Why do roofs need painting?
Roofs need painting because sun, salt air and rain slowly break down their protective surface, and once that surface goes, the material underneath starts to deteriorate. Cape Town is particularly hard on roofs:
- Strong summer sun fades colour and breaks down the binder in old coatings until the surface turns chalky.
- Salt air near the coast, on the Atlantic Seaboard, in Blouberg, on the Southern Peninsula and up the West Coast, attacks metal sheeting and fixings, and rust spreads from every scratch and screw hole.
- Winter rain, roughly May to August, soaks into faded concrete tiles, and damp tiles grow moss and lichen.
- The summer south-easter drives grit across the roof and tests every loose tile, sheet and ridge.
Faded, porous tiles and early surface rust are the signs to watch for. At that stage a coating is a sensible, affordable step that protects the surface, slows rust and makes the building look cared for. Leave it too long and the roof may need repairs or replacement instead.
Roof types we paint
We paint factories, warehouses, sectional title complexes and homes across greater Cape Town, the Helderberg and the West Coast. Each roof material needs its own preparation and coating system:
- Concrete and clay tiles. Concrete tiles fade and become porous with age, while clay tiles need more careful judgement before painting. See tiled roof painting.
- Metal roofs: IBR, corrugated and Klip-Lok. Rust is treated first, then the roof is primed and coated with a system suited to the exposure. See metal roof painting.
- Asbestos cement roofs. These follow special legal rules, including no cleaning or surface preparation of any kind, so please read painting asbestos cement roofs before you ask anyone to work on one.
How a roof painting job runs
Paint over rust, moss or loose tiles peels within a few seasons, so we fix what needs fixing before any coating goes on.
- Inspection. We look at the covering, fixings, ridges, flashings and gutters, and tell you honestly whether the roof is a good candidate for painting.
- Repairs first. Cracked tiles, loose ridges, badly rusted sheets and failed flashings are put right. Where the roof needs more than paint, we’ll quote for roof repairs too.
- Cleaning and preparation. On tiled and metal roofs that contain no asbestos, the surface is cleaned, moss and lichen are treated, and rust is taken back on metal. This step decides how well the coating bonds.
- Priming. A primer suited to the material gives the topcoat something sound to grip.
- Coating. The finish coats go on in the colour you’ve chosen, with attention to edges, laps and ridges.
- Sign-off. Andre or our foreman, Randall, checks the finished roof with you.
Roof paint or waterproofing?
Roof paint usually won’t stop a leak. It protects the surface of a pitched roof, while waterproofing seals areas that hold or carry water, such as flat roofs, box gutters and parapets. If your roof is leaking, we fix the leak first, then paint.
The coatings we use
We use Plascon roof coatings, choosing the primer and topcoat to suit the roof material and how exposed the building is to sun and salt air, and we explain our choice in the quote.
Commercial, body corporate and home roofs
- Commercial and industrial: large metal roofs on factories and warehouses, painted in sections around your operations by working-at-heights compliant teams. See commercial and industrial roofing.
- Body corporates: an itemised quote trustees can table, help with colour approval, and clear notice to residents. See body corporate roofing.
- Homeowners: the same owner-led team, whether it’s a tiled roof in the Southern Suburbs or a metal roof near the sea. See roofing for homes.
We paint walls too
We can paint the outside of the building at the same time, fixing cracks and damp first. See interior and exterior painting.
The guarantee
Roof painting comes with a two-year workmanship guarantee from Roof Direct, and the paint carries the manufacturer’s guarantee of up to 10 years, depending on the product.
Get a free roof painting quote
Request your quote or send photos of your roof on WhatsApp, and we’ll tell you whether a coating is the right next step.
