Painting your roof is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to update the exterior of your home or building. Most of us don’t spend a lot of time worrying about the pain on the roof over our heads. But over time it gets worn away by the sun, wind and rain. Sooner or later, most roofs will need a fresh coat of paint to give them a proper facelift. The good news is that most residential and commercial roofing materials are perfectly compatible with modern painting systems! Roof painting - sometimes called roof restoration - uses specialty roof paints to breathe new life into your roof and add thousands of dollars of value to your property. We’re going to cover roof painting in a little more detail and help you decide if it’s the right solution for your property.
Can All Roof Materials Be Painted?
With the right paint systems and application technique, most common types of Australian roofing materials can be painted, including:
Metal sheeting. Australia’s ever-popular roofing material, Colorbond and other metal sheets are compatible with most paint systems. While Colorbond’s factory coating can last for decades, Brisbane’s sun and storms will eventually cause the paint to flake, peel and become chalky. Repainting Colorbond sheeting is a quick and affordable way to improve the look of your home.
Concrete. Concrete is one of the most common types of roofing materials in the country. It’s not just commercial buildings that have concrete roofs either. The roofing tiles on most suburban homes are actually made of a concrete mix that can easily be repainted if the original paint job is starting to look a little tired.
Slate tiles. Slate is one of the most stylish roofing options available. The natural stone can be painted if you’d like to change the look and feel of your home. Because slate is only slightly porous, you may need a little bit of extra preparation to achieve a long-lasting paint finish.
Asphalt shingles. While shingles aren’t a popular choice for Australian roofing, they can be painted. Because of their flexibility and construction, painted asphalt shingles usually need to be repainted much sooner than other materials.
Some types of unglazed terracotta roof tiles can also be painted. Due to their tough, non-porous coating, glazed terracotta tiles can’t be painted. Paints simply don’t adhere to the glazed surface and will quickly flake away.
How is a Roof Painted?
There’s nothing especially tricky about painting a roof compared to other surfaces. But, the roofs of even small homes can work out to be a large surface area, and working at heights should always be taken seriously. For those two reasons it’s usually best to leave painting your roof to a professional team that has the training and equipment to handle the job.
Whether it’s for a commercial building or residential home, the roof painting process follows the same basic steps:
Safety equipment is installed, including temporary edging, scaffolding and safety harness anchors
Repairs are made to any broken or leaking sections of the roof
The roof is thoroughly cleaned with a pressure washer
A coat of primer may be applied, depending on the type of roof being painted and its existing condition
Two coats of colour are applied, typically with specialised commercial paint sprayers
A protective top layer may be applied if the building’s owner wants a gloss finish
What Type of Paint is Used for Roofs?
The most important ingredient of a roof paint job is choosing the right type of paint. Because of the harsh sun in Brisbane, we recommend painting roofs with a high-quality, exterior-grade acrylic latex paint. Acrylic latex paints are environmentally friendly and they’re flexible enough to avoid cracking and peeling as your roof shifts in the heat. Plus, quality exterior paints contain additives that prolong the life of the coating and make your roof easier to keep clean.
Spending a little more on a high-quality paint can mean that your roof paint job lasts for decades, and the expense is well worth the investment!
Is Your Roof Ready for a New Coat of Paint? Contact McAuliffe Painting Today!
Looking to refresh your home? Or do you need a robust painting solution for the roof of your commercial building? McAuliffe Painting offers a range of residential and commercial roof painting services to suit! Our experienced team is equipped to tackle every project, from small homes to high-rise buildings. We are fully certified to work safely at any height, and our professional painting equipment can make short work of your paint job. Get in touch with us to find out more about our services or to book a consultation!