And color.
I was thinking black for my 100-plus year old barn roof. I would like something to seal it too. I also want more than a 2 year warranty…we are not doing it every two years!
I was thinking black for easier snow melt here in MI. Maybe even dark gray. Saw an ad for rubber coating paint but not sure on that.
Anyone have paints they liked and/or hated? Suggestions?
Thanks!
If your horses spend any time at all in the barn in summer, the roof should be white. Not silver, not grey, white.
As far as products, I’d contact a few barn painting companies in your area and see what they have to say about application and durability.
Thats - but it’s a huge two story dairy barn with concrete walls - it’s always 10 degrees cooler in the summer for them.
We’re going to DYI it and do not want to take up people’s time when we won’t be using them.
We had this done recently. We did not use a barn painting company, but a good local contractor who did a fantastic job. We bought good quality rust paint, similar to Tremclad, but then the hardware store’s house brand. They prepped the surface with a pressure washer to and tacked down any screws and nails. They then rolled it on the steel. When they use the spray machines they thin the paint and it wears much faster. Rolling is a LOT of work, but the way to do it to make it last.
No suggestions, but thanks for the thread! I really want to change the color of my metal roofed garage (it’s white) to match the barn (which is dark blue) and I wondered if paint was a good option. Really good to hear that it is, and that I should insist on having it rolled on rather than sprayed!
As far as color - I’m in the MidAtlantic, and my barn roof is dark (almost navy) blue. No insulation, just lots of air flow, and it’s quite comfortable in the summer. And come winter, I’m glad for that dark roof - I’ve had to clear snow off the (north facing) roof of my house and it is NO fun. No problems like that on the barn, thank heavens. And for what it’s worth, I drive past a big old fashioned gambrel roofed barn on my way to work every day that’s somewhere between cream and butter yellow with a black roof and trim, and it is absolutely beautiful.
My research is coming up with the white elasticized can come with a 10 year warranty and I’m still trying to find a black product like that. I have a gray barn and really want the black or dark.
The problem with painting a metal roof is the fact that the metal expands and contracts. Quite a bit especially long panels. Be it winter or summer. And it goes through a number of “cycles” on any given day depending on the sun and temperature. 365 days a year.
It has to be done right or it will become a maintenance nightmare. It has to be prepped and applied correctly. As with any paint job proper and meticulous preparation is paramount to avoid peeling in short order. The only paint that can be used that should stand the test of time is exactly what your research said an “elasticized” paint that is made for this type of application. It has to be able to expand and contract and maintain adhesion, sticking power for many years. I am pretty sure there are very few colors to choose from. And white maybe the only one. I am told it is a pretty difficult to make. Any chemical engineers out there to explain.
Which is why all metal roof panels for years never came painted/colored. The color ones that can be had now are color powder coated which is baked on. But they can and will fade so if a panel has to be replaced it will stick out like a sore thumb depending on the color.
I have only painted 2 roofs over the years and both peeled after a few years. I would like to think there is a better paint to use now a days.
I know someone that sprayed black driveway sealant which is tar based. Looked good and still did about 5 years latter. Haven’t talked to him in a long time so I don’t know if it stood the test of time. But it stands to reason it should. Might be worth asking around, internet search, “driveway sealant for painting metal roofs” and see what comes up.
I wouldn’t worry about heat build up in a high gabled roof due to a dark colored roof. Most barns have ventilators on the gabled ends. Heat doesn’t “sink” to the lower parts of the barn.
I am a shingles person myself. Easy to install and when done right will last at least 20 years. If applied correctly with quality shingles “blow off” is a rarity. But easily replaced.
Thanks-been driving around and see a lot of white roofs - be that is the go-to type sealer around here.
I can’t remember the name of the paint right off, but if you have a Sherwin-Williams Pro store, ask there. It’s the paint that’s used on water towers. I think it’s a moisture cure urethane, but they will know. There is nothing else that can be applied on the jobsite that will last anything like as long as this stuff. It can be sprayed with an airless sprayer.
It’s not cheap, but the first time you need to redo a cheaply painted roof, it puts you in the hole big time.
Rustoleum ---- not sure I spelled that correctly
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