Some Denver CO homeowners prefer to have their roofs painted. On the other hand, some like the industrial shade of their roofs as the best choice for their roofing aesthetics. Whichever you choose, if you paint metal roofs with either acrylic or elastomeric coating, you have a materially-superior roof than ones that expose its steel or aluminum body.

True enough, you're missing out on great advantages if you incorrectly paint your roofs. Indeed, you can always trust an experienced and highly-trained Denver CO roofer to help you to paint metal roofs. However, it can be a fun and quick money-saving DIY project too.

My Home Improvements has an excellent guide to paint metal roofs especially if you're just starting out on doing it yourself. Read on below to get started!

The Right Way to Paint a Metal Roof

Like everything in life, there’s a right way and a wrong way to paint a metal roof… and I’ve seen some real shockers over the years.

Sometimes by blokes who do it for a crust and who should know better.

Often it comes down to a distinct lack of preparation – rushing things, and not paying due care and attention – but there are other factors such as using the using wrong type of paint, which just makes me scratch my head.

With this in mind, I thought I’d put a few words together about the RIGHT way to paint a metal roof.

And before you ask the obvious question:

Is painting a metal roof different to painting a tile roof?

And the even more obvious question: Can you paint a metal roof?

…the answers are “Yes, it is” and “Yes, you can!”

Does your roof need painting?

When to paint a metal roof.

Just like tile roofs, metal roofs (also called tin roofs, iron roofs and of course Colorbond roofs, but let’s stick with metal for now) are renowned for their strength and durability.

In fact, they can last for decades with hardly any maintenance, and rarely any repair needed.

However, even though they remain structurally strong, the elements – particularly the harsh Aussie sun – can play havoc with their general appearance.

Paint combined with the onset of rust and corrosion will mean that it’s time to repaint your roof.

When that time comes, there are three ways you can go: (Read the Full Post Here)

To paint metal roofs the right way will save you so much headache and expenses. However, inexperience tends to get in the way of DIY homeowners often. Fortunately, professionals have painted metal roofs for decades and can share exceptional experiential knowledge with homeowners.

Do It Yourself has an excellent list of mistakes most first-time DIY homeowners tend to commit when they're painting their metal roof for the first time. Be guided by their knowledge and improve the quality of your metal paintwork by reading below.

Painting Metal Roofing: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

When painting a metal roof, there are common mistakes that novices and even experienced DIYers tend to make. Chief among them is treating the metal like any other roofing material. Metal roofing requires specialized paint. Here are some of the most common mistakes made in painting metal roofs.

Mistake 1 - Using Leftover Paint

Some people painting their roof with the same type of paint as used with the rest of the home. However, this could be a problem, simply because the roof is made up of different materials than the rest of their house. Paint used for wood or even fiberglass will not work well on metal.

There are also some benefits of special metal roofing paints that need to be taken into account. These paints are made with special qualities. They may be heat or fire-resistant or even insect and pest-resistant. Internal paints may not have these properties. Water-resistant metal roofing paint, for example, can be of great value if you live in a rainy area. This is why when you are considering painting your metal roofing, it makes sense to go for specific paints for the metal roof.

Mistake 2 - Not Using a Sealant

Another mistake is to forget or ignore using a sealant before the application of the metal paint. This could be a problem because without a sealant, the metal paint might just peel off the metal. The sealant does just what its name suggests—it seals the paint to the surface, using chemical bonding techniques. Thus, this adds to the life of the metal roofing paint.

However, even if you are using a sealant, make sure you have done adequate research on it because each sealant contains different ingredients and has different methods of application. Sealants are also specific to the kind of paint you are using.

Mistake 3 - Not Finding an Energy-Efficient Paint

Lastly, it can be confusing to just head to a hardware store and choose between different brands of paints. True enough, the suppliers can advise you on which best to use. However, you won't get detailed information and might end up with a result you dislike.

Lexis Coatings has an excellent article on the difference between two major paints for metal roofs you can use. Both have their pros and cons -- but an informed decision is definitely the best one you can make.

Acrylic vs Elastomeric - What's the Difference?

Elastomeric is a generic term for "rubber-like" roof coatings. Waterborne, acrylic coatings are the most popular.

Elastomeric Roof Coatings

Acrylic, Butyl, Polyurethane and Silicone

Elastomeric is a generic term for coatings that are elastic. There are many types of elastomeric roof coatings such as acrylic, butyl, polyurethane or silicone.

Types of Elastomeric Coatings

Acrylic elastomeric coatings on a metal roof.

This water-based roof coating is widely used on pitched metal roofs. It can be economically tinted to any custom color. Easy clean up with water makes it a popular choice for do-it-yourselfers. Acrylic refers to the polymer used in the coating. It is similar to the acrylic resin used in latex house paint but that's where the similarity ends.

Butyl elastomeric coating on modified bitumen roof.

A solvent-based, vapor barrier roof coating with extremely high elongation. It is commonly used over sprayed polyurethane foam in cold storage applications.

Aromatic polyurethane coating on single ply roof.

Indeed, to paint metal roofs takes plenty of material. In addition, you may need to recruit your neighbor and two others if you want to finish the painting job within one weekend. If you haven't the time, you can contact Roper Roofing for excellent metal roof painting services. Contact us today to get started!