The roof is responsible not only for keeping the elements out of the house, but also for heat preservation and the overall look of the house. Sometimes when repairing a roof, patching materials make for a patchy look.
For example, the colour dissonance can play a bad joke with those who care about exterior design and who put a lot of effort into making their home look great.
Painting a roof can undoubtedly serve a useful purpose itself because the paint layer will protect the roofing material in the future, whether it is slate or rubber roofing, and give the whole building a complete and aesthetic look.
The chosen materials will last long and well enough, and the paint will prevent the development of corrosion on the roofing surface.
There are some factors you should consider when DIY-painting your roof, so keep on reading to be fully prepared:
Choose the Right Time for Painting
Before starting to think about how to paint your roof, you need to find out when is the best time to do it. Keep in mind that the roof painting should be implemented according to the weather conditions.
It is not recommended to paint the roof in the pouring rain (and in damp weather too), but specialists also do not recommend to start painting works in intense heat because it will affect the whole process of painting.
A good time to paint the roofing will be spring (April or May) in the first place, or it is recommended to start in autumn (September or October).
Dry weather in those periods will be the key to a longer service life of the applied paint, that will be responsible not only for improving the general appearance of the roof but also for protecting its material from external influences.
Tools & Paints
The best brushes for painting large surfaces are made with stiff bristles. The brush diameter should be at least 60-65 mm. Horsehair brushes can paint small details and easily remove paint drips, but will not last long.
If the roofing surface is smooth and even you can use a paint roller. It is better to choose a removable model with an additional handle that increases its length to be able to change the painted part periodically and simplify the working process.
The choice of paint will depend on the type of the roofing material you are going to work on, and it is essential to understand that for some surfaces the results may vary depending on the type of paint.
Oil and alkyd paints lose their elasticity under the influence of constant changes in temperature and humidity, so their service will not be longer than a year or two.
It is better to choose a paint marked for your type of roofing, because they include appropriate additives that form a dense protective coating with good anti-corrosion properties, high paint adhesion and elasticity, and also can be fireproof.
Acrylic paints or enamels are not cheap, but they last a long time, preserving high decorative properties throughout their service life. Such coatings may be both glossy or matt.
The advantage of the latter is that they do not require priming before painting, and prevent causes of the metal roofing’s corrosion.
Besides, these paints form a thin layer on the surface that makes the roofing more waterproofed, prevents dusting, and reduces the harmful effects of the asbestos at the same time.
Painting Process
When working on the roof, it is crucial to make sure that the process is not only comfortable for you but also safe.
Prepare shoes with rubber soles: it can be any shoes with soft but not too slippery soles that cannot scratch the surface of the roofing material.
Wrap a strong rope around your waist and tie the other end of it to the supports (that is more reliable than a chimney stack) to secure yourself in case of falling.
No matter how good the paint is, success depends on the quality of the surface preparation. It would be best if you cleaned the roofing from dust and rust before painting.
Rust spots can be cleaned with an iron brush and covered with a metal primer.
If the roofing is new and freshly-laid, pre-paint it with a primer to strengthen the adhesion, apply the paint to the descents under the gutters firstly, and then go to the central part of the roof.
A new roof is usually painted in 2-3 layers and for the old one 1-2 layers would be enough.
Try to avoid using too thick layers of paint – it will dry slowly and eventually crack. It is better to apply the paint in thin layers and allow them to dry for 3-7 days.
The entire work can take up to two weeks.
Conclusion
If you want to paint the roof yourself, you should pay attention to the right choice of season and weather conditions as well as the paint and tools needed for your type of roofing material.
This way, you will save money on hiring someone to do it for you and invest them in quality materials.
When painting the roof, you aim not only to make it look better but also prolong the life of roofing materials by excluding the possibility of corrosion and increasing its adhesion properties.
Make sure you have created safe conditions for yourself for working on the roof and started with preparing the surface before painting – it is your key to finishing the whole project successfully.
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