A cool roofing system includes highly reflective calcined kaolin particles having a solar reflectance of 80% to 92%. When applied to a roofing substrate, the highly reflective kaolin particles produce a roofing system having a solar reflectance greater than or equal to 70%.

A cool roofing system includes highly reflective calcined kaolin particles having a solar reflectance of 80% to 92%. When applied to a roofing substrate, the highly reflective kaolin particles produce a roofing system having a solar reflectance greater than or equal to 70%.

Processes for manufacturing surface elements are disclosed. The surface elements can comprise a decorative upper layer and a supporting core. Processes for manufacturing such surface elements can comprise obtaining a decor at least by digitization of a number of archetypes selected from woods and minerals by making a high resolution digital picture of said archetypes, storing said decor digitally, manufacturing a plurality of supporting cores, each being of rectangular shape and each having a size essentially equaling only one desired end user format and provided with an upper side and a lower side, editing said decor to fit said shape and size of each one of said plurality of supporting cores, and digitally applying different patterns on each of said plurality of supporting cores, wherein said patterns are selected and parted from said decor and said decor is used to control said digitally applying the different patterns.

Processes for manufacturing surface elements are provided. The surface elements can include a decorative upper layer and a supporting core. Processes for manufacturing such surface elements can comprise manufacturing a supporting core having a format essentially equaling the desired end user format and provided with an upper side and a lower side, providing a ground coating on the supporting core, and applying a digitally printed dcor comprising inks of at least four colors directly on top of the ground coating by means of an ink-jet type printer, said four colors comprising one or more colors different from cyan, magenta, yellow and black; said digitally printed dcor being one of wood or mineral, and providing and curing an at least partly translucent wear layer on the upper side of the supporting core.

Processes for manufacturing surface elements are provided. The surface elements can comprise a decorative upper layer and a supporting core. Processes for manufacturing such surface elements can comprise manufacturing a supporting core having an upper side, treating said upper side of said supporting core, including at least one of the steps of ground coating with a primer, sanding and providing said upper side with a surface structure, applying a digitally printed dcor comprising inks of at least four colors directly on top of the ground coating by an ink-jet type printer, said digitally printed decor being one of wood or mineral, and providing and curing a protecting and at least partly translucent wear layer on the upper side of the supporting core.

A roofing product has a substrate having a binder layer and roofing granules on a majority of the binder layer, such that an exposed portion of the binder layer does not have the roofing granules. In addition, particles may be located on the exposed portion of the binder layer. The particles are smaller in size than the roofing granules, and the reflective particles have a solar reflectance of greater than 10%.

Variations of this invention provide durable, impact-resistant structural coatings that have both dewetting and anti-icing properties. The coatings in some embodiments possess a self-similar structure that combines a low-cost matrix with two feature sizes that are tuned to affect the wetting of water and freezing of water on the surface. Dewetting and anti-icing performance is simultaneously achieved in a structural coating comprising multiple layers, wherein each layer includes (a) a continuous matrix; (b) discrete templates dispersed that promote surface roughness to inhibit wetting of water; and (c) nanoparticles that inhibit heterogeneous nucleation of water. These structural coatings utilize low-cost, lightweight, and environmentally benign materials that can be rapidly sprayed over large areas using convenient coating processes. The presence of multiple layers means that if the surface is damaged during use, freshly exposed surface will expose a coating identical to that which was removed, for extended lifetime.

A shingle includes a substrate having an asphalt coating on a top surface of the substrate and on a bottom surface of the substrate. A surface layer of granules is embedded in the asphalt on the top surface of the substrate. A backdust layer of particles is embedded in the asphalt on the bottom surface of the substrate. A sealant is disposed on the backdust. A hydrophobic material is applied to the sealant.

Variations of this invention provide durable, impact-resistant structural coatings that have both dewetting and anti-icing properties. The coatings in some embodiments possess a self-similar structure that combines a low-cost matrix with two feature sizes that are tuned to affect the wetting of water and freezing of water on the surface. Dewetting and anti-icing performance is simultaneously achieved in a structural coating comprising multiple layers, wherein each layer includes (a) a continuous matrix; (b) discrete templates dispersed that promote surface roughness to inhibit wetting of water; and (c) nanoparticles that inhibit heterogeneous nucleation of water. These structural coatings utilize low-cost, lightweight, and environmentally benign materials that can be rapidly sprayed over large areas using convenient coating processes. The presence of multiple layers means that if the surface is damaged during use, freshly exposed surface will expose a coating identical to that which was removed, for extended lifetime.