Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Northlake 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 Northlake 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 Northlake 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.
How Northlake changes the math
Northlake gives Built-Up Roofing (BUR) a specific job to do, and it is worth naming. Most of the housing went up in the last two decades, which means first-generation roofs aging out on the same schedule, block after block. On those buildings, the membrane decision is driven by what the roof does all day. Equipment traffic, ponding zones, and the tenant below count for more than material fashion.
Northlake handles roofing permits the way most Denton County cities do: required where structure or full replacement is involved, quick when the paperwork is right. We file it. Hail is the tax every DFW roof eventually pays. Single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch, so instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. We work this system in Denton and Lewisville as well; ask and we will point you at nearby examples with a few years of weather on them. The estimate comes with the local specifics in writing: scope, grade, timeline, and both warranty layers.
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 Northlake
How a roof system holds up in Northlake depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
24
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
10
Golf-ball-size hail days
3.4 in.
Largest stone on record
2015
Median year homes built
Hail near Northlake
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 24 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 6 miles of Northlake. On 10 of those days, the stones were golf ball size or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 12 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 3.4 inches (teacup size) on April 1, 2024. The most recent report: 1.5-inch hail on November 24, 2025.
April 1, 2024: 3.4-inch hail (teacup size)
March 14, 2024: 3-inch hail (teacup size)
June 11, 2023: 3-inch hail (teacup size)
March 26, 2017: 2.75-inch hail (baseball size)
March 24, 2021: 2.5-inch hail (tennis ball size)
How old Northlake homes are
Northlake is young by roofing standards: the median home was built in 2015, and 74% of its 2,889 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 6 miles of Northlake); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Northlake
My Northlake 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 Northlake?
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 Northlake?
NOAA's Storm Events Database lists 24 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger reported within 6 miles of Northlake, including 10 days with golf ball size stones or bigger. Hail that size was reported in 12 of the last 20 years. The most recent report was 1.5-inch hail on November 24, 2025.
How old are most homes in Northlake?
The median home in Northlake was built in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 3% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 74% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
