What type of Flat roof has my extension got?

[Mikefromlondon]

In 1992 my builder made me an extension, with a flat roof, he engaged a roofer who came down with a what looked like a black trailer behind a van with a huge gas fire burner heating a huge pot of bitumen, or tar like substance with smoke spewing out like a steam engine!

This trailer was parked out in the street and roofers mate brought molten tar like substance in a metal bucket and they poured it and spread it with spreader creating a thick layer of bitumen on top of plywood base, for the life of me, I do not remember what this roof construction was then called, and I have not seen any roofers today using this method as new GRP has succeeded other methods like laying roofing felts etc.

Although my extension roof is still sound after nearly 30 years, it has formed some minor cracks which may make it leak in future, if I could find any roofer who did this type of roof laying , I would get them to sort out this or put a new layer on top.

Any one knows what this method was called and is it for obvious reasons of pollution, smoke, and burning hot tar that this method is no longer available.

 

[datarebal]

Asphalt

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Thanks mate, yup it is what I couldn't come up with, are there many roofers still using this method, just seen blocks of bitumen available to melt and pour to repair any cracks, or perhaps cracks mat be repaired just by torching the bitumen around cracks, not sure if this would work, bearing in mind any fire risk from the gas torch flame.

 

[datarebal]

There are a few but not a lot.
I don't know any that guarantees crack or blister repairs though .
There are some asphalt overlay systems out there which work well.

 

[catlad]

I used to do that 30yrs ago! but I never ventured to the big smoke
Health & safety has done away with it realistically.

 

[Nige F]

Asphalt

Also used as a floor finish inside - but tel insists it's Tarmac Google Mastic asphalt council - for information.