The problem on site
Water dripping from an industrial metal roof is a common problem across manufacturing plants, processing units, and warehouses in India. During heavy monsoon showers or persistent rain, water finds pathways through the overlapping sheets, dripping onto production floors, sensitive machinery, raw materials, and finished goods below.
In many facilities, maintenance teams notice that the leaks do not stem from punctures in the center of the metal profiles. Instead, water enters along the longitudinal side laps, end laps, ridge covers, and around fixing screws or J-bolts. These localized leaks can cause significant disruption, forcing factory managers to position drip trays, halt machinery, or shift stored goods away from active drip lines.
Temporary fixes using general-purpose tapes, rigid cements, or ordinary bitumen paints often fail after a few months. As a contractor or site engineer, addressing this recurring maintenance issue requires understanding the forces at work on a metal roof and selecting a flexible sealant designed specifically for roof joints.
Why it happens
Industrial metal roofing sheets are subject to significant thermal changes. In Indian climatic conditions, roof sheet surface temperatures can climb high during peak afternoon sun and drop sharply at night or during sudden rainstorms. This temperature variation causes the metal to expand and contract continually throughout the year.
This cyclic movement puts continuous mechanical stress on every joint across the roof structure:
- Joint displacement: As adjacent metal sheets expand at slightly different rates, the overlapping seams shift. This movement works the fasteners loose over time and stresses any compound placed between the laps.
- Hardening and embrittlement: Standard sealants or non-elastomeric bitumen compounds lose their flexibility when exposed to continuous outdoor heat and ultraviolet radiation. Once the material dries out and turns brittle, thermal expansion forces it to crack and debond from the metal surface.
- Capillary action: When the bond between sheets breaks, fine gaps form between the metal profiles. Wind-driven rain enters these narrow spaces, and capillary action draws water upward and inward across the lap joint until it drips into the building interior.
- Fastener point failure: Neoprene or EPDM washers beneath sheet fasteners degrade over time due to weather exposure. As the fasteners loosen with thermal movement, water runs directly down the screw shank into the purlin area.
How Space Arc Engineering approaches it
Space Arc Engineering acts as an authorised project distributor and technical solution provider for industrial roofing and waterproofing challenges. We assist contractors, builders, and plant engineering teams in resolving roof leak problems through structured joint assessment and targeted material supply.
Our role begins with assessing the specific conditions of the roof. We examine joint profiles, lap configurations, fastener frequency, and the state of existing sealant materials. Rather than suggesting broad surface coatings where they are not required, Space Arc Engineering focuses on restoring integrity to the critical points of failure: the laps, ridge sections, and penetrations.
As a distributor, Space Arc Engineering connects project sites with specialized construction chemicals engineered by leading manufacturers. We supply the correct joint sealing systems to site, verify material requirements, and provide application guidance so that site teams apply the material correctly according to manufacturer standards.
The system we supply
To provide an effective metal roof sheet leakage solution, Space Arc Engineering supplies STP ShaliSeal BT MJ, manufactured by STP Limited. This product is a cold-applied, elastomeric bitumen-based sealant developed specifically for metal roof laps, ridge caps, and flashings.
Because the sealant is modified with elastomers, it provides distinct functional advantages for metal roofing applications:
- Accommodates thermal movement: STP ShaliSeal BT MJ retains its elastomeric properties after curing. It expands and contracts alongside the metal sheets during daily temperature shifts, reducing the risk of cracking or debonding at the laps.
- Cold-applied application: The material does not require heating, torches, or special melting equipment on the roof. It is applied cold directly from the container, which improves site safety on industrial metal decks where fire hazards must be managed strictly.
- Versatile joint sealing: The formulation seals both side laps and end laps of profiled sheets, flashing junctions, gutter connections, and the perimeters of roofing fasteners.
- Good adhesion to metal: Manufactured by STP Limited, the sealant bonds firmly to galvanized iron, pre-painted Galvalume, aluminum, and mild steel roofing components.
What to check before you order
Before ordering STP ShaliSeal BT MJ for your roof repair or installation project, site engineers and contractors should verify several critical details to ensure correct quantity estimation and surface readiness:
1. Measure total linear joint run
Calculate the total length of all side laps and end laps that require sealing. Account for additional linear runs along ridge caps, barge boards, valleys, and wall flashings.
2. Count fasteners and penetrations
Identify how many screws, J-bolts, and pipe penetrations require sealing. Fastener heads with worn washers should be noted so they can be tightened or replaced prior to sealant application.
3. Inspect the surface condition
Metal surfaces must be clean, structurally sound, and dry. Check for existing rust, loose paint, dust, oil, and remnants of old, degraded sealants. Old brittle mastic or failing tapes must be scraped away down to clean metal before new sealant is placed.
4. Verify overlap gaps and structural stability
Ensure that the roof sheets are properly secured to the purlins. If sheets are excessively loose or warped, fasteners must be tightened or replaced first so that the lap joint is mechanically stable before the sealant is applied.
Talk to our technical team
Space Arc Engineering assists project engineers, industrial shed builders, and facility managers across India with reliable material supply and application guidance for roof leak issues. Our team helps you review joint details, calculate material quantities, and source genuine materials manufactured by STP Limited directly to your project location.
To discuss your metal roof joint requirements or place an order, contact our technical team by phone at +91 99991 55255 or +91 72900 89007.
You can also learn more about our materials and services by exploring our solutions or visiting our official website at www.space-arc.in.