While a metal roof is one of the most resilient roofing options you can get, it doesn’t last forever. So if your metal roof is starting to rust and show signs of wear and tear, but you can’t afford to replace it, you can reduce the damage by painting it. If you prefer to DIY paint your metal roof, here are six steps that you need t follow;
- Remove rust from the metal roof using a putty knife.
- Sand the metal roof surface lightly using a wire brush or sandpaper to smoothen the surface.
- Power wash your roof with a pressure of 2,500 pounds per square inch to remove dirt, mold, and old paint.
- Apply primer or rust converter
- Apply top coat paint
- Apply final coat
With a fair amount of patience and the right tools, you can achieve a total DIY makeover of your own metal roof into whatever you want it to be!
Can You Paint Over a Rusted Metal Roof?
Yes, you can paint over a rusted metal roof. But, choosing the right painting for the rusted roof is an essential factor to consider. Not every painting can offer you the right solution.
This is the mistake that some people make because they assume any painting can restore their rusted metal roof. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and some people have had to find out about that the hard way.
If you want to paint over a rusted metal roof, the ideal paint you need is water-based metal roof paint that has rust inhibitors. This is always the right type of paint to consider using because it’s specially designed for that purpose.
Another thing you need to keep in mind is that once you’ve started painting, allow the first coat to dry before you apply the second coat.
Rust is a reaction between oxygen, moisture, and metal, which results in reddish-brown blotches. However, it’s not just a simple cosmetic problem. It corrodes metal and if left unattended can result in holes and other structural damages in metal roofs.
Therefore, it’s important to figure out a way to handle such an issue, which is where painting it comes into the picture.
Why It’s Important to Paint Metal Roofs
Your home’s roof is usually considered the first line of defense against elements such as snow, wind, and rain. Therefore, it’s crucial to deal with roofing issues before experiencing the negative that it can bring for overlooking them.
One ideal way of handling roofing issues is by painting it. There are plenty of benefits that come from painting metal roofs and we’ll highlight some of them in this section.
Roof painting is a long-term solution, as opposed to cleaning out the gutters. Check out below why it’s essential to paint metal roofs.
1. It Extends the Lifespan of Your Roof
The main objective of painting your roof is to offer it a longer lifespan. The good news is that there are specialized paintings available on the market ideal for various roof surfaces.
These paintings can also help the metal roof survive the weight of the elements, which will be bearing down on it.
Experts believe that painting your metal roof with a high-quality painting can extend its lifespan. However, the paint has to be applied professionally and properly to ensure it offers you the best service.
2. It Offers a Great Look
Another advantage of painting metal roofs is that it offers them an appealing look. Take for instance you leave something outside for long enough.
It’s bound to start fading due to constant exposure to the sunlight. Therefore, if you observe that your metal roof is starting to fade after neglecting it for a long time, it’s important to consider hiring a professional to paint the roof again.
Painting your metal roof will not only give it a new and appealing look, but will also enable it to last longer. Also, it may be attractive to a new buyer if you’re planning on selling your house.
3. It Offers You More Benefits
Let’s face it, when something is painted again it looks amazing and almost new. This is another added benefit that comes from painting your metal roof.
It offers it a new look, adds to its lifespan, and gives you a peace of mind. You won’t be worried anymore about how your roof looks until after a few years later when it’s time to check on its maintenance.
What’s more, when you paint your roof, it deflects the sunlight and during the hot days your house becomes cooler, thereby reducing your air conditioning bill.
How Long Does a Metal Roofing Paint Last?
There are plenty of factors that affect how long a metal roofing paint last. The three major factors include the quality of the materials, quality of service, and the type of roof that you have in your house.
- Quality of material – You have to ensure your roof is built with high-quality material to maintain the paint properly. Roofs that are easily prone to rust can negatively affect the paint and make it fade faster – specifically between 2 and 4 years.
- Quality of service – If you’re hiring professionals to come and do the painting for you, you have to ensure that you hire people who are well experienced. This will ensure the work done is reliable and help the paint to last longer.
- Type of roof – When choosing a roof for your home, it’s essential to consider the weather condition in your area. This will enable you to determine a roof ideal for those conditions. Therefore, the type of roof also matters if you want the paint to last longer.
Overall, the metal roofing paint can last between 2 and 4 years on average of up to 10 or 15 years. It all depends on how well you maintain the roof.
It’s also highly advised to consider painting your roof every 10 to 15 years. It’s important to restore your roof earlier to ensure you prevent the protective membrane from breaking down completely. When that happens, it will result in more damages, thereby incurring higher repair costs.
An alternative would be to consider replacing your roof if you find it difficult to paint it again. But, you have to remember that painting it is one way of saving on costs.
Does Roofing Color Matter?
Yes, roofing color matters a lot. For instance, experts recommend light roof shingles in areas where the climate is mostly warm.
Dark roof shingles are also recommended for areas where the climate is usually cooler. Therefore, as you can see, the color of your roof significantly matters as it considerably affects your home in one way or the other.
This is because darker colors are known to absorb more heat, which means during the snow or winter season, the roof will make it easier for the snow and ice to slide off it.
On the other hand, lighter colors tend to reflect sunlight. That means a roof with a lighter color will help to keep it cooler and enable homeowners in warmer climate areas to save on their energy costs.
However, technology has made it of no importance to care about the color of your roof. That’s because it makes things easier and the only thing you need to consider is the quality of your shingles.
But, this is not always the case and that means you have to find out whether the roof you’re buying to install in your house will be affected by the climate. I would recommend considering the color of your roof to avoid inconveniencing yourself.
How to Paint a Metal Roof with Rust
- Remove rust from the metal roof using a putty knife.
- Sand the metal roof surface lightly using a wire brush or sandpaper to smoothen the surface.
- Power wash your roof with a pressure of 2,500 pounds per square inch to remove dirt, mold, and old paint.
- Apply primer or rust converter
- Apply top coat paint
- Apply final coat
Here are some of the simple steps you should take when you want to paint a rusted galvanized metal roof.
1. Eliminate the Rust
The first step before painting a rusted metal roof is to eliminate the rust. Keep in mind that this will require some physical work, so you must be prepared for that. You’ll also have to use two methods.
The first method is to use chemicals to help you neutralize the rust and weaken it to make it easier for you to remove it by just scrubbing. The second method will involve using a pressure washer.
An ideal chemical to use is Trisodium Phosphate, as it can easily penetrate and remove the rust. This is a common chemical that you can easily find in your local home improvement store.
When applying the chemical, make sure you’re careful as it’s quite dangerous. Once you’ve applied the chemical, you can use a pressure washer to scrub off the rust.
2. Use Vinegar to Wipe the Roof
The second step is to use vinegar to neutralize the zinc with an acid. The good thing about white vinegar is that it’s natural and pretty affordable.
All you need to do is apply a bit of the vinegar to a rag and use it to wipe the roof. You won’t have to scrub the roof, but just apply the vinegar to the whole roof.
3. Apply the Primer
Applying is the third and crucial step, but you have to wait for a bit for the vinegar to evaporate. It’s important to ensure you’re using the right primer because you’re applying it on a rusted galvanized metal roof.
4. Paint
The fourth and most anticipated step is to apply the paint. After coating the roof with a primer, painting should follow but you have to ensure the weather is right. You also need to ensure the primer is completely cured before painting the roof.
5. Add the Final Coat
Although your roof won’t require an additional coat, it’s always important to add a final coat to be on the safe side.
Even if it’s not important, try to look for dark or light spots where you feel the paint wasn’t applied properly and then add the final coat. This will add another layer of protection to the roof and enable it to last longer.
PVDF vs SMP Paint for Metal Roof – Which One Should You Choose?
PVDF and SMP are two distinct types of paints that are used in various applications – either commercially or in agriculture.
When talking about the coatings of these two types of paints, we’re actually referring to the resin. The resin is the one converted to polymers and it acts as a binder that helps to hold the pigment particles and offer adhesion to the surface being painted.
The difference in performance between these two types of paints is not so much. SMP paint offers a chalk and fade warranty of up to 30 years. It also provides color and gloss retention, as well as weather resistance that rivals that of premium PVDF paint.
SMP is a popular high-quality resin that is used for metal roof coatings. For applications that require a highly durable coating surface like metal roofing, building and composite panels, as well as curtain walls, PVDF coatings are considered superior because of their strong UV resistance.
Due to the affordability of SMP, they are usually preferred for applications on warehouses, agricultural structures, and industrial.
Which One Should You Choose?
The paint you decide to choose should align with your needs. As you’ve seen, SMP and PVDF paints are used in different applications and have their advantages.
Therefore, it’s important to assess where you want to paint and choose a painting that will serve you best.
Best Paint for Galvanized Metal Roof
The best paint for your metal roof should be the one that offers you durability and convenience. You need to choose high-quality paint with a color suitable for the weather condition of where you live. Check out below two of the best paints that we recommend.
1. Gardner Metal-X Metal Roof Acrylic Coating
The Gardner Metal-X Metal Roof Acrylic Coating is a touch and elastomeric roof coating formulated to offer excellent bonding and strength to metal surfaces.
It is a high performance product that has rust inhibitors that offer long-term protection to metal surfaces. It also expands and contracts with the roof’s movement, so as to resist peeling and cracking.
Pros
- The coating seals and protects metal and it also flexes to resist cracking.
- It includes rust inhibitors and also cools and reduces heat gain.
- It also has a stay-kleen protective finish.
Cons
- None so far.
2. AMES IC5 5 Gallon Iron White Roof Coating
The Ames’ Iron Coat industrial strength roof paint is a thick and high-quality rubber and acrylic elastomeric roof coating well formulated for metal.
The good thing about this paint is that it’s designed for waterproofing and maintaining commercial, as well as residential metal roofs. It is also ideal for RV and mobile home roofs.
Pros
- The paint comes ready to use when you by it so you won’t have to go through so much hassle when you want to apply it on your roof.
- Another great benefit of this roof paint is that it’s quite easy to apply, since it doesn’t require any mixing.
- The paint is up to 500 percent elastic and has a watertight roof membrane that conveniently expands and contracts with the roof surface.
- It also stays cool and resists peeling and cracking.
Cons
- It sometimes takes longer to dry after painting, as some buyers have stated having to wait up to 24 hours
Conclusion
When it comes to painting rusted galvanized metal roof, you have to ensure everything is appropriately done. This will help alleviate any issues later on and save you on costs.
If you’re doing it yourself, make sure that you have the right information on how to do it for the entire process to go well. However, if you’re hiring professionals, make sure you choose well experienced people to handle the work.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us and we’ll be happy to respond.