Built-up roofing, or tar and gravel, is the century-old system still protecting Wilmer 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 Wilmer 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 Wilmer 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.
Built-Up Roofing (BUR) in Wilmer, specifically
Before the material talk, look at Wilmer itself, because the housing stock sets the terms. The neighborhoods skew established: multiple roof generations behind them, big tree canopies overhead, and original decking that deserves inspection before anything new goes on. For those roofs, single-ply is a systems conversation, where attachment method, insulation, and flashing details carry more of the outcome than the membrane brand.
City paperwork in Wilmer is ours to carry: permit filed, inspection booked, final documentation in your folder. The weather here is not hypothetical: single-ply shows bruise fractures that a chalk circle will not catch. Instrument surveys find what walking the roof misses. The install map around Wilmer includes Dallas and Irving. Seeing a five-year-old local roof beats any sample board. Start with the free inspection; the material conversation is better once we have seen the deck.
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 Wilmer
How a roof system holds up in Wilmer depends on the storms it has to take and the houses it sits on. Here is what the public record shows.
9
Hail days, 1 in.+ since 2006
1
Golf-ball-size hail days
2 in.
Largest stone on record
2008
Median year homes built
Hail near Wilmer
Reported hail is less frequent around Wilmer: NOAA lists 9 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 7 of the last 20 years. The largest stones on record nearby measured 2 inches (hen egg size) on May 27, 2024. The most recent report: 1-inch hail on March 29, 2025.
May 27, 2024: 2-inch hail (hen egg size)
March 25, 2025: 1.5-inch hail (walnut size)
March 24, 2021: 1.5-inch hail (walnut size)
March 28, 2014: 1.25-inch hail (half dollar size)
March 29, 2025: 1-inch hail (quarter size)
How old Wilmer homes are
Wilmer is young by roofing standards: the median home was built in 2008, and 48% of its 1,848 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 Wilmer); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates. Data pulled September 2026.
Common questions about built-up roofing (bur) in Wilmer
My Wilmer 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.
Should we match the original material when re-roofing in Wilmer?
Not automatically. A roof on its second or third cycle is a chance to rethink: Class 4 asphalt for the insurance math, metal or premium systems where the home and horizon justify them. We quote the honest options against your actual house.
How often does hail hit Wilmer?
NOAA lists 9 days since 2006 with hail one inch or larger within 5 miles of Wilmer. Smaller communities have fewer storm spotters, so reports tend to undercount what actually falls. The most recent report was 1-inch hail on March 29, 2025.
How old are most homes in Wilmer?
The median home in Wilmer was built in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 26% of the city's housing units predate 1980 and 48% were built in 2010 or later. Many homes here still have their original builder-installed roof.
