
A spray foam roof with a maintained coating is a renewable system rather than a fixed-life one: it is washed and recoated on a cycle, typically in the fifteen-to-eighteen-year range, which restarts the service life rather than requiring replacement.
Does the coating add much weight to the structure?
A spray foam and coating system is light relative to a re-cover with new panel, which matters on older structures where added dead load has to be checked. We confirm the assembly weight against the structure before specifying.
What happens to the existing roof?
It stays. The foam is applied over it, which is what avoids the tear-off, the disposal and the exposure of whatever is stored below during the work.

Tell us what the building does, and we will tell you what the roof needs.

A-1 Roofing works agricultural and industrial buildings across 6 states. Free assessment, response within 24 business hours.

41-year commercial roofing and insulation record

Request a free assessment(605) 337-3721