Metal roofing does look great, and it does outlast many other types of roofs, but over the years, it can begin to look aged and worn. Fortunately, you can undo the damage of time. Here, you'll learn how to restore the metal roof on your home and bring it back to its original luster.
Supply List
- Liquid laundry detergent
- Bucket
- Hose — long enough to reach every part of your roof
- Sandpaper
- Wire brush
- Putty knife
- Rags
- Paint rollers, brushes, and trays
- Outdoor metal paint — you can find metal roofing paint
- Outdoor rust inhibiting primer
Note: This project will take you quite a while to complete from start to finish. To protect your roof and your progress, complete the entire process in small sections. This will make it easier for you to stay organized and schedule the work as you have time.
Step 1: Scrape away peeling paint
Use the putty knife to peel the paint from the roofing. Some areas will require the wire brush to be used in order to break the paint free from the surface.
Step 2: Remove the rust
The rust must be scraped and sanded away before the roof can be painted. Use the wire brush and sandpaper to remove any rust that you find. Take your time to make sure that you don't miss any and that you're sanding the surface completely smooth. Failure to do so will result in a less-than-perfect finish.
Tip: If there's a lot of rust to remove, get a wood block and nail it to a mop handle. Staple sandpaper to the block, and use this homemade tool to sand large areas of the roofing quickly.
Step 3: Wash the roofing
Laundry detergent is an affordable and gentle cleaning product that will remove the dirt and grime without causing damage to the plants that are growing in the ground below. Mix about one cup of detergent with water in a 5-gallon bucket. Scrub the roofing clean — you may want to use a deck brush to expedite the cleaning process.
Once you've washed away the dirt, get the hose and rinse the area well. Let it dry.
Step 4: Prime and Paint
Pour the primer into the paint tray, and begin rolling it on any area that has been sanded. If you've been busy sanding many areas, it's probably best to just coat the entire roof with the primer to ensure that rust doesn't begin to form on areas that weren't sealed with the primer.
After the primer has dried, apply the paint. You will want at least two coats of paint, but be sure to let each coat dry before applying the next.
If you don't feel up to taking on a project such as this on your own, talk with a roofing contractor like Roofing by George & Home Improvements, Inc in your area for assistance.
One day when we were all sitting in our living room, I thought I felt a drop of water fall onto my arm. At first, I figured it was my imagination, but when the second one fell, I knew we had an issue. Although it wasn't raining that day, it had rained the day before, so I started looking for the source of the problem. After looking in my attic, I could tell what the problem was, and I knew I had to fix it. I started looking for ways to stop the water immediately, but it just wasn't working for me. Fortunately, roofers came out, fixed the problem, and showed me what I needed to do to clean up the mess. Read more on this blog.