Painting an asphalt roof can make it look newer again and improve heat efficiency, especially if you apply lighter colors like white, but the process is time-intensive. Each shingle must be cleaned, primed, sealed, and painted in several thin coats with adequate drying time between layers. It’s also important to note that paint can conceal underlying damage and make the roof more dangerous to navigate, especially in areas where the pitch is particularly steep.
| Time to Read |
|
| What You’ll Learn |
|
| Next Steps |
|
Asphalt shingle roofs tend to look a little worn over time even when they’re cared for and maintained properly. This might lead you to wonder whether it can still stand up to the elements and if you need to think about early replacement.
In extreme climates, your shingles do take a beating from UV rays, hail, impact damage, and freeze-thaw cycles over the year. Painting your shingles is an option, but the process can be very labor-intensive and complicated, so it isn’t typically recommended. There are better ways to restore your roof!
Below, we’ll outline the pros and cons of painting your roof, tell you what you need to know to do if you decide to do it anyway. You’ll also learn why it’s more cost-effective to go with Roof Maxx.
Painting asphalt shingles can be beneficial in some cases, but it can also fall short or even cause harm in others. Weighing the pros and cons can help you decide if it’s right for you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
Painting is not suitable for homeowners with cracked, brittle, missing, or broken shingles. It’s also important to note that painting is not the same as having your roof sealed or coated.
There’s a lot that can go wrong when you try to paint a roof. Even if you do everything by the book, bad weather and other unpredictable influences can ruin all your hard work along the way.
Roof restoration treatments like Roof Maxx penetrate down into the shingle to make it flexible and durable again. It can also temporarily improve the appearance of older asphalt shingles as well (although this is an added bonus and not the primary purpose of products like these).
Roof Maxx is a USDA Certified BioPreferred® solution that restores flexibility to aging asphalt shingle roofs so they can expand and contract with the weather again. It works by replacing the petrochemical oils they lose over time with oils derived from plants.
Scheduling a treatment can:
The treatment process takes just a couple of hours and comes with an optional roof tune-up, so you’re getting much more out of it than just a fresh coat of paint. Get a free quote now!
If you’re dead-set on painting your roof, you need to make sure you fully understand the process before you start. A failed paint job can be costly and difficult to fix, and in some cases, may even force you into an early roof replacement. That’s why we never recommended it here at Roof Maxx.
First, if your shingles are stained, bare in spots, peeling, curling, or have other storm damage, painting probably isn’t right for you. You’ll need to have a roofer come in to take a look at it and repair issues like these first or they’ll only get worse with time.
You’ll need to apply a special primer like Henry Bakor QuikDry or GAF Matrix 307 first. Wear a respirator at all times, take frequent breaks, and don’t smoke or light an open flame nearby. Products like these contain solvents and other chemicals that can make you seriously sick or even cause a fire.
Never use standard house paint! Products like Behr’s acrylic latex roof paint and Kool-Seal are more expensive, but they’re better at flexing with temperature changes. Even these will typically begin to break down and look bad after a few months, so they just aren’t a very valuable option for asphalt shingle roofs.
Start by prepping the surface carefully with a roof-safe cleaner like Wash Safe™. Your goal is to remove as much dirt, moss, and algae as you can. A deck brush can help you loosen any stubborn patches of moss. Use a regular garden hose to rinse off the surface, not a pressure washer.
Let the roof dry for at least 24, then:
Once the paint is down, give it 24-48 hours to cure. Then, check it carefully to make sure it dried down correctly without any lifting, bubbling or peeling. If you find issues like these, it’s time to call in a pro to figure out the best way to remediate it (which can be expensive).
Painting your roof is a short-term band-aid solution at best that’s costly to remediate if something goes wrong. Roof Maxx’s all-natural roof rejuvenation solution is specifically designed to add life to your asphalt shingles instead of just covering them up.
Avoid taking shortcuts and save up to 80% on the cost of a total roof replacement by getting more from your roof with Roof Maxx. To see how much you stand to save, get a free quote.
With our five-year, transferable warranty, you’ll enjoy the peace of mind that your roof and entire home are protected.
