Roof Tile Restorations: What Are The Issues And Options?


If you are considering a costly roof replacement, find out whether painting your roof tiles is the better alternative and, if so, what durability you can expect.

Roof paint or roof coating?

Painting allows for reinvigorated color choices, while coating will protect the tiles against sun damage. The decision depends on what you want out of your roof design and how much upkeep and maintenance you’d be willing to commit to.

There is a common misconception that roof paint is the same as roof coating. Both products can differ significantly.

Roofing coatings provide more protection than paint. Without a protective coating, standard-issue paint is vulnerable to damage from the atmosphere after a few years.

Roofing coatings can be five to ten times thicker than roof paint. Additionally, they serve as insulators and reflectors. The majority of the benefits of roof coatings can be obtained by high-quality roof painting products.

For the best and longest-lasting results, a roof coating layer is often applied over the paint.

Does A Tiled Roof Need Painting?

There was a time when finding a roof with peeling paint was fairly common. Nowadays, roof coatings are much more durable, so peeling roof paint is not as common as it used to be.

When a roof’s paint peels or blisters, it means that the roof hasn’t been renovated for decades or that the application wasn’t done correctly. A poor coating layer, an insufficient primer or improper preparation of the roof, such as deep cleaning it and fully drying it, could also be the result of poor roof painting by the contractors.

It may still be necessary to add or renew your roof’s coating, even if the paint is not peeling off. Among them are:

  • An additional layer of protection for new roofs
  • A roof that needs to be restored
  • Paint color change

To add to this, keeping your roof coating in top condition has a number of benefits, especially extending the life expectancy of your roof.

By having professional roofing companies paint and/or coat your roof, you could extend its life expectancy by many years.

If you want to get the most out of your repainting project, make sure that your contractor is certified in both roofing and painting. It is possible for a sole roofer to not understand the specifics about the correct paint application, as well as miss roof problems that might eventually become critical.

UV Reflection Benefit

A primary job of roof coating is to protect the roof from UV damage. The roof’s coating will absorb UV rays and reflect them back to the atmosphere.

Paint is not effective at reflecting these damaging rays. This makes it an inferior choice if you want your roof to stay in pristine condition.

For the best protection, a coating should be applied over paint.

Some coatings offer a more reflective surface than others and may last longer when exposed to UV rays without fading

A quality roof coating, such as Nutech’s NXT Cool Zone, also reflects UV rays from the sun, which helps cool the house inside by reflecting the heat.

Having your roof reflect UV rays will result in lower inside temperatures, so your air conditioner will be less likely to run, thereby saving you money.

Avoid Roof Leaks And Mold

In addition to being unpleasant, roof leaks and mold are toxic to our health. In addition, roof leaks and mold are not just cosmetic problems, as they can also cause structural damage.

It’s important to take steps to avoid these problems with your roof before the need arises by having it inspected annually for signs of wear or leakage. By enforcing this maintenance on an annual basis, you could save yourself from dealing with a major leak in the future.

In the event of a leak, you should have it fixed as soon as possible to avoid interior damage and water seepage into your ceiling. The faster it’s repaired, the less likely that there will be mold growth on any wood in contact with these wet areas.

Maintaining your tile roof properly will mean you will be saving money on cooling, contributing to a healthier environment, and protecting the health of your family.

Increase The Value Of Your Home

The house looks even more appealing with a shiny, brand new roof. Painting the roof is a particularly good idea if you are thinking of selling the house since this will greatly improve the first impression of the house, which is crucial when you are trying to sell a property. A new roof will also make your house more marketable for potential buyers, which can result in better offers and greater profits on the sale of a home.

The Cost Of Restoring A Tile Roof

The cost of painting or replacing tiles depends on many factors: what type of tile it is, how much work needs to be done, the type of paint or coating used, and the time you put into it.

You may need to purchase new tiles if they are damaged beyond repair, which can cost around $400-$600 for a single square meter.

Paint costs depend on what type you choose but could average about $1000 -$2000 per coat depending on size and amount of labor required to do the work properly.

Hiring a roofing specialist to assess your roof is the best way to tell whether you need to recoat your roof. In addition to evaluating your home’s current condition, the expert will offer advice on what maintenance needs to be done and how to proceed.

How Long Does Roof Paint Last?

The longevity of the paint on your roof is affected by many factors. Among them, the three most significant ones are:

  • The quality of the materials used
  • The professionalism and quality of the service
  • What kind of roof it is

A tile roof may need to be recoated every three years or so, while this frequency is about twice as often for asphalt roofs (once every six years).

What Is The Best Colour To Repaint Roof Tiles To Avoid Fading?

Us Aussies all know that summer in Australia can be brutal. The only thing you can control is the roof, not the weather. When it comes to what colour to choose to repaint our tile roofs to best manage the extreme Austalian summer heat, a lighter hue is recommended for your roof. Under harsh UV light, darker and more saturated colours will fade more rapidly.

Regular Inspection Of Your Tiled Roof

Maintaining your tiled roof in top condition will preserve both its main function and its good looks. Professional inspections should be performed annually. The inspector should check for any signs of leakage and damage, as well as look for any gaps in the roof or missing tiles.

Meanwhile, you can check for fallen branches, bulky leaves, and obvious leaks on your roof.

Repainting A Tiled Roof

You can protect a tiled roof by painting it. Keep DIY projects out of the painting job if you want the best results. The work and materials of a certified roof painter are guaranteed, so if you plan to sell your home or maintain it well, it is worth the investment.

Keep The Gutters Clean

In gutters clogged by leaves and debris, the collected water can cause rust, discoloration, and grow mold and moss.

It is recommended to clean the gutters twice a year. After the leaves have fallen from the trees in the autumn, they are best cleaned.

In winter, you can follow the spring cleaning with a gutter-cleaning job at least once.

The autumn and spring cleanings should be weekly or monthly depending on your location and how many deciduous and pine trees you have around you.

But even with areas that have any surrounding trees, it is still recommended to keep up with this regular maintenance chore on gutters throughout the whole season.

How Long Should A Painted Tile Roof Last?

Roof tiles are manufactured by embedding the color into the cement, which gives them their original color. It is common for the tone of tiles on the surface to be slightly softer than that on the inside. Over time, the outside coating of the tiles starts to wear off and the original color starts to show through.

Since the tiles have an external glaze, their original colour may last up to a decade before this starts to occur. In areas where weather conditions are extreme, this period might be shorter.

It is recommended that you have your tiles cleaned and resealed every now and then to prolong their life and prevent erosion.

Once Painted, Roof Tiles Need Repainting More Regularly

New paint cannot adhere as well to a tiled roof as the original colour that was embedded within the tiles. Therefore, the roof tile needs to be regularly repainted once it has been painted.

Some people might think that it is not worth the extra effort and expense, but roof painting can extend the life of your tiled roof considerably and cut down on any maintenance you have to do in between.

How Often To Paint A Tiled Roof?

Repainting a tile roof every 10 to 15 years is the norm for tile roofs. If the protective membrane is damaged due to external factors, such as poor quality products or poor workmanship, extreme weather conditions, etc., restoration is needed as soon as possible.

The roof membrane will naturally break down after 10-15 years. The protective coating may fail to protect concrete or metal if left unattended. You may eventually need to replace your roof instead of recoating it, which is significantly more costly.

Keeping track of the state of the roof through regular inspections is essential. The sooner you repair minor issues, the longer the roof will last, while any indication that the paint may have been damaged will suggest that you should consider repainting.

How Long Do Roof Coatings Last?

The lifespan of roof coatings is significantly longer than that of regular paint. This is mainly because they are thicker than regular roof paint. As a result, the roof material adheres better and lasts longer.

Depending on the roofing material, roof coatings last 5-10 years on average.

If maintained properly, a silicone roof coating of high quality could last up to 15 years. In addition to regular cleaning, an annual inspection is performed to check for wear.

However, elastomeric roof coatings can last from 10 to 20 years, depending on how they are applied. You get a ten-year warranty by applying a 20 mil coating. Applying 30 mils of coating will give you the maximum life expectancy of 20 years.

A roof coating is available in both coloured and clear varieties. The best way to get all the benefits of roof coating and the perfect shade of roof paint is to coat the roof after the painting.

It is very important that you strictly follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure that you get the maximum benefit from both products. Your roof painting project could be more successful if you hire a professional with experience.

How To Get Great Results When Painting A Tile Roof

The goal is to maximize your investment when renovating your roof. Keep in mind these tips to make sure you get great results.

Pressure cleaning done right

Any coating application on your roof must begin with a clean roof. Clean as a whistle.

Water blasters are already in the homes of many DIY enthusiasts. In most cases, these domestic machines produce between 1000 and 1500 PSI. This isn’t nearly enough to prepare the roof under the amount of pressure needed.

Most roofing contractors use equipment that puts out 3000 to 3500 pounds per square inch. These water blasters work as an all-purpose cleaner, removing dirt and grime from surfaces while removing the chalkiness of oxidized tiles and cleaning pores and craters on porous tiles.

Clean Tile Noses Correctly

In order to clean your old tiled roof properly, you need to clean the ends and noses of each tile. Unless the noses are cleaned properly, they become black, ruining the overall appearance of the roof.

Tile noses need to be cleaned but cleaned very carefully. If you do the cleaning yourself, without having the necessary experience, you risk flooding the ceiling as water can easily ooze up under the tiles. However, if you don’t clean them, you’ll have black noses.

Specialists can avoid the ceiling getting flooded and still clean the tile noses satisfactorily in the process.

Remove Old Coatings

You’ll need to remove the old paint from the roof if it was painted previously. Look for signs of peeling or flaking paint to determine if it needs to be replaced. In some cases, however, it is necessary to remove seemingly undamaged coatings.

After a thorough cleaning of the roof, you will know whether this is necessary. Under the pressure of 3500 PSI the previous paint or coating layer starts to come off if it has gotten loose. After that, you need to try to get rid of as much as possible.

Wait a few days after the cleaning if you’re not in a hurry. It will be easier to strip down loose paint after the paint edges start curling. At this point, all paint and coatings will be removed by a second pressure wash. It’s safe to say if there is still any paint on the surface that the paint has well adhered to and the new layers can be applied over it.

 Apply A Primer

To ensure good adhesion of the paint to the roofing material, a sufficient amount of primer must be applied.

When the roof has dried out, primer should be applied. Leaving the paint on the surface for a few days may cause it to curl up again, and you’ll need to redo the cleaning.

It’s recommended that, if you’re working on an already painted roof, you apply a serious amount of primer on the surface and that you flood the roofing material with the primer. In this way, any edges left behind by prior layers will be locked down by the primer.

It is best to apply a second layer of primer the same day when using a water-based primer. You’ll need to wait for the first layer of the primer to completely dry if you’re using a solvent-based primer.

Conclusion: Hire A Professional Roofing Contractor

People often take on DIY projects when performing seemingly easy tasks due to a tight budget or satisfaction from working on their homes. However, painting your roof differs from painting a wall in your house.

Getting a long-term result requires following many specifics as you now know. It has been common for roofing projects to fail due to the failure to follow these standards, resulting in costly restorations later.

Hiring the services of a roofing company that is certified in roof restoration and roof painting will prevent all of these issues and future costs. In addition, only certified contractors are able to offer 10 years of workmanship and material warranties. Your investment should afford you 10 worry-free years. Find out how a professional roofing contractor can help you today by calling one.

Your roof will remain sturdy, beautiful, and leak-free whether the sun shines, the wind blows, or the seasons change.

The bottom line is that roof restoration is a complicated process. Proceed carefully if you want to go the DIY way.

Recent Posts

Orlandi