Searching for a quick roofing solution for your carport, barn or garden shed? Or do you want to make an existing roof watertight and weather-resistant? Bitumen roofing membranes are perfectly suited to low-pitched roofs and, with the right preparation and instructions, are easy to install yourself! What’s more, they last for many years and provide an excellent base for installing a green roof or solar panels.

What are bitumen roofing membranes?

Bitumen is derived from crude oil and is a material that is solid at normal temperatures but becomes liquid when heated. When combined with materials such as glass fleece or polyester, it is a strong roofing material. Compared to roof tiles or slates, bitumen roofing membranes are also a budget-friendly solution for making a roof watertight and UV-resistant. Aquaplan offers 2 types of membranes for low-pitched roofs: the Bardeau Roll and Gardentop Stick Alu. Looking for roofing for flat roofs? Here you’ll find our full range.

About Aquaplan’s roofing membranes

Bardeau Roll

The Bardeau Roll is a decorative polyester roofing membrane that can be either glued or installed with a roofing torch.

• Each roll is reinforced with a rot-proof and tear-resistant polyester fleece and finished with granules in black, red or green.
• The underside of the roll features a perforated MMP film, allowing you to install it directly over an existing flat roof covering.
• Thanks to their extra-strong reinforcement, our roofing membranes are easy to secure with nails and offer long-lasting resistance to tearing and weather conditions.
• With correct installation and regular maintenance, this roofing membrane can last 35 years.
• One Bardeau Roll covers 5 square metres of roofing.

Gardentop Stick Alu

The CE-marked Gardentop Stick Alu is a self-adhesive roofing membrane with an aluminium finish.

• It allows you to create a watertight roof quickly and easily in 1 layer.
• This option is ideal for lightweight structures such as garden sheds, carports and outbuildings where UV resistance is important.
• Its lifespan is shorter than that of the Bardeau Roll, at around 10 years.
• Each roll of Gardentop Stick Alu covers 5 square metres.

What are the advantages of Aquaplan roofing membranes?

• There’s no need to remove your old, even roof covering before installing roofing membranes. They can be applied directly over roofing or shingles, making installation quick and cost-effective.
• Our membranes are self-adhesive or can be installed without using an open flame, making them safer for you and your surroundings. An added benefit is that installation without a gas torch produces no CO₂ emissions, making it a more environmentally friendly option.
• Aquaplan not only offers roofing membranes, but also perfectly matched primers, cold glues and finishing products. This ensures reliable adhesion and a durable result.
• You don’t need any additional materials to make ridges, edges or roof penetrations, you simply use the same membrane.
• Our membranes can also be recycled into new materials.
• Applying just one layer of our roofing membranes correctly is enough to protect your roof against extreme weather conditions.

What Aquaplan roofing membranes are particularly suitable for

In addition to general protection against the elements, our bitumen membranes are often installed with specific goals in mind.

Reducing temperatures during heatwaves and increasing the efficiency of solar panels

Aquaplan roofing membranes provide even more effective protection from UV rays when treated with a reflective coating such as Roof Paint Reflect White. This white acrylic coating has a cooling effect and, by reflecting UV rays, helps to improve the efficiency of your solar panels. Before applying the reflective roof coating, it’s best to prepare the surface with a bonding varnish such as Roof Primer Multi.

Base for a green roof

Another way to prevent your roof from overheating is by installing a green roof. Such a roof is not only visually appealing, but also serves a protective function: the vegetation and plants covering the surface create a natural insulating layer. Plants such as AquaplanT absorb sunlight, preventing heat from penetrating the roof. This helps keep temperatures on the roof and inside pleasantly low.

Insulating and maintaining a stable temperature

A bitumen roof helps reduce heat loss in winter and limits heat gain in summer. This makes it particularly suitable for garden sheds and stables where you want to avoid extreme temperature fluctuations.

A base for structures

Our membranes are also used as a waterproof base layer for installing a roof terrace or balcony. Please note that this base layer does not provide structural support.

Installation requires no specialist knowledge or equipment

With proper preparation, a clear step-by-step plan and practical material advice from Aquaplan, you can quickly install a reliable roof covering that will last for many years and withstand temperature fluctuations.

Bardeau Rolls

• These membranes can be applied over existing roof finishes, but are best suited to timber boards or a continuous deck such as chipboard.
• You can use a roofing torch for installation, but our non-corrosive roofing nails and fibre-reinforced cold glue Roof Glue Roofing provide a flame-free alternative. The strong, uniform bond prevents trapped air and moisture, eliminating the risk of blistering. Roof Glue Roofing also acts as an additional waterproofing layer. Finally, the glue preserves the full thickness of the membranes while filling small cracks and irregularities. Bonding is therefore just as effective as heat welding!
• Consult our step-by-step guide for installing Bardeau Rolls.

Gardentop Stick Alu

• These membranes can be applied to a wide range of surfaces, including timber, metal, concrete, synthetic materials (except PVC), existing bitumen coverings and masonry.
• They can easily be cut to size using a utility knife or scissors, and applied evenly with our handy pressure roller.
• Before installing Gardentop Stick Alu, you can apply our Roof Primer Roofing. This helps to bind any remaining dust, improves adhesion and speeds up drying time.
• Here is our step-by-step guide for installing Gardentop Stick Alu membranes.

Aquaplan’s tips

• Prepare your substrate properly to ensure optimal adhesion of the membranes. Remove dust, moisture and any loose roofing materials before starting installation. Depending on the substrate, a primer may also be required as a base layer.
• Store your roofing membranes at a moderate temperature before installation and only apply them when the outdoor temperature is above 12°C. The higher the temperature, the better the adhesion. If bitumen membranes are stored or installed in conditions that are too cold, they may crack or fail to adhere properly.
• Ensure a sufficient overlap of at least 10 cm during installation, and reinforce corners, drains and upstands with additional strips of membrane.

How to extend the lifespan of your roofing membranes

Cleaning and inspection

To extend the lifespan of your roof and prevent leaks, it’s best to clean it regularly and check for any damage. Are minor repairs needed? Small tears can easily be repaired by applying a new layer of roofing membrane over the existing one – a simple and cost-effective solution!

Maintaining with Roof Paint Reflect Alu

Looking to slow down the ageing of your bitumen roof? Roof Paint Reflect Alu is a flexible, aluminium-coloured coating that restores, seals, nourishes and maintains your roof. It also has heat-reflective properties that help keep your roof temperature low. Before application, use Roof Primer Roofing.