Building the Stage for World-Class Entertainment: The FA Taylor Company Delivers Next-Level Commercial Roofing for the Freeman Arts Pavilion
At the FA Taylor Company, we take immense pride in being Maryland’s premier commercial roofing contractor, trusted to deliver high-performance roofing solutions for the region’s most vital structures. Our team recently crossed state lines into Selbyville, Delaware, collaborating with Gillis Gilkerson to tackle a landmark project for the Freeman Arts Pavilion on Lakeview Drive. As this beloved outdoor venue continuously elevates its guest and artist experiences, we were honored to furnish the professional labor, top-tier materials, and heavy equipment required to construct the advanced, highly engineered roofing systems for both the brand-new Stage and Backstage (BOH) buildings.
For the Backstage building, our commercial crew executed a rigorous, multi-layered installation engineered for maximum thermal efficiency and structural protection. Over the plywood deck, we installed two layers of 2.6” Polyisocyanurate roofing insulation topped with a robust layer of ½” ISOGARD coverboard, all mechanically attached in strict accordance with local wind uplift codes. To prevent water pooling and guarantee positive drainage across the flat surface, we meticulously integrated ½” per foot roof crickets leading between four strategically placed scuppers. The entire assembly was then sealed with a premium, fully adhered 80 Mil white TPO roofing system. Parapet walls were flashed up and over with fully adhered .060 TPO, securely terminated with aluminum compression bars, professional sealant, and custom counter flashing. Finishing touches included flashing all plumbing vents (VTRs) with pre-molded TPO pipe boots, fabricating and installing four TPO-coated metal scuppers, and mounting galvanized conductor heads with downspouts running to grade.
The massive Stage structure demanded an equally specialized and precise application designed to withstand the unique architectural stresses of a performance venue. Similar to the backstage layout, our team laid down a high-performance foundation featuring a 2.6” layer of Polyisocyanurate insulation and a ½” ISOGARD coverboard mechanically fastened to the plywood decking. To manage water runoff, we installed a custom 16-foot, ½” per foot roof cricket between the building’s two main drains. We then applied a matching, ultra-durable 80 Mil white fully adhered TPO system across the roof surface. A critical component of the stage project involved the flawless integration of life-safety infrastructure; our technicians furnished and installed six specialized BILCO heat-activated smoke vents, flashing them securely with .060 TPO and aluminum counter flashing to meet strict manufacturer and safety specifications.
To give both structures a clean, unified aesthetic and long-term perimeter defense against coastal weather, we fabricated and installed custom .040 Kynar-finished aluminum coping, complete with a continuous front cleat and anchored tight with weather-resistant fasteners. In line with our company’s uncompromising standards, all operations strictly complied with OSHA regulations, and our crews maintained a clean job site by hauling away all project debris daily. By delivering these projects to the absolute highest standards of craftsmanship, the FA Taylor Company proudly backed both of these state-of-the-art installations with a manufacturer’s 20-Year No Dollar Limit (NDL) warranty, ensuring the Freeman Arts Pavilion remains fully protected for decades of spectacular performances ahead.
