Can You Paint Over A Metal Roof

If you have a terne metal roof like this one then it has probably been repainted several times over the years.

Can you paint over a metal roof.

Its likely the color variance will tone down over time. You cannot set up roof jacks on a metal roof as you can on a shingled one so if you plan to paint with a brush or roller include a safe way to reach the ridge in your plans. Due to its slick smooth surface metal can be challenging to paint and that can you ve got sitting around in the garage probably won t cut it. However if you want to paint over prepainted metal you re in luck.

Oil based alkyd paint may also be used with an appropriate galvanized metal primer. Before painting you ll still need to do a little. This is why when you are considering painting your metal roofing it makes sense to go for specific paints for the metal roof. Don t worry about patches where the paint is in good shape as you can simply paint over those.

To prep metal for paint adhesion you must. Prepainted metallic surfaces can be treated almost like any other basic latex or oil painted surface. Sand the entire metal roof surface very lightly with your wire brush or sandpaper. Atmospheric dirt will help mute the difference as well.

Try to achieve a slightly abraded texturized finish as this helps your new paint bond with the roof finish. A topcoat doesn t eliminate the need for a good primer the topcoat seals your paint but the primer makes the paint adhere properly. Although it isn t recommended to use a metal implement to scrape the roof it was the only way to remove the loose rust and old paint. If you choose the wrong paint you are putting your roof at the risk of molding and rotting over time.

Acrylic latex paint is a good choice for bare metal roofs and to go over old paint. Metal can be painted and coated over and the darker the color the more of the suns radiant energy it will absorb i e. Metal surfaces require specialized primer and paint for good paint adhesion. To help the primer and paint adhere to the roof better try lightly scuffing the surface of the metal.

Water resistant metal roofing paint for example can be of great value if you live in a rainy area. For instance if you re painting a smaller roof you might use 80 120 grit sandpaper or a wire brush. Another mistake is to forget or ignore using a sealant before the application of the metal paint.