Glossary of terms

One Piece Membrane – Rubber Roofing, the provision of EPDM membrane in one complete sheet for robustness of waterproofing.

1.2mm Membrane – Rubber Roofing, denotes the thickness of the EPDM Membrane, most popular, allows maintenance or light foot traffic.

1.5mm Membrane – Rubber Roofing, denotes the thickness of the EPDM Membrane, heavier duty, allows foot traffic, green roofing.

450g – Fibreglass Roofing, denotes 450 grams per square metre, Chopped strand matting weight, used for roofs with light foot traffic only.

600g – Fibreglass Roofing, denotes 600 grams per square metre, Chopped strand matting weight, used for roofs with moderate foot traffic.

Acetone – a colourless volatile liquid ketone made by oxidizing isopropanol, used as an organic solvent and synthetic reagent.

Asphalt – a mixture of dark bituminous pitch with sand or gravel, used for surfacing roads, flooring, roofing, etc.

Bandage – Fibreglass Roofing – strip of chopped strand matt, used for waterproofing edge trims and trim joints, overlaps etc.

Bank Transfer – RKD – payment for product straight to our bank account, rather than merchant provider, product is processed when funds clear.

BBA Certificate – BBA Certificates are an independent statement of a product’s fitness for its intended purpose by approved body.

Bitumen – a black viscous mixture of hydrocarbons obtained naturally or as a residue from petroleum distillation. Used for roads and roofing.

Bonding – Rubber Roofing – Bonding adhesive or contact adhesive which surface joins 2 surfaces together creating a stronger adherence.

Breather Vent – Roofing – an opening that allows air to pass out of or into a confined space.

Catalyst – Fibreglass Roofing – often called hardener, when mixed with resin and topcoat in measured quantities allows them to cure (go hard).

Catalyst Addition – Fibreglass Roofing – Catalyst addition to resin and topcoat is precisely measured and varies dependent upon temperature.

ClassicBond – Rubber Roofing – Manufacturer/Brand – ClassicBond® EPDM Is the original EPDM roofing system first used in the 1960’s.

Clout Nails – Flat headed nails, sometimes called felt nails, galvanised, corrosion resistant.

Consolidation – Fibreglass Roofing – the process of consolidating Chopped strand matting within the resin basecoat.

Contact Adhesive – Rubber Roofing – Contact or Bonding adhesive which surface joins 2 surfaces together creating a stronger adherence.

Corner Patches – Rubber Roofing – Patch to seal where rubber membrane meets internal or external corners.

Cover Tape – Rubber Roofing – EPDM Tape is for completing any awkward and hard to-do joins.

Cromar Pro – Long established manufacturer of Fibreglass products

CSM – Chopped Strand Fibreglass Matting.

Cure – Fibreglass Roofing – Means ‘go hard’ – the reaction of catalyst with resin and topcoat enables this.

Deck – The wooden surface to which rubber or fibreglass roofing is installed – RKD recommend OSB3 18mm.

Distillates – a liquid product condensed from vapor during distillation. – something concentrated or extracted as if by distilling.

Dormer Roof – a roofed structure, often containing a window, that projects vertically beyond the plane of a pitched roof.

Double Layer 450g – Fibreglass Roofing, denotes 450 grams per square metre, Chopped strand matting weight, Two layers – used for roofs with heavy foot traffic such as walkways or balconies.

Drip Trim – also called gutter edge trim – trim to seal the roof enabling waterflow off the roof to a gutter.

Edge Trims – preformed trims fitted to the roof edges to both seal and waterproof directing water run off.

EPDM – Rubber Roofing – ethylene propylene diene monomer – a mix of chemicals – simply put, rubber roofing membrane.

Exotherm – Exothermic reactions are reactions or processes that release energy, a compound that gives off heat during its formation.

Expansion Joint – Fibreglass roofing – Used in fibreglass roofing over 50m2 to enable expansion/contraction in hot or cold conditions,

Extension Roof – Nominally a roof which is attached on one or more sides to a property.

FAQ – well known, stands for Frequently Asked Question.

Fascia Board – used to secure the gutters to the roof and keep them in place. Blocks water from penetrating the roof deck and into the attic/home. Increases curb appeal by covering the open/rough ends of the rafters.

Feathered Edge – Fibreglass Roofing CSM has one plain straight edge and one feathered edge – made for joining one strip to another.

Felt Nails – Flat headed nails, sometimes called clout nails, galvanised, corrosion resistant.

Fibreglass – a textile fabric made from woven glass filaments.

Fibreglass Roof Kit – RKD grouping of the primary products used to install a fibreglass roof – Resin, CSM, Topcoat, Catalyst & Bandage.

Fire Rating – statutory body designation of fire retardant capability eg EXT.F.AB according to BS476 part 3:2004. (our fire retardant kit rating).

Fire Retardant – having the ability or tendency to slow up or halt the spread of fire.

Flat Flashing – Fibreglass Roofing – The flat flashing trim is mainly used at the intersection of a pitched and flat roof.

Flexitec – GRP Overlay system from Restec.

G4 Sealer – mainly used to seal concrete to allow fibreglass adhesion to a concrete slab or pond surrounds/base.

Garden Room – very popular today, can be an office, man-cave, outbuilding – normally a detached outbuilding.

GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation – law for the privacy, treatment and management of personal data.

Geotextile Fleece – a 200gsm Non-woven Geotextile Fleece Underlay – used for membrane protection from sharps.

Green Roof – A green roof is a layer of vegetation planted over a waterproofing system that is installed on top of a flat or slightly–sloped roof.

GRP – Glass Reinforced Plastic.

GRP Overlay System – a system which combines the versatility of liquid with the strength of fibreglass – used to overlay an insitu roof.

Hardener – Fibreglass Roofing – often called catalyst, when mixed with resin and topcoat in measured quantities allows them to cure (go hard).

Horizontal Drain – preformed drainage element to allow water run off through an upstand or parapet wall.

Internal Drain – where drainage occurs from the roof structure down through the deck and timber roof structure.

Kerb Trim – Rubber roofing – an edge trim with a raised element to direct water to the drip or gutter edge.

KG, kg – Abbreviation for Kilograms.

Laminating – Fibreglass Roofing – overlay (a flat surface) with a layer of catalysed resin.

Leadmate – product – used for securing flashing trim into a groove ground into the mortar of a house wall.

Leaf Grate – used in combination with an internal or horizontal drain to prevent blockage with debris such as leaf fall.

Life Expectancy – RKD – simply the longevity of product viability gained through experience, time and product capability.

Liquid Roof Kit – a rapid curing polyurethane liquid membrane designed for overlaying existing roofing systems.

Lloyds Approved – Certification – product conforms to recognised marine industry quality standards, International Conventions.

Ltr – Abbreviation for Litres.

m2 – Abbreviation for metres squared or square metres.

Man-cave – nominally a detached outbuilding, office, den or high class shed.

Membrane – Rubber Roofing – a thin pliable sheet of material forming a barrier or lining.

MetroDeck – Gold standard fibreglass roofing brand – with commercial grade fire retardant certification

Mitre Joint – a joint made between two pieces of material at an angle of 90°.

National Delivery Profile – RKD deliver to the UK mainland, including some offshore islands (we do not deliver to N. Ireland.

Open Ended Corner – where two trims meet at right angles one overlapping the other leaving an open end to be closed with bandage/ resin.

Orangery – a home extension with a glass roof typically covering less than 75% of the overall roof area.

Order Signature – the signature upon receipt of your order via the courier – this denotes your acceptance of the product as ordered.

OSB – Oriented strand board – structural – recommended for use in roof decking – comes in std 8 x 4 sheets or T&G 8 x 2 sheets.

OSB T&G – Oriented strand board with tongue and groove edging which joins sheets together, giving expansion elements and deck sealing.

Outbuilding – can be detached or adjoining another property, man-cave, shed, garden room etc.

Overboard – Roofing – the process of laying a new roof deck on top of an original deck or roof. Or a new layer over boarded decking over an original.

Overlay – Roofing – the installation of a new roof over an original or in-situ roof.

Paddle Roller – called bubble buster or consolidation roller – tool used to consolidate Chpped strand matting within a resin base coat layer.

Parapet – Upstand or small wall surrounding a roof area on one or more sides.

Payment Options – RKD orders can be paid for securely by Bank Transfer, Paypal or Stripe payment platform.

Paypal – Company offering secure method for online payment.

PDF – a file format for capturing and sending electronic documents.

Penny Roller – Rubber Roofing – an ideal tool for compressing membrane on any corners. overlaps and when using tapes etc.

Pipe Boot – Rubber Roofing – Used to create a waterproof seal where pipes come through the roof deck.

Primer – Liquid and Grp overlay Roofing – rapid-curing, cold applied liquid applied before application of overlay material.

Primer – Rubber Roofing – used to bond different accessories to your Rubber membrane, for example tapes and pipe boots.I t is also used when constructing internal and external upstand corners.

PU – Polyurethane.

Raised Edge Trim – Fibreglass Roofing – an edge trim with a raised element to direct water to the drip or gutter edge.

Restec 1010 – Building Authority approved fire retardant fibreglass roofing system

Restec – manufacturer of Flexitec 2020 GRP overlay system and 1010 fibreglass roofing system.

Right Angle Trim – Fibreglass roofing – trim used to protect and reinforce 90° angles in Fibreglass roofing – upstands steps etc.

RKD – That’s us – Roofing Kits Direct

Roof Lantern – Skylights and roof lanterns are both often referred to as roof lights. An umbrella term for any window positioned atop a flat or pitched roof.

Roofing Resin – polyester resin which is suitable for Fibreglass Roof repairs and builds.

Rubber Roof Kit – Membrane and adhesives appropriate for epdm roofing installation.

Russ Tape – Rubber Roofing – The base ties mechanically fix the membrane to the roof deck where the membrane turns UP through an angle change. e.g. Wall upstand – used with plate fixings and prevents any shrinkage affects.

Seam Tape – Rubber Roofing – Seam Tape is useful when joining sheets of EPDM (especially in more complex roof shapes where 1 piece epdm is not pragmatic.

Seam Roller – Rubber Roofing – tool to install uncured flashing tapes, splice tapes and compressing membrane into corners angle etc.

Shed – Outbuilding – from the garden shed to the garden room office

SilverSeel – Our cost effective brand of fire retardant fibreglass roofing

Simulated Flashing Trim – Fibreglass Roofing – as the title, a GRP trim, used instead of lead, to flash over the wall fillet trim to secure waterproofing where a roof deck meets house wall or upstand.

Skylight – Sky lights and roof lanterns are both often referred to as roof lights. An umbrella term for any window positioned atop a flat or pitched roof.

Split Delivery – Many of our deliveries contain multiple components which can be delivered separately by one courier or may be issued via two or more couriers.

SQM, sqm – Abbreviation for metres squared or square metres.

Stripe – A secure online transaction payment platform.

Styrene Emission – Fibreglass roofing – low styrene emission resin. means a resin with a maximum emission rate of 20 grams of styrene per square metre of resin per half hour at 23°C, …

Substrate – The composition or make up of layers underneath the roof installation.

Sure Edge – manufacturer/Brand of Rubber Roofing Edge trims.

Temperature – obvious but when measuring temperature affecting roof installation remember there is ambient temperature and roof deck temperature which can affect curing in very hot or cold conditions.

Thixotropic – Thixotropy is a time-dependent shear thinning property. resins that are thick or viscous under static conditions will flow (become thinner, less viscous) when installing and consolidating.

Tool Kit – Rubber or fibreglass – multiple sizes – amalgam of suitable products to assist in roof kit installation.

Topcoat – Fibreglass Roofing – the smooth, coloured, surface coating of a fibreglass roof which actually bonds to the resin basecoat.

Trade Line – Our budget friendly brand of fibreglass roofing

Uncured Tape – Rubber roofing – tape which requires primer to adhere or patch corners or membrane.

Upstand – A vertical projection occurring on or around a roof – eg Parapet.

Wall Fillet Trim – Fibreglass Roofing – Trim used where roof deck meets an adjoining wall or parapet.

Warm Roof – A roof where insulation is attached to the roof structure – often meaning a layer of boards to which insulation is attached and a 2nd layer on top to which roof kit is installed.

WBA – Rubber Roofing – Water Based adhesive.

Wet Out – the process of application of resin and matt forming the base layer of a fibreglass roof.

Wish List – capability of website users to save products or kits placed into the shopping basket to purchase at a later date.