ASTM D3909 Standard Specification for Asphalt Roll Roofing (Glass Felt) Surfaced with Mineral Granules

Get Certified ASTM D3909 Testing for Reliable Roll Roofing Performance 

Mineral-surfaced glass-felt cap sheet should maintain its construction, dimensions, mass, and physical properties within the specified requirements. ASTM D3909 provides a common basis for manufacturers and purchasers to evaluate these characteristics before the roofing product enters a built-up roof assembly. Producers can use the specification for production quality control, while purchasers can use it to verify that supplied rolls meet the specified requirements. The specification also establishes requirements for pliability, mass loss and behavior on heating, moisture at manufacture, and workmanship, helping provide consistent product evaluation.

The scope of ASTM D3909 includes-

• Material type: Asphalt-impregnated and coated glass felt roll roofing with mineral granules firmly embedded in the asphaltic coating on the weather side.
• Purpose: Establishment of product requirements for glass-felt roll roofing used as a cap sheet in built-up roof construction.
• Properties evaluated: Dimensions and masses, area, unrolling behavior, pliability, moisture at the point of manufacture, mass loss and behavior on heating, and workmanship, finish, and appearance.
• Testing method: Sampling and several property evaluations use ASTM D228, while ASTM D1079 supplies roofing and waterproofing terminology. ASTM D4977 is also listed among the referenced documents for granule adhesion evaluation.
• Results: The specification reports product dimensions and masses using the applicable SI or inch-pound system, with width, roll mass, mass per unit area, and area evaluated against the applicable requirements.
• Test limitations: SI and inch-pound values are separate standards and may not be exact equivalents. Analysts therefore use one unit system independently rather than combining values from both systems.
• Use conditions: The finished product must resist cracking and excessive stickiness when unrolled between 10 and 60 °C [50 and 140 °F]. Pliability is evaluated at 25 °C [77 °F].
• Applications: Product acceptance, manufacturing quality control, procurement, supplier comparison, and specification conformity for cap sheets used in built-up roofing.

What are the Uses of ASTM D3909 Testing?

ASTM D3909 testing gives roofing manufacturers and purchasers a common basis for evaluating mineral-surfaced glass-felt roll roofing. The specification-

• Establishes dimensional and mass requirements for the finished roll roofing.
• Verifies the minimum mass per unit area of the granule-surfaced sheet.
• Evaluates pliability of the granule-surfaced portion at the specified temperature.
• Controls volatile mass loss and movement of the granular surfacing during heating.
• Sets a maximum moisture requirement at the point of manufacture.
• Establishes construction and workmanship requirements for the glass felt, asphalt coating, mineral granules, and reverse-side treatment.
• Provides a common procurement and quality-control basis for cap sheets used in built-up roofs.

Which materials can be tested under ASTM D3909?

ASTM D3909 covers asphalt-impregnated and coated glass felt roll roofing surfaced with mineral granules on the weather side. The glass felt must consist predominantly of fine glass fibers in a nonwoven formation and may contain random or parallel-oriented glass yarn reinforcement. The material must also contain a water-insoluble agent, be coated with asphaltic material on both sides, and have mineral granules firmly embedded on the weather side. An engineer tests that the supplied product conforms to material and construction requirements.

Why is ASTM D3909 Important?

Mineral surfaced glass felt cap sheet must be constructed and formed to uniform specifications to ensure that it will perform as required for its intended roofing application. ASTM D3909 specifies requirements for the roll roofing, including dimensions, mass, area, pliability, moisture content, and response to heat. It also requires uniformity in the impregnation with asphalt, surfacing of the mineral granules, and a reverse side treatment to prevent sticking during handling and processing. These requirements allow manufacturers and purchasers to evaluate the same product characteristics against a common specification.

ASTM D3909 Testing Process and Data Collection

Analysts verify that the supplied roll roofing is within the scope of ASTM D3909 and identify the applicable product lot. Technicians select representative material in accordance with ASTM D228 and record the product dimensions and mass. Analysts then evaluate applicable moisture, pliability, mass loss, and heating behavior using the referenced procedures. Technicians and analysts also inspect the glass-felt construction, asphalt coating, mineral-granule distribution, and reverse-side treatment. Analysts compare each result with the corresponding D3909 requirement and record the applicable unit system and product identification in the final report.

Common Challenges and Troubleshooting

Incorrect sampling can produce results that do not represent the supplied roll roofing, so technicians should follow ASTM D228 when selecting representative material. Dimensional or mass failures can result from variation during production, and analysts should compare measurements with the applicable product requirements before release. Excessive cracking during pliability evaluation can indicate inadequate flexibility, while excessive volatile loss or granule movement can indicate problems with the roofing material during heating. High moisture at manufacture should also be investigated against the specified maximum before acceptance. If the surface contains uneven granule distribution, uncoated fibers, or insufficient asphalt impregnation, the analyst should review the manufacturing and finishing process before reporting conformity.

• The technician records product identification, lot information, roll width, and applicable roll mass.
• The analyst reports mass per unit area and other dimensional or mass characteristics against the applicable specification requirements.
• The analyst records moisture at the point of manufacture and compares it with the maximum specified value of 1.0%.
• The technician records pliability results and verifies that at least eight of ten evaluated strips do not crack at 25 °C [77 °F].
• The analyst records volatile mass loss and granular-surfacing movement during heating and compares them with the maximum requirements of 1.5% and 2 mm, respectively.
• The report records workmanship and appearance observations, including asphalt impregnation, mineral-granule distribution, and reverse-side treatment.
• The report identifies whether SI or inch-pound values were used and does not combine values from the two systems.

Link to ASTM D3909