Roof Painting and Coating

Roof coatings are seamless and when installed correctly, can solve roof leaks on almost any type of roofing material. Field-applied reflective roof coatings can extend the useful life of nearly every roof substrate keeping a roof surface cool and providing a level of protection from the sun and weather.

There are exceptions. It is not recommended to use cool coatings over existing shingles as this method can result in moisture problems and water damage because the coating can prevent normal shingle drying after rain accumulation, allowing water to condense and collect underneath the shingles.

Coating asphalt shingles and built-up composition roofs requires caution. The roofing industry acknowledges that certain issues could have negative consequences for the application of coatings over asphalt shingle roofs. Anyone considering this type of application should be aware of the concerns so they can weigh them against the benefits claimed in by coating product manufacturers.

Roof coatings can add 25 years to the life of a roof and reduce the amount of discarded roofing materials that end up in landfills. In addition, cool roof coatings can lower rooftop temperatures and reduce air conditioning bills.

Most flat roofs are not perfectly sloped, causing water to puddle in some areas, in particular around the drains and scuppers. Many roof coatings are not manufactured for accumulated water like this and may fail prematurely if exposed to standing water over long periods of time.

Serious consideration should be given to the performance and limitations of the coating being selected. A limited number of manufacturers will warranty their coatings to even include ponding water, but typically, manufacturers for acrylic roof coatings do not include warranties for ponding water.

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