How Do You Prepare a Metal Roof for Painting with an Elastomeric Roof Coating?

Preparing a metal roof for painting with an elastomeric roof coating, such as PERMAKOTE® or PERMAGARD®, involves several crucial steps to ensure optimal adhesion and long-lasting protection. First, conduct a thorough visual inspection of the roof to identify and replace any damaged materials. This step is essential to ensure the roof surface is sound and ready for coating. Next, pressure clean the entire roof surface using a water and chlorine solution with at least 1500 PSI to remove any previous coatings, dirt, grease, mold, mildew, and algae. This cleaning process is vital as PERMAKOTE® will resist mildew growth but will not kill existing mildew.

After cleaning, treat any rusted areas with METAL-PRIME RED-OX™, a red iron oxide primer sealer, and patch any imperfections with PERMAPATCH™, a waterproof caulk and sealant. For added protection, it is possible to tape all visible seams, valleys, large cracks, and fractures prone to water intrusion using PERMASTIK™ self-adhesive seam tape. Once the surface is prepped, apply a uniform coat of PERMABOND™ primer across the entire roof surface. This primer coat ensures better adhesion of the elastomeric coating.

Finally, apply two full coats of PERMAKOTE® Elastomeric Roof Coating, allowing 12 hours between coats for proper drying. If possible, apply the 2 coats in a cross hatch, perpendicular to each other, 1 coat north-south and 2^nd coat east-west. By doing so, it will make the coating form a stronger film.

This elastomeric metal roof coating forms a thick, rubber-like ceramic shield that expands and contracts with temperature variations, providing excellent resistance to thermal shock and harsh weather conditions. By following these steps, you can effectively prepare your metal roof for painting with a roof coating, ensuring a durable and beautiful finish that extends the metal roof's life by decades. Check out a step by step guide from the experts at Nationwide Protective Coatings on preparing a metal roof on our instruction page with things to consider on these types of projects PERMAKOTE® Metal Roof Paint as well as a recent blog with the detailed steps How to Apply an Elastomeric Roof Coating System to a Pitched Metal Roofing Surface