Metal Roofing has gained immense popularity because of its benefits as well as versatility. The materials used for metal roofing are mainly aluminum, copper and steel, which can be recycled and therefore are environment-friendly. Metal roofing gives a great look to the roof and is fireproof too. However, there is a disadvantage of metal roofing as well. It is susceptible to different types of corrosion like water corrosion and galvanic corrosion, which leads to leakage. To repair such damage, metal roof coating is required.
Metal Roof Coating
A metal roof coating is a fluid substance, which when applied to a metal roof, can act as a protective membrane. As a result, it bears the effects of the heat of the sun, rain, hail or any other kind of damage that occurs due to wear and tear. It has adhesive properties that enable it to stick to the surface of the roof. It is the most sought after material for repairing metal roof, due to its ability to retain its elasticity under all kinds of weather conditions. During the day, it is stretches due to heat and with the drop of temperature at night it returns to its original shape. This regular expansion and contraction does not cause any damage to the coating.
Metal Roof Repair
The unique feature of metal roof coating is that you need not remove the old coatings of the roof in order to apply it. Before applying the metal roof coating, you must test the adhesiveness of the roof coating with the metal roof. This is done to check whether the particular coating bonds well with the metal surface of the roof.
Preparing the Roof
To start with, you must carefully look for all types of flaws like cracks, gaps and loose fasteners on the surface of the roof and fix them properly. Then, the surface should be thoroughly cleansed using pressure washing. You can use some detergent, but it should be a biodegradable one. After washing, allow the roof to dry up completely.
Application of Primer
When the roof is dry, you should apply a coat of primer on the roof surface. This will increase the adhesiveness between the metal roof coating and the roof. On certain types of roofing material, a primer coat may not be required. However, it is always better to play it safe. After all, a coat of primer does not cost you much.
Application of Metal Roof Coating
A wide variety of metal roof coatings are available in the market. There are variations in thickness of each type of roof coating. While application of metal roof coating can be best done with an airless sprayer, it can also be applied with the help of a brush or roller. Spray the coating in a manner such that, an even layer is formed throughout the floor of the roof. Take special care to ensure that the repaired gaps and cracks of the floor are well-covered with the coating. This will ensure that they do not open up all over again. For obtaining best results, you must apply metal roof coating two to three times. However, you should apply the second or the third coat only when the previous coats are thoroughly dried.
Apart from controlling the damage of the roofing, metal roof coating has a number of other advantages. It forms a protective layer on the roof that helps maintain the air conditioning in summer season and in winter, it reduces the loss of heat. Research suggest that it can also prevent the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun to pass through it.
