Video · Coatings
Rolling On Henry 887 Tropi-Cool Silicone
- Mod bit
- Built-up
- Metal
- Spray foam
- Silicone-coated
What this video shows
Henry's application video for 887 Tropi-Cool, its 100% silicone white roof coating. Watch it to see how heavy silicone goes on and how the job is sequenced, then check your own roof against Henry's data sheet before you buy pails.
Key points
- Silicone goes on thick. Henry's spec is about 1.5 gal per 100 sq ft for a 22-mil minimum dry film, so a 4.75-gal pail covers roughly 320 sq ft.
- Clean, dry and repaired comes first: seams, cracks and penetrations get sealed (Henry pairs 887 with its 885 silicone sealant) before the field coat.
- Use a 3/4–1 in. nap roller and check thickness with a wet-mil gauge as you go. Thin spots are where coatings fail first.
- It cures from moisture in the air, so an opened pail starts to skin. Use it up rather than saving half for next month.
- On asphalt roofs, coat a small test area first to check for bleed-through and adhesion, as Henry's data sheet directs.
Products in this video
The products used or shown, or the closest match we could verify. Typical price ranges, not live prices.
Silicone roof coating · $230–$330
HenryHenry 887 Tropi-Cool 100% Silicone White Roof Coating
- Chemistry
- Silicone
- Size
- 4.75 gal
- Coverage
- About 320 sq ft per 4.75-gal pail at Henry's rate of 1.5 gal per 100 sq ft (22 dry mils minimum)
- Mod bit
- Built-up
- Rolled
- Metal
- Spray foam
- Silicone-coated
- Acrylic-coated
The silicone most homeowners can actually find on a store shelf: bright white, tolerates standing water better than acrylic, and rain-safe minutes after it goes on. Buy enough to hit the full thickness, because a thin silicone coat is money wasted.
Read the fine print: Once a roof is silicone, only silicone sticks to it later. No acrylic, asphalt cement or most tapes over it. Henry calls for a test area on asphalt roofs to check bleed-through and adhesion, and it's not for shingles. An opened pail starts curing from the humidity in the air, so don't plan on saving leftovers.
Best for: Recoating a sound mod-bit, built-up, metal or foam roof with long-lasting white silicone
Check price on Amazon for Henry 887 Tropi-Cool 100% Silicone White Roof Coating (opens in new tab)Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Coverage and specs are the manufacturer's stated figures. Disclosure
Silicone roof sealant · $50–$90
HenryHenry 885 Tropi-Cool Silicone Seam & Repair Roof Sealant (HE885042)
- Chemistry
- Silicone
- Size
- 0.90 gal
- Silicone-coated
- Mod bit
- Built-up
- Metal
- Spray foam
The thick silicone Henry pairs with 887 for seams, cracks, penetrations and flashing details before the field coat. It's also the right patch material for a roof that's already silicone-coated.
Read the fine print: The silicone rule applies: once it's on, only silicone goes over it. Don't count on one thick glob over a wide crack. Clean it, fill it and feather it out.
Best for: Detail work before an 887 coat, and patches on silicone-coated roofs
Check price on Amazon for Henry 885 Tropi-Cool Silicone Seam & Repair Roof Sealant (HE885042) (opens in new tab)Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Coverage and specs are the manufacturer's stated figures. Disclosure
Roller cover (3/4 in. nap) · $6–$12
WoosterWooster Pro/Doo-Z 3/4 in. Nap Roller Cover, 9 in. (RR644-9)
- Size
- 9 in.
- Mod bit
- Built-up
- Rolled
- TPO
- PVC
- EPDM
- Spray foam
- Metal
- Silicone-coated
- Acrylic-coated
A shed-resistant 3/4-inch nap holds enough thick roof coating to work it into granules and rough surfaces. Buy several, because silicone ruins roller covers and you won't be cleaning them.
Read the fine print: For heavy silicone, some pros step up to a 1-inch nap. Either way, swap the cover when it mats down instead of trying to stretch it.
Best for: Rolling acrylic or silicone coatings and primers
Check price on Amazon for Wooster Pro/Doo-Z 3/4 in. Nap Roller Cover, 9 in. (RR644-9) (opens in new tab)Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Coverage and specs are the manufacturer's stated figures. Disclosure
Roller frame · $8–$16
WoosterWooster Sherlock Roller Frame, 9 in. (R017-9)
- Size
- 9 in.
- Mod bit
- Built-up
- Rolled
- TPO
- PVC
- EPDM
- Spray foam
- Metal
- Silicone-coated
- Acrylic-coated
A sturdy frame whose threaded end locks onto a Sherlock pole, so it doesn't wobble under the weight of thick coating.
Best for: Pairing with a 3/4-in. nap cover and an extension pole
Check price on Amazon for Wooster Sherlock Roller Frame, 9 in. (R017-9) (opens in new tab)Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Coverage and specs are the manufacturer's stated figures. Disclosure
Extension pole · $25–$45
WoosterWooster Sherlock GT Convertible Extension Pole, 4–8 ft (R091)
- Size
- 4–8 ft
- Mod bit
- Built-up
- Rolled
- TPO
- PVC
- EPDM
- Spray foam
- Metal
- Silicone-coated
- Acrylic-coated
Lets you roll coating standing up instead of on your knees, and the locking tip keeps the frame from spinning loose.
Read the fine print: Work backward toward your exit, never toward the roof edge while your eyes are on the roller.
Best for: Rolling coating across a whole roof
Check price on Amazon for Wooster Sherlock GT Convertible Extension Pole, 4–8 ft (R091) (opens in new tab)Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Coverage and specs are the manufacturer's stated figures. Disclosure
Wet mil gauge · $7–$15
GenericWet Film Thickness Gauge, hex comb (1–118 mil)
- Mod bit
- Built-up
- Rolled
- TPO
- PVC
- EPDM
- Spray foam
- Metal
- Silicone-coated
- Acrylic-coated
A cheap stainless comb you press into fresh coating to read wet mils. It's how you know you're putting down what the data sheet calls for instead of guessing, and how a homeowner can check a contractor's work.
Read the fine print: Wet mils aren't dry mils. Use the coating's spec sheet to convert, since water-based acrylics shrink more than silicones as they cure. Wipe the gauge clean after every reading.
Best for: Checking coating thickness as you roll
Check price on Amazon for Wet Film Thickness Gauge, hex comb (1–118 mil) (opens in new tab)Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Coverage and specs are the manufacturer's stated figures. Disclosure
Read the full guide
Coatings How to coat a flat roof Coating a flat roof is mostly prep: confirm the roof is dry inside, wash it, make repairs, reinforce seams and flashings with fabric, and prime where the label says, then roll or spray at the manufacturer's spread rate and check thickness with a wet-mil gauge. One gallon spread over 100 sq ft is about 16 wet mils, and the dry film is that times the coating's volume solids. Pick a window with no rain or dew for the label's cure time: often 24 hours or more for acrylic, as little as 15 minutes to a few hours for silicone.Video by Henry Company, embedded from YouTube. The summary, key points and cautions on this page are our own; Henry Company doesn't endorse TheFlatRoofPro.com or the products listed. Roofing work for hire generally requires a licensed roofing contractor.