Should I Paint My Roof? - Roof Paint Basics
In years past, I have noticed that homeowners were hesitant to change the natural look of their roof tiles by applying paint. Today, countless homeowners and contractors throughout Florida and the United States are pivoting to roof paints to keep up with modern trends. As with most new home improvement trends, there has been an influx of questions as homeowners look to embrace this change. These questions are critical because an uninformed trip to a local hardware store can cost you thousands of dollars in material and labor costs. Some common questions we encounter are: Does painting a roof require a specific paint, or can I use a generic exterior paint from a local store? How long will my roof paint last? Is there any specific surface preparation before roof paint is applied?
Image of a house painted with Acrylux Roof Paint
Image of a house painted with Acrylux Roof Paint
As a regional store, we are accustomed to new clients asking us to prove why they should select our roof paints rather than a more well-known discount retailer. That is one of the most critical questions that a homeowner can ask, as most people are not familiar with how the quality of paint can respond to direct sun exposure on the roof. Although most homeowners can avoid problems with average or poor-quality coatings when applying them to interiors or well-protected exteriors, it is nearly impossible to hide these flaws when applied to a roof. A suitable roof paint must contain a higher volume of both solids and mildewcide, and dry at a sufficient mil thickness to withstand direct exposure to the elements. As Acrylux has been manufacturing waterproofing products for the South Florida climate since 1959, transitioning to tintable roof paints was seamless as almost all our products contain the qualities noted above.
Image of a Home Painted With Acrylux Roof Paint
Assuming a high-quality roof paint is applied, the two main factors that affect the longevity of the roof paint are the level of detail provided to the surface preparation, application techniques, and the tone of the selected color. Although the current trend is moving towards darker toned colors, we usually recommend a light or mid-tone color if longevity is what the customer prioritizes. It is not uncommon for Acrylux Painted roofs to last 7-10 years with minimum cleaning and maintenance. We always urge complete surface preparation before applying any of our paint products, but the minimum requirement is that the roof is pressure cleaned thoroughly and sealed with a surface conditioner due to the mold, dirt, and mildew build-up common on roofs. If left untreated, these conditions can cause the product to fail prematurely. Contractors commonly use a bleach solution to sanitize the surface during pressure cleaning.
The increase in popularity of roof paints can be appealing to homeowners as it opens thousands of opportunities to modernize their homes to current trends. If completed with the correct product, preparation, and knowledge, painting a roof can be one of the most satisfying projects in home renovation. Acrylux takes great pride in our roof paint formulations from years of real-life applications, feedback, and laboratory testing. This process has allowed us to formulate a tintable roof paint that updates the color of a roof without sacrificing the durability of the coating.