EPDM roofing price list for 2026, in two numbers: retail sheet runs about $1.05 per square foot for 45-mil black EPDM and $1.15 for 60-mil at Flat Roof Solutions (listings checked October 28, 2026), and installed EPDM rubber membrane pricing runs $5 to $10 per square foot for the vast majority of U.S. commercial flat roof projects, with the spread driven by mil thickness (45-mil, 60-mil, or 90-mil), attachment method (mechanically attached, fully adhered, or ballasted), insulation R-value, and the brand and warranty tier specified. A 20,000 sq ft warehouse with 45-mil mechanically attached EPDM over R-25 ISO and a basic 10 year material warranty might land at $5.50 per square foot. The same building with 90-mil fully adhered EPDM over R-30 ISO and a 30 year No Dollar Limit warranty might land at $11.50. Both are illustrative estimates built from the unit prices on this page, not quoted bids. HomeGuide’s EPDM rubber roof cost guide gives a wider homeowner band of $3.50 to $10.00 per square foot installed, with materials at $0.50 to $3.50 and replacement labor at $3 to $7.
By The Roofing Brief Team. Last reviewed: October 2026.
EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) is the oldest of the modern single-ply commercial membranes, with installs going back to the early 1970s. It is still the volume leader in some U.S. regions, especially the Northeast and Midwest, where the cold-weather performance and the long real-world track record matter more than the white-membrane reflectivity that drives TPO and PVC spec decisions in the Sun Belt. The sections below break the 2026 cost into retail sheet, contractor material, insulation, cover board and labor lines, so each line item on an EPDM bid can be checked against a named figure. For more, see our TPO vs EPDM roofing comparison.
EPDM roofing price list: retail sheet, contractor material and installed rates
Retail EPDM sheet is sold cut to width and length, so the per-square-foot price is the clearest comparison. At Flat Roof Solutions, 45-mil black sheet lists at $1.05 per square foot across sizes and 60-mil black at $1.15, so the extra 15 mils adds about $0.10 per square foot (about 10 percent) at retail; 45-mil white-on-black lists at $2.00, about 90 percent more than black at the same thickness.
| Item | Size or spec | Price | Per sq ft | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black EPDM, 45 mil | 10 ft x 10 ft (100 sq ft) | $105.00 | $1.05 | Flat Roof Solutions, Oct 28, 2026 |
| Black EPDM, 45 mil | 20 ft x 20 ft (400 sq ft) | $420.00 | $1.05 | Flat Roof Solutions, Oct 28, 2026 |
| Black EPDM, 45 mil | 30 ft x 50 ft (1,500 sq ft) | $1,575.00 | $1.05 | Flat Roof Solutions, Oct 28, 2026 |
| Black EPDM, 60 mil | 10 ft x 10 ft (100 sq ft) | $115.00 | $1.15 | Flat Roof Solutions, Oct 28, 2026 |
| Black EPDM, 60 mil | 20 ft x 20 ft (400 sq ft) | $460.00 | $1.15 | Flat Roof Solutions, Oct 28, 2026 |
| Black EPDM, 60 mil | 30 ft x 100 ft (3,000 sq ft) | $3,450.00 | $1.15 | Flat Roof Solutions, Oct 28, 2026 |
| White-on-black EPDM, 45 mil | 17 ft x 20 ft (340 sq ft) | $680.00 | $2.00 | Flat Roof Solutions, Oct 28, 2026 |
| White-on-black EPDM, 45 mil | 17 ft x 60 ft (1,020 sq ft) | $2,040.00 | $2.00 | Flat Roof Solutions, Oct 28, 2026 |
| Contractor system material, ballasted | 45 mil / 60 to 75 mil | Not including installation | $1.60 to $2.50 / $2.00 to $2.50 | HomeGuide |
| Contractor system material, fastened | 45 mil / 60 to 75 mil | Not including installation | $1.85 to $2.90 / $2.00 to $3.00 | HomeGuide |
| Contractor system material, adhered | 45 mil / 60 to 75 mil | Not including installation | $2.75 to $3.30 / $2.80 to $3.50 | HomeGuide |
| Old rubber roof removal | Per sq ft | $1.00 to $2.00 | HomeGuide | |
| Installed EPDM, homeowner range | Per sq ft | $3.50 to $10.00 | HomeGuide | |
| Installed EPDM, commercial systems | 45 to 90 mil, by attachment | $4 to $11.50 | Roofing Brief estimates (tables below) |
Retail sheet is membrane only. A contractor bid adds HomeGuide’s $1.60 to $3.50 per square foot of system material (membrane, fasteners or adhesive by attachment type), insulation, cover board and $3 to $7 of labor, which is why a $1.05 roll becomes a $5 to $10 installed roof. On a 1,500 square foot roof, 45-mil sheet alone is $1,575 at retail, against $5,250 to $15,000 installed at HomeGuide’s $3.50 to $10.00.
Mil thickness: the first lever on EPDM cost
EPDM membrane is sold in 45-mil, 60-mil, and 90-mil thicknesses, with 60-mil dominating new commercial work in 2026. The mil number is the membrane thickness in thousandths of an inch. Thicker rubber resists puncture, holds seam tape and adhesive better under thermal cycling, and qualifies for longer manufacturer warranty terms. One catch: mechanically attached systems use scrim-reinforced sheet, which is made in 45, 60 and 75 mil, while non-reinforced 90-mil sheet is used on fully adhered and ballasted roofs. That split is set out in Carlisle’s EPDM warranty availability quick reference (07.31.24) and in the mechanically attached chart of Johns Manville’s Peak Advantage guarantee requirements (RS-1670, 6-25), which lists only JM EPDM R 60 and 75 mil.
45-mil mechanically attached: $5 to $7 per square foot installed. The cost-floor spec for warehouse, light manufacturing, and budget-driven reroofs. The membrane is rolled out, fasteners and stress plates secure it through the cover board into the deck, and seams are joined with EPDM seam tape and primer. Manufacturer system warranties top out at about 15 years at this thickness: Carlisle lists up to 15 years for 45-mil Sure-Tough reinforced sheet mechanically fastened, and the JM mechanically attached chart starts at 60 mil. Not specified for high-wind zones or roofs with heavy foot traffic.
60-mil mechanically attached: $6 to $8 per square foot installed. The 2026 commercial standard for most warehouse, big-box, and light industrial work. The extra 15 mils of membrane buys meaningful puncture resistance, better seam performance, and longer system warranties: up to 20 years for Carlisle 60-mil Sure-Tough mechanically fastened and up to 25 years for JM EPDM R 60 mil mechanically attached, per the two manufacturers’ published charts.
75-mil reinforced mechanically attached (not 90-mil): mechanically fastened EPDM tops out at 75 mil because the sheet must be reinforced. Carlisle lists only Sure-Tough reinforced sheet (45, 60 and 75 mil) and FleeceBACK for mechanically fastened EPDM, with the 30-year term reserved for 75 mil, and Johns Manville lists up to 30 years for JM EPDM R 75 mil mechanically attached (RS-1670, 6-25). We have not found a published installed price specific to 75-mil mechanically attached work, so ask bidders to price it as its own line. Owners who want non-reinforced 90-mil sheet for rooftop equipment service, frequent foot traffic, or hail exposure are buying a fully adhered or ballasted roof, and Carlisle lists up to 30 years for 90-mil Sure-Seal either way.
Fully adhered upgrade: add $1 to $2 per square foot regardless of mil thickness. The membrane is bonded to the cover board with bonding adhesive, eliminating the mechanical fastener pattern and substantially improving wind uplift performance; the rated uplift depends on the tested assembly, so ask for the FM or ANSI/SPRI rating in writing. Slower install, more material cost, and longer warranty terms available. This is the spec for coastal Florida, the Gulf Coast, and any project where wind uplift is the governing design load.
Ballasted EPDM: $4 to $6 per square foot installed. The membrane is loose-laid over the cover board and held down by river rock or concrete pavers, with ballast weights in the 10 to 20 psf range designed under ANSI/SPRI RP-4, per Buildings magazine. Cheap, fast, but heavy. The building’s structural design has to support the ballast load, which is why ballasted is now almost exclusively a retrofit spec on older buildings designed for it. New commercial construction in 2026 rarely specifies ballasted because of the inspection difficulty and the cost of moving rock for any repair.
| EPDM system | Installed cost per sq ft | Typical warranty term |
|---|---|---|
| 45-mil mechanically attached (reinforced) | $5 to $7 | Up to 15 years (Carlisle) |
| 60-mil mechanically attached (reinforced) | $6 to $8 | Up to 20 years (Carlisle) or 25 years (JM) |
| 75-mil mechanically attached (reinforced) | No published figure; get a line-item quote | Up to 30 years (Carlisle, JM) |
| 90-mil fully adhered or ballasted (non-reinforced) | See the adhered and ballasted rows | Up to 30 years (Carlisle) |
| Fully adhered upgrade | add $1 to $2 | Longer terms available |
| Ballasted EPDM | $4 to $6 | Up to 25 years at 45 mil, 30 years at 60 or 90 mil (Carlisle) |
Warranty terms in this table are maximum system terms from Carlisle’s EPDM warranty availability quick reference (07.31.24) and JM’s RS-1670 guarantee charts (6-25). Actual terms depend on the assembly, wind speed rating and installer status. Installed prices are Roofing Brief estimates, not manufacturer figures.
The choice between mechanically attached, fully adhered, and ballasted is not just a wind calculation. It is a leak-diagnosis question (each system leaks differently), a warranty question (NDL terms differ by attachment), and a recoverability question (overlay and recover work later in the building’s life is easier on fully adhered systems). Fully adhered adds $1 to $2 per square foot; ballast adds 10 to 20 psf of dead load. See our flat roof materials comparison for how EPDM sits against TPO, PVC, and modified bitumen on each of these axes.
The major EPDM brands in 2026
Five EPDM brands appear on most U.S. bids: Carlisle SynTec, Elevate (Amrize), Versico, Mule-Hide and Johns Manville. No public market-share data ranks them, so compare them on the published warranty charts (Carlisle 07.31.24, JM RS-1670), authorized installer availability in your market, and the line-item price.
Carlisle SynTec Sure-Seal and Sure-Tough: Sure-Seal is Carlisle’s non-reinforced EPDM, Sure-Tough its reinforced sheet in 45, 60 and 75 mil, and FleeceBACK its fleece-backed variant, per Carlisle’s warranty availability quick reference. Carlisle lists system terms up to 30 years for 90-mil Sure-Seal adhered or ballasted and 75-mil Sure-Tough mechanically fastened, and its seam system pairs Sure-Seal EPDM HP-250 Primer with SecurTAPE, per Carlisle’s HP-250 data sheet.
Elevate (Amrize) RubberGard, formerly Firestone Building Products: the historic Firestone EPDM line, rebranded Elevate after the Firestone Building Products sale to Holcim closed in April 2022. Elevate’s current documents, including its December 2, 2025 U.S. warranty pricing guide, are issued by Amrize Building Envelope LLC, part of the North American business Holcim spun off as Amrize in 2025. RubberGard Platinum is the premium 90-mil tier with the 30 year Red Shield NDL warranty.
Versico VersiGard: a Carlisle-owned brand that operates separately with its own authorized installer network. VersiGard EPDM is useful when an authorized Versico installer is available and the Carlisle authorized installer pool is thin in the region; compare its warranty chart term for term against Sure-Seal.
Mule-Hide Products: bought in 1985 by Ken and Diane Hendricks, the founders of ABC Supply, per MuleHide’s company history, and sold through ABC Supply branches. That distribution makes it easy to find for smaller commercial and residential flat roof work; check its standard warranty tiers against Carlisle and JM terms before assuming parity.
Johns Manville: JM’s Peak Advantage guarantee requirements (RS-1670, 6-25) list up to 25 years for JM EPDM R 60 mil and up to 30 years for JM EPDM R 75 mil mechanically attached, competitive with Carlisle’s published terms at the same thickness.
On identical specs, the bigger driver of bid variation is usually the installer’s authorization status rather than the brand. A manufacturer-authorized installer may charge more than a non-authorized one, but only an authorized install qualifies the project for the 20 to 30 year NDL terms in the charts above.
Insulation: R-value drives 15% to 25% of EPDM total cost
Polyisocyanurate (ISO) insulation sits between the deck and the cover board on virtually every modern EPDM install. The R-value spec determines both energy performance and cost, ASHRAE 90.1 and the IECC set the spec floor, and HomeGuide prices polyiso boards at $0.50 to $3.00 per square foot for materials depending on thickness. The installed figures below are Roofing Brief estimates.
R-25 ISO (about 4 inches): roughly $1.50 per square foot installed. The cost-floor spec, increasingly out of code in most U.S. climate zones for new construction but still common on reroofs in code-grandfathered jurisdictions.
R-30 ISO (about 5 inches): roughly $1.80 per square foot installed. The 2026 new-construction baseline in most of the country.
R-38 ISO (about 6.5 inches): roughly $2.30 per square foot installed. The spec for LEED-certified projects and northern climate zones (6, 7, 8) where the energy code minimums are higher.
Tapered ISO system: add 10% to 25% to insulation cost depending on slope complexity. Tapered insulation establishes positive drainage on otherwise flat decks and is required by code in many jurisdictions for new low-slope work. The complexity of crickets and saddles around drains drives the upper end of the cost band.
Cover board, fasteners, and accessories
Cover board sits between the ISO and the EPDM membrane and provides hail-impact resistance, foot-traffic protection, and a stable substrate for membrane adhesion. Gypsum cover board (Securock from USG, DensDeck from Georgia-Pacific) adds $0.50 to $0.80 per square foot and is the market-standard spec on commercial EPDM in 2026. High-density ISO cover board runs $0.40 to $0.65, and perlite board (older spec, increasingly rare) runs $0.30 to $0.50.
Mechanical attachment hardware (steel fasteners and stress plates) for mechanically attached EPDM runs $0.40 to $0.70 per square foot. Bonding adhesives for fully adhered systems add $0.70 to $1.20 per square foot. Seam tape, primer, and lap sealant typically add $0.20 to $0.40. Accessory components (walk pads, pipe boots, T-joint covers, edge metal, drain flashings) typically add $0.30 to $0.70.
The omission of cover board to cut bid cost is a common move that pays back badly. A bid that comes in $0.50 to $0.80 per square foot cheaper than the others should be checked for cover board omission. The savings on the bid will be paid back as hail damage repairs and reduced warranty in year 6 or 7.
Total cost breakdown: a typical 2026 EPDM install
Worked example, Roofing Brief unit-price estimates rather than a quote: a 2026 bid for a 30,000 sq ft warehouse reroof with 60-mil mechanically attached Carlisle Sure-Tough (reinforced) EPDM, R-30 ISO, Securock cover board, and a 20 year NDL warranty.
Tear-off of existing roof: $1.20 per sq ft (gravel BUR tear-off runs higher at $2.00+; single-ply tear-off can be $0.80).
R-30 ISO insulation: $1.80 per sq ft.
Securock cover board: $0.65 per sq ft.
60-mil EPDM membrane: $1.20 per sq ft (material).
Fasteners, plates, seam tape, primer, lap sealant: $0.75 per sq ft.
Labor for membrane install: $1.90 per sq ft.
Accessory components (drains, flashings, edge metal, walk pads): $0.50 per sq ft.
Mobilization, dumpster, crane, overhead, profit: $0.70 per sq ft.
Total: about $8.70 per sq ft.
The same building with 90-mil fully adhered Sure-Seal and a 30 year Golden Seal NDL warranty might add $0.60 per square foot for the thicker membrane, $0.90 per square foot for adhesive plus additional labor, and roughly $0.25 per square foot for the longer warranty premium and additional manufacturer pre-install inspection requirements, putting total at about $10.45 per square foot. Compare that math to the cost calculus we work through in our 2026 commercial roof restoration cost guide, which covers the alternative path of restoring an aging EPDM roof with a silicone or acrylic coating instead of replacing it.
EPDM vs the alternatives: when each one wins
EPDM dominates in the Northeast and Midwest because of cold-weather performance and the long real-world track record on buildings now in year 30+ of service. The black membrane absorbs solar heat, which is a code-compliance issue in some Sun Belt cool-roof jurisdictions but a real benefit in cold-climate snow-shed performance.
TPO is the volume leader nationally in 2026 because the white membrane meets cool-roof code requirements in most Sun Belt jurisdictions and because the heat-welded seams are easier to QC than EPDM’s taped seams. PVC is the chemical-resistance spec for restaurants, labs, and food processing, where rooftop grease and chemistry would degrade EPDM and TPO. See our PVC roof cost installed guide for the PVC pricing breakdown and our TPO membrane pricing by mil guide for the TPO equivalent of this document.
The decision between EPDM, TPO, and PVC for a specific building is a function of climate zone, code requirements, rooftop chemistry exposure, owner hold-period, and the available pool of authorized installers in the market. HomeGuide’s installed ranges overlap: EPDM $3.50 to $10.00, TPO $4 to $10 and PVC $5 to $12 per square foot. The cost-floor on each membrane is similar enough that the spec decision should be driven by long-term performance, not by the bid difference. Our 2026 flat roof types overview walks through the decision framework.
What an EPDM contractor selection costs (or saves)
EPDM is a manufacturer-warranted system, and the 20 to 30 year NDL warranty in the Carlisle and JM charts only issues when the install is done by a contractor on the manufacturer’s authorized installer list. The certification process requires the contractor’s crew to complete manufacturer training, the project to be inspected by a manufacturer technical rep before, during, and after install, and the contractor to maintain authorized status through documented continuing education and clean project history.
Bids from non-authorized contractors can come in lower. A lower bid can mean skipped manufacturer spec details, such as non-spec seam tape, no primer on dirty seam areas, or installing below the adhesive’s minimum application temperature. The result looks like an EPDM roof but carries a contractor warranty rather than a 20 to 30 year manufacturer warranty, and if that contractor closes, the building owner has no warranty recourse.
The questions to ask are the same as for any commercial roofing spec. Ask for the manufacturer authorization number and call the manufacturer to verify it is current. Ask for two recent NDL warranty projects with the manufacturer’s pre-install inspection report attached. Ask which seam tape system the contractor uses (Carlisle SecurTAPE with HP-250 Primer, Elevate QuickSeam Splice Tape per Elevate TIS 1401, or the maker’s equivalent) and whether they prime every seam. The contractors who pass these checks are the ones whose installs are still serving the building in year 25 and 30. The contractors who do not pass are the ones whose roofs become the next reroof bid in year 8.
Where EPDM pricing is headed in 2026 and 2027
EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) is a petrochemical product, so membrane list prices follow resin and energy costs. Track them with dated quotes: the retail sheet prices above ($1.05 per sq ft at 45 mil, $1.15 at 60 mil, October 28, 2026) are a baseline to re-check when you re-bid.
The longer-term trend that matters more for total installed cost is labor. The roofing labor pool in most U.S. metros is tight in 2026, and authorized installer crews are charging premium labor rates because the manufacturer training and certification creates a meaningful skill barrier. With labor at $3 to $7 of a $3.50 to $10.00 installed square foot in HomeGuide’s figures, labor rates move the installed price more than membrane price does.
For a building owner planning a reroof in the next 12 to 24 months, the EPDM cost picture is stable enough to budget against today’s numbers. For a building owner trying to defer a reroof decision past 2027, the deferred capex math depends mostly on labor rates, which make up most of the installed price, not on membrane material cost. The full long-term cost framework is in our 2026 Roofing Cost Report, which models reroof economics across all the major commercial membrane systems and includes the deferred-replacement penalty calculation. Pair that with our commercial roof replacement cost overview for the broader replacement framework that applies regardless of membrane type.
Which EPDM spec to buy: decision table
| If your building or goal is… | Spec | Why (source) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget reroof, light foot traffic, warranty need of 15 years or less | 45-mil mechanically attached, reinforced | Carlisle lists up to 15 years at 45 mil; $5 to $7 per sq ft installed (Roofing Brief estimate) |
| Standard warehouse or big-box reroof, 20 to 25 year term | 60-mil mechanically attached, reinforced | Up to 20 years Carlisle, 25 years JM (RS-1670) |
| Mechanically fastened roof needing a 30 year term | 75-mil reinforced (Sure-Tough or JM EPDM R 75) | Carlisle and JM list up to 30 years at 75 mil |
| Heavy foot traffic, rooftop equipment or hail exposure | 90-mil non-reinforced, fully adhered or ballasted | Carlisle lists up to 30 years for 90-mil Sure-Seal |
| Wind uplift is the governing design load | Fully adhered | No fastener pattern; ask for the tested uplift rating |
| Existing structure designed for 10 to 20 psf of ballast | Ballasted | ANSI/SPRI RP-4 ballast design (Buildings magazine) |
| Cool-roof or reflectivity requirement | White-on-black EPDM, or compare TPO and PVC | White-on-black retail sheet is $2.00 vs $1.05 per sq ft for black (Flat Roof Solutions) |
| DIY shed, garage or porch roof under 400 sq ft | 45-mil black retail sheet plus the maker’s primer and tape | $105 for 100 sq ft to $420 for 400 sq ft (Flat Roof Solutions) |
EPDM roofing cost: frequently asked questions
What does EPDM roofing cost on a price list?
At Flat Roof Solutions on October 28, 2026, black 45-mil EPDM sheet listed at $1.05 per square foot (for example $420 for 20 ft x 20 ft), 60-mil at $1.15 ($460 for 20 ft x 20 ft) and 45-mil white-on-black at $2.00 ($680 for 17 ft x 20 ft). HomeGuide puts contractor system material at $1.60 to $3.50 per square foot and installed EPDM at $3.50 to $10.00.
How much does EPDM roofing cost per square foot in 2026?
EPDM runs $5 to $10 per square foot installed for most U.S. commercial flat roof projects in 2026. The spread is driven by mil thickness, attachment method, insulation R-value, and warranty tier. A 45-mil mechanically attached job over R-25 ISO can land near $5.50, while 90-mil fully adhered over R-30 with a 30 year No Dollar Limit warranty can reach $11.50.
What is the difference between mechanically attached, fully adhered, and ballasted EPDM?
Mechanically attached EPDM is fastened through the cover board into the deck and is the 2026 commercial standard. Fully adhered bonds the membrane with adhesive, adding $1 to $2 per square foot and improving wind uplift to 120+ mph. Ballasted EPDM is loose-laid under river rock or pavers at $4 to $6 per square foot but needs a structure designed for the added weight.
Which EPDM mil thickness should I choose?
60-mil dominates new commercial work in 2026. Mechanically attached, it runs about $6 to $8 per square foot with system warranties of up to 20 years at Carlisle and 25 years at Johns Manville. 45-mil at $5 to $7 is the budget floor, and Carlisle caps 45-mil adhered and mechanically fastened terms at 15 years. 90-mil sheet is non-reinforced, so it goes on fully adhered or ballasted roofs, where Carlisle lists up to 30 years; mechanically fastened roofs reach 30 years with 75-mil reinforced sheet.
Why does an authorized installer cost more?
The manufacturer NDL warranty only issues when a contractor on the authorized installer list does the work, with a manufacturer rep inspecting before, during, and after install. Non-authorized bids can come in lower but carry only a contractor warranty instead of a 20 to 30 year manufacturer term, and that warranty disappears if the contractor closes.
Which EPDM brand is most commonly specified?
No public market-share data ranks U.S. EPDM brands by volume. The five brands most bids name are Carlisle SynTec (Sure-Seal and Sure-Tough), Elevate (Amrize) RubberGard, Versico VersiGard, Mule-Hide and Johns Manville. Compare them on published warranty terms, such as up to 30 years at 75 mil mechanically attached from Carlisle and JM, and on authorized installer availability.