Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Forney 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 Forney 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 Forney 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.
The local case in Forney
There is a Forney version of the Built-Up Roofing (BUR) decision, and it is not the generic one. A large share of homes here are young enough that their original builder-grade roofs are only now meeting their first serious hail test. That inventory rewards the boring commercial virtues: documented seams, maintained drains, and a membrane matched to the building’s actual use.
Permit-wise, this work in Forney runs through the city’s building department, and filing it is our job, not yours. When the next core drops through Kaufman County, single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch; instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. The same crews run Kaufman, Terrell, and Crandall, so comparable local installs are usually close enough to go look at. If the roof is not a fit for this system, the inspection says so. That answer is free too.
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 Forney
How a roof system holds up in Forney depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
15
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
4
Golf-ball-size hail days
3.5 in.
Largest stone on record
2010
Median year homes built
Hail near Forney
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 15 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 5 miles of Forney. On 4 of those days, the stones were golf ball size or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 8 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 3.5 inches (teacup size) on April 3, 2012. The most recent report: 1-inch hail on June 2, 2026.
April 3, 2012: 3.5-inch hail (teacup size)
June 13, 2023: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
April 20, 2023: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
January 20, 2010: 1.75-inch hail (golf ball size)
May 24, 2024: 1.25-inch hail (half dollar size)
How old Forney homes are
Forney is young by roofing standards: the median home was built in 2010, and 49% of its 10,395 housing units date to 2010 or later. Many of those homes still have the roof the builder installed, now working through its first hail seasons.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database (hail reports since 2006 within 5 miles of Forney); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Forney
My Forney 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.
Is upgrading from builder-grade shingles worth it in Forney?
Usually at the first replacement or claim: Class 4 impact-rated systems earn many Texas carriers' premium discounts, and newer communities' HOA standards generally approve them easily. The math works hardest on homes facing decades of DFW hail.
How often does hail hit Forney?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 15 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 5 miles of Forney, including 4 days with golf ball size stones or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 8 of the last 20 years. The most recent report was 1-inch hail on June 2, 2026.
How old are most homes in Forney?
The median home in Forney was built in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 8% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 49% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
