An experimental research was performed to study the effects of surface roughness on the characteristics of separated and reattached turbulent flows in an open channel. A backward facing step was used to induce flow separation. The rough surfaces comprised wire mesh grit-80 and sand grains of average diameter 1.5 mm. In each experiment, the Reynolds number based on the step height and freestream velocity of approach flow was fixed at 3240 and the Reynolds number based on the approach flow depth and freestream velocity was kept constant at 25130. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique was used to measure the flow velocity. The results showed that roughness effects on the mean and turbulent quantities are evident only in the recovery region. Moreover, roughness effects on the flow dynamics are dependent on the specific roughness element.