Home | Painted Standing Seam
Standing seam metal roofs are growing in popularity for many home and business owners due to their beauty, longevity, and durability. Galvanized, Galvalume®, and aluminum roofing panels can be painted to achieve a longer lifespan, increase energy efficiency, and strengthen the metal. Painted coatings are applied over a rust inhibiting base coating. The two basic base coatings are Galvanized and Galvalume®. Galvanized steel has a thin layer of Zinc applied to both sides of the base steel, creating a spangled appearance. A coating of .90 ounces is the highest standard for Galvanized metal roofing and is called G90. Galvalume® is a mixture of Aluminum and Zinc applied in a thin layer to both sides of a base steel providing galvanic cut edge protection. For Galvalume®, coating amounts range from .40 ounces to .60 ounces, or AZ40 to AZ60. Galvalume has a narrower range than Galvanized because it is designed to be coated with a top layer of paint. Steel is stronger than aluminum but is less expensive and is Class A fire resistant when used with the right underlayment and sheathing.While both steel and aluminum are lighter weight than traditional asphalt shingles, aluminum is lighter weight and more malleable than steel. The lightness and thinness of aluminum means it stores less heat and becomes cool quickly once it stops receiving direct sunlight.
Polyester based paints are the most cost-effective and come in a wide range of colors. It is important to note that these are water-based paints and do not have the life expectancy of other more expensive paints, meaning they can be less fade resistant. In Texas especially, metal roofing has such a high sun exposure, that fade resistance is a huge factor when deciding which finish will perform best for your home or business. Polyester based paints can begin to show signs of fade as early as 7 to 10 years. To counteract this, “super-polyesters” were created to extend fade resistance by adding ceramic pigment to the paint, significantly extending their resistance to the effects of the sun.
Ceranamel XT-405 is a high-performance polyester resin and siliconized polyester system. It uses a two-coat primer/finish to achieve fade resistance. This porcelain-type finish is climate-shedding and is harder and more abrasion-resistant than other SMP coatings. Cerenamel also delivers superior resistance to chalking and weathering.
PVDF stands for Polyvinylidene fluoride. PVDFs are resistant to solvents, acids, and hydrocarbons, so they are less likely to break down. PVDF coatings are high performance, lifetime paints that are excellent for metal roofing due to their extreme resistance to fade. They typically have 30 to 40-year manufacturer warranties.
We use eco-friendly industrial coatings, such as Durapon70, which is a premium PVDF coil coating. It is a proprietary acrylic resin blended with 70% fluorocarbon resin designed to be applied as a two-coat primer finish system. It provides outstanding protection from acid rain and corrosive environments. It is especially suited for high-end residential applications and delivers exceptional, long-term color retention and weathering. Durapon70 is harder and more flexible than other PVDFs, making it resistant to scratching, scuffing, staining, and transit abrasion. Its flexibility means that it handles post-forming and bending very well and is especially suited for curved panels.
This Durapon70 spray PVDF is recommended for commercial applications such as storefronts, curtain walls, railings, trims, and fascia. Its ceramic pigmentation provides long-term color stability and exterior durability. It can be used straight from the container without additional solvent reduction to increase application times and reduce cost.
Painted standing seam metal roofs are incredibly energy efficient due to their coatings which use reflective pigment technology. The ceramic pigment utilizes a crystal called Fluorite that is super-heated to expand its particulate size. Lighter colors are more reflective than darker colors, but reflective painted coatings allow the allow dark shades to be reflective.
When considering a metal roof, it is important to keep the environment in which it will be installed in mind. The salt air of a marine environment can be a problem for steel roofing products. Galvalume® or Galvanized coatings help as a barrier against the effects of salt air. Cut edges can slowly begin to rust, which is called “edge crawl,” and appear at the 7 to 9-year mark. For this reason, Aluminum panels may be a better solution for coastal areas as they are extremely resistant to corrosion caused by seawater.PVDF coatings are excellent in marine environments, but generally need to be at least 2,800 feet away from the water to have full manufacturer warranty protection. If your home is closer to the waterfront, you will need to invest in a marine grade paint.
Your roof will require some professional attention for a long life.
