The Basics of Coverboards
Understanding how coverboards increase the long-term performance of your low-slope roof assembly
Sponsored by GAF | Siplast | Presented by Jennifer Keegan and Kristina Sigmund
Live Webinar Airing on April 15, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET
In an era of increasing environmental stressors, specifying a high-performance roof assembly is critical to protecting a building owner’s investment. This webinar explores the vital role coverboards can play in enhancing the durability and resilience of low-slope commercial roofing systems. We will dive into the five scenarios where coverboards are imperative.
Attendees will learn how coverboards provide the necessary puncture resistance to protect membranes from severe hail strikes and high-traffic areas, particularly when membranes are adhered to bury fasteners. The session also covers how coverboards support the specialized requirements for rooftop solar, vegetative assemblies, ballasted systems and otherwise lightweight assemblies.
We will compare the physical properties of high-density polyiso, gypsum, and glass-mat gypsum solutions to help attendees select the right material to meet the project needs for fire resistance, compressive strength, and thermal performance. Finally, attendees will learn strategies to retain the performance of their designed roof assembly, including the coverboard, through the value engineering process.
Photo courtesy of GAF
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Jennifer Keegan is a 25+ year veteran of the building enclosure industry, Jennifer Keegan serves as the Senior Director of Building & Roofing Science for GAF. Her career in building forensics, assessment, design and remediation provided a strong technical foundation for industry collaboration and leadership. Jennifer provides technical leadership within the industry through her involvement with AIA, CSI, and IIBEC; and as an advocate for women within the industry as the Past Chair of National Women in Roofing. |
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Kristina Sigmund is the Specified Solutions Advisor for GAF | Siplast in the West Region of the US, bringing eighteen years of experience in the engineering consulting and construction industries to the team. Kristina is a licensed Professional Engineer in California, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Boston College and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. With a background in building enclosure consulting, construction management, and owner’s representation, Kristina combines strong technical building enclosure experience with the ability to collaborate with designers, consultants, contractors, and building owners. |
The Building and Roofing Science team offers regional expert building enclosure collaboration through design, specification, and educational support for customers of GAF and Siplast, both Standard Industries companies. GAF is North America’s largest roofing manufacturer with more homes and businesses in the U.S. protected by a GAF roof than any other product. Siplast, a leader in building enclosure systems, offers a portfolio of advanced, high-performance SBS-modified bitumen, PMMA liquid-applied, PVC KEE, lightweight insulating concrete, wall air & water barrier systems, and amenity/vegetated systems.
Originally published in Building Enclosure
Originally published in February 2026
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Evaluate the five high-performance scenarios where specifying a coverboard is important for long-term roof durability.
- Analyze how coverboards enhance the impact resistance of roof membranes to mitigate damage from severe hail strikes and high-traffic conditions.
- Compare the physical properties of high-density polyiso, gypsum, and glass-mat gypsum to determine the optimal substrate for fire resistance, compressive strength, and thermal performance.
- Determine strategies to defend the inclusion of coverboards during the value engineering process to ensure the design intent and roof resilience are maintained.
