Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Commerce buildings that were roofed before single-ply existed, and still a legitimate choice for the right structure.
BUR builds a roof in redundant layers: alternating bitumen and reinforcing felts topped with gravel that shields the assembly from UV and traffic. Existing BUR in Commerce often earns maintenance and restoration over replacement, since the mass and redundancy that made it heavy also made it durable.
We install and service built-up roofing (bur) across Commerce and the surrounding DFW communities. That includes free written estimates, documented inspections, and honest guidance on whether this system actually fits your home and budget.
On the ground in Commerce
In Commerce, the Built-Up Roofing (BUR) conversation usually starts with the roof that is already up there. Housing this far out is less uniform than the inner suburbs; age, pitch, and construction quality vary house to house, so the material fit does too. That building stock puts membranes to work: seams, penetrations, and drainage patterns matter more than brand names, and the moisture survey decides restore-versus-replace.
Commerce handles roofing permits the way most Hunt County cities do: required where structure or full replacement is involved, quick when the paperwork is right. We file it. North Texas sits in the country’s most active hail belt, and single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch; instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. The same crews run Greenville, Caddo Mills, and Dallas, so comparable local installs are usually close enough to go look at. Everything above gets specific, in writing, once we have looked at the actual roof.
THE SYSTEM
Built-Up Roofing (BUR), up close.
Flat / low-slope membrane. Single-ply and built-up systems chosen by what the roof actually does all day.
PUBLIC RECORD
The local record behind Built-Up Roofing (BUR) in Commerce
How a roof system holds up in Commerce depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
8
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
5
Golf-ball-size hail days
3.5 in.
Largest stone on record
1976
Median year homes built
Hail near Commerce
Reported hail is less frequent around Commerce: NOAA lists 8 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 5 miles. Fewer reports can also reflect fewer storm spotters in smaller communities, so a quiet record is not a guarantee. Hail that size was reported in 6 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 3.5 inches (teacup size) on April 27, 2026.
April 27, 2026: 3.5-inch hail (teacup size)
June 19, 2019: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
April 3, 2014: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
October 24, 2010: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
May 13, 2006: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
How old Commerce homes are
The median home in Commerce was built in 1976, and 58% of the city's 3,658 housing units predate 1980. Many of these houses are likely on their second roof or nearing the point where they need one.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 5 miles of Commerce); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Commerce
My Commerce building has tar-and-gravel. Replace it?
Not automatically. Sound BUR restores and maintains well; its redundancy is real. A moisture survey tells you whether the assembly beneath the gravel is dry, and that answer decides.
Why did BUR fall out of fashion?
Weight, installation labor, and odor during application. Single-ply installs faster and lighter. Neither of those points makes an existing sound BUR roof bad.
Do you install this on shops and outbuildings near Commerce?
Yes. Barns, workshops, and outbuildings are first-class projects out here, not afterthoughts, and the material conversation (usually metal-forward) covers them alongside the house.
How often does hail hit Commerce?
NOAA lists 8 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 5 miles of Commerce. Smaller communities have fewer storm spotters, so reports tend to undercount what actually falls. The most recent report was 3.5-inch hail on April 27, 2026.
How old are most homes in Commerce?
The median home in Commerce was built in 1976, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 58% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 6% were built in 2010 or later. Most homes here are well past the life of their original roof.
