Tin Roof Paint over Country Stone Residence

The first step for a metal roof paint project is cleaning the panel surfaces, thereby allowing the metal roof sealants to adhere securely.

As shown in the three photos below, the crew cleaned the roof with clorox and water. Loose paint flakes are scraped away. The tin roof rust is now exposed and prepped for priming. The standing seam panels are ready for application of a metal roof coating system.

Primer, usually grey or sometimes red, is applied to the roof. This primer, Polaprime 21, is manufactured by Andek Corp. Although this primer emits a smell, must be allowed to cure, is slippery and other annoyances…..the long term performance has proven to be reliable. Reliable is this contex means the primer contains the rust, thereby allowing simple recoating at the ten year mark without redoing the entire process.

The first coat of the bronze tinted acrylic is “cut” into the standing seams with a hand brush to insure a complete coverage. With the hard part of the project completed, the crew proceeds with two coats of the bronze-tinted elastomeric.

Note that the horizontal seams across the panel face are quite visible. These horizontal seams, a trait of the vintage panels, are absent from new metal roofing installations.

What is roof paint?

The roof paint is actually an acrylic that is formulated to move with the metal panels’ expansion whenever the outside temperature changes. As a result, roofing acrylic does not flak like paint. Outside paint, such as used on siding, is too brittle and thin, meaning the paint flakes within a few years.

If you are shopping for an acrylic to apply by yourself, check the product information carefully. The word “acrylic” has a broad meaning and only certain formulations of acrylic work on a metal roof. Most homeowners prefer to avoid aluminum roof coatings. Unlike white roof coatings, the aluminum formulas do not offer the energy-savings expected.

The materials shown on the roofs in this page came from two sources: the acrylic from Preservation Products , a fine line of elastomerics. Their tin roof paints can be found on numerous historical sites, such as illustrated on this page. Andek Corporation is well known for a variety of metal roof coatings, especially their primers: examples of the variety of sealants can be viewed on this tin roofing home page. Both companies have distributors or will ship to an address specified.

The owners had worked hard to improve the attractiveness and livability of their home. They wanted to keep the original roof, but the old reddish tint detracted from the home’s imposing image. They knew exactly the color they wanted–bronze. With their large property to frame their home, the restored tin roof with the metal roof paint…in bronze, only added character to their residence.