Spray Foam Roofing
Foam sprayed over the roof you already have, usually with no tear-off, then coated with a light tan base coat and white reflective coats.
About Our Spray Foam Roofing Services
Mikel Wallesen explains this on our YouTube channel
Spray foam roofing is foam sprayed onto your roof and then coated. Most of the time it goes right over the roof you already have, so there's no tear-off. We do it on homes and on commercial buildings. Our family has been roofing in Scottsdale since 1987, and Mikel Wallesen runs Big Red Roofing today.
From our price sheet, foam over an existing flat roof runs about $4,750 to $6,000 on 1,000 sq ft, $7,125 to $9,000 on 1,500 sq ft and $9,500 to $12,000 on 2,000 sq ft. On new construction it's about $3,200 to $4,200 per 1,000 sq ft. (Side note: $4.75 to $6 and $3.20 to $4.20 per square foot.) Every range is on our pricing page.
The coating is not optional. Foam isn't UV-resistant, or as Mikel puts it, "the spray foam is not a UV protectant." So every foam roof we do gets coated. We put down a light tan base coat first. Two white coats in a row are hard to tell apart on a roof that bright. The tan makes it easy to see where the coating has gone and where it hasn't. Then the white reflective coats go on top. Mikel walks through it in his base coat video.
On metal roofs, you can measure what the foam does. In one video, Mikel's crew sprayed 2 inches of foam on half of a metal roof and left the other half bare. From inside, the bare half read about 126 degrees. The foamed half read 88. Another bare metal roof he checked read 153 degrees. See the side-by-side test.
Have questions before you commit? We're happy to talk through it.
What Does Spray Foam Roofing Cost?
From our price sheet, a spray foam roof runs about:
- Over an existing flat roof: $4,750 to $6,000 on 1,000 sq ft, $7,125 to $9,000 on 1,500 sq ft, $9,500 to $12,000 on 2,000 sq ft
- New construction: $3,200 to $4,200 on 1,000 sq ft, $4,800 to $6,300 on 1,500 sq ft, $6,400 to $8,400 on 2,000 sq ft
Side note: that's $4.75 to $6 and $3.20 to $4.20 per square foot. See every range on our pricing page.
For your roof, get a starting number from our instant estimator.
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Our estimator takes about 90 seconds.
What Affects the Price?
- Roof size
- Foam thickness
- Coating system (a light tan base coat, then white reflective coats)
- Condition of the existing roof
Our Spray Foam Roofing Work
All photos are from real jobs completed by our team.
What Does the Process Look Like?
- 1
Free Roof Inspection and Quote
We come out and look at the roof. Foam usually goes over what's already there, and the inspection is where we confirm that for your roof and suggest how thick the foam should go. You get a quote. Want a number first? Try the instant estimator.
- 2
Spray the Foam
In most cases the foam goes right over the existing roof. Nothing gets torn off. The foam is the insulation layer, and it goes on the roof side.
- 3
Light Tan Base Coat
Foam isn't UV-resistant, so it never stays bare. The first coat is light tan on purpose. White over white is hard to see on a bright roof, and the tan shows any spot that still needs coating.
- 4
White Reflective Coats
Once the base coat covers everything, the white reflective coats go on top. That's the finished surface. On a sunny day it gets bright enough that Mikel wears sunglasses up there.
What Should You Know About Spray Foam Roofing?
Usually No Tear-Off
Spray foam usually goes right over the roof you already have. The old roof stays put and the foam goes on top of it. We confirm your roof is a fit at the free inspection.
The Coating Protects the Foam
Foam isn't UV-resistant, so every foam roof we do gets a coating. That coating is the part facing the sun, which makes it the part to keep an eye on over the years.
Thickness Is Set Per Roof
We suggest a foam thickness for each job. On one metal building that was getting too hot inside, Mikel suggested 2 inches of foam, a base coat, and a white high-reflective coating. Watch that job.
See Our Recent Spray Foam Roofing Work
Like what you see? Let's talk about your project.
How Does Spray Foam Roofing Compare?
Bare Metal Roof vs. Metal Roof With Spray Foam
About 126 degrees from inside, under the bare half of Mikel's test roof
Another bare metal roof he checked read 153 degrees
No insulation on the roof side
88 degrees from inside, under the foamed half of the same roof
Foam goes over the existing metal, no tear-off
Light tan base coat and white reflective coats protect the foam from UV
Same roof, measured side by side: about 126 degrees under the bare metal, 88 under the foam. Metal roofs get really hot. That's why we spray foam on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a spray foam roof?
Foam sprayed on top of your roof, then coated. The foam is the insulation layer. The coating protects the foam, because foam isn't UV-resistant on its own. On our foam roofs that means a light tan base coat first and white reflective coats on top.
Do you have to tear off my old roof?
Usually not. Spray foam usually goes right over the existing roof. Mikel's videos show it going over the top of existing metal roofs. We'll tell you at the free inspection whether yours can take foam.
Why does spray foam need a coating?
Because foam isn't UV-resistant. It can't sit out in the Arizona sun bare. The coating is what protects it, so every foam roof we do gets one.
Why is the first coat tan instead of white?
So we can see coverage. If you do two white coats, it's hard to tell where you've been, because these roofs get so bright. Mikel wears sunglasses up there because the glare wears on your eyes through the day. A light tan base coat shows every spot that still needs coating before the white reflective coats go on. Watch Mikel explain it.
Does spray foam help on a hot metal roof?
Yes, and you can measure it. One bare metal roof Mikel checked read 153 degrees. On another, his crew foamed half the roof with 2 inches. From inside, the bare half read about 126 degrees and the foamed half read 88. See the 153-degree roof.
Do you do spray foam on commercial buildings?
Yes. We do spray foam on homes and on commercial roofs. On the commercial side we also do roof coatings, single-ply TPO, PVC and EPDM, built-up roofs, standing seam metal, metal retrofits, architectural sheet metal, skylights and solar tubes, and preventative maintenance programs. See commercial roofing.
What does a foam roof need over the years?
Watch the coating. It's the layer that faces the sun and protects the foam underneath. If you have an older foam roof, a free inspection will tell you where the coating stands. For commercial buildings we offer preventative maintenance programs.
How much does a spray foam roof cost?
From our price sheet: foam over an existing flat roof runs about $4,750 to $6,000 on 1,000 sq ft, $7,125 to $9,000 on 1,500 sq ft and $9,500 to $12,000 on 2,000 sq ft. New construction runs about $3,200 to $4,200 per 1,000 sq ft. Foam thickness, the coating system and the condition of the roof underneath move the number. See our pricing page, use the instant estimator, or call (602) 799-6837 for a free inspection and quote.
Who is Big Red Roofing?
A family roofing business in Scottsdale. It started in Nebraska, and our family has roofed here since 1987. Mikel Wallesen took it over from his father and runs it today. Arizona ROC #276008. A+ rating with the BBB, accredited since 2012, with 0 complaints. Our Google rating is live on our reviews page.
Ready to Move Forward?
Step 2: Free Roof Inspection
We look at your roof, tell you whether foam can go over what you have, and give you a quote.
Step 3: Foam and Coating
We spray the foam, put down the light tan base coat, and finish with white reflective coats.
Explore Our Other Services
Spray Foam Roofing by City
Local pages with neighborhood-specific notes for spray foam roofing across the Valley.