Painting Aluminum Roofing

To paint a metal roof you ll need to use an oil based paint if you have a terne metal roof or an acrylic based paint if you have a galvanized metal roof.

Painting aluminum roofing.

Not only is it affordable but aluminum roofing is also long lasting and environmentally friendly. Not using a sealant another mistake is to forget or ignore using a sealant before the application of the metal paint. You ll also need to purchase a primer designed for metal roofs. This is why when you are considering painting your metal roofing it makes sense to go for specific paints for the metal roof.

The roof must be thoroughly cleaned before any primer is added. Oil based alkyd paint may also be used with an appropriate galvanized metal primer. Water resistant metal roofing paint for example can be of great value if you live in a rainy area. And one of the greatest advantages of aluminum roofing is its energy efficient quality.

If you have an aluminum roof or are considering installing one keep in mind the importance of maintaining your roof properly. Painted metal roofs come with a baked on factory finish and you can re coat these as well as paint bare metal roofing with acrylic latex paint. If you re not sure what kind of roof you have ask a professional roofer to inspect it before you paint it. There are some acrylic base primers and paint that will work on chalky aluminum.

Apply a cold water and phosphoric acid mixture to prepare the aluminum surfaces to accept and cling to paint. A pre mixed solution of this type can be found in most paint stores under the name aluma prep made by amchem. If the aluminum is outside use a power washer to remove all grit and grime that can stick to the aluminum surface. Fibered or asphalt aluminum would be dull in appearance.

Most aluminum paints need to be put on in several layers the primer and then several layers. However this paint must specify that it can be used on aluminum. For truly greasy or dirty aluminum siding or other outdoor pieces use a commercial degreaser in the power washer or sprayed on the surface to ensure it is as clean as possible and ready to take on primer and paint. More than likely it sounds like a traditional aluminum oil based paint on the roof itself.

It tends to blow the lid off the cans. A topcoat doesn t eliminate the need for a good primer the topcoat seals your paint but the primer makes the paint adhere properly. A good coat of paint goes a long way in extending the life of any quality aluminum roof. You can also use oil based alkyd paint but.

Aluminum is seldom available in an acrylic product due to the extreme volatility of suspending an aluminum powder in a water based product.