Everybody gets that pole buildings and their roofs are kind of good for a few decades or so. I have a ~ 25 year old pole building that I went up top with a bag of new longer screws to seal what have come loose etc. and might leak. This seems to happen more on the wind prevailing side. No problem there, but the other 95% of the screws being old have rusty washers, cracking rubber seals and a ring of rust immediately around the screw on the sheet. I'm sure not painting the whole roof, but am thinking it could be good to dab, spray something that will keep the rust at bay and seal the screws. Rustoleum? Any gooder ideas that someone has had luck with would be appreciated. No one on earth will ever see this from the ground.
Metal roof spot seals
- Thread starter tomplum
- Start date
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jyoutz
Super Member
You could coat the whole roof with aluminum roofing paint. Or get a large bucket of new rubber washer screws and replace them one by one. Clear silicone will also seal the screw heads and last for many years but it would be laborious to dab each screw.
rontaki
Gold Member
Consider using spray zinc coating on the screws. Made by several manufacturers.
Spike56
Platinum Member
Good Question. I am looking to do this also. On a small portable shed, I purchased a tube of sealant that claimed was good for exposed metal. That seemed to work on a couple of leaky screws. However, I would NOT use the same product on my pole barn / shop metal roof ! The reason being, once up there I would want to seal ALL of the screw heads - why not. But the products for caulk guns are a real pain to get all the way around each screw head - that is to cover each screw all the way around without any gaps. This would take way to long to apply / smear.
Haven't found a LONG lasting / easy to apply product .... yet.
nikdfish
Platinum Member
If you have access to a 3d printer (or someone who does) it would be a pretty simple task to produce a fitting for the tube spout that has a belled end to encompass a screw head/washer down to the tin. One squirt to cover the whole thing with minimal (?) waste.
Spike56
Platinum Member
Wow. Well I must say that I do not have any access to or know of anyone having a 3d printer. Perhaps a good idea to find a product with or and different tube spout ? But, all the caulk tube products I am familiar with are too stiff to believe you could just squirt on and be certain it completely covered the screw head / washer. But, maybe there is something out there that will spread out evenly ? I did see a brass fitting advertised, and claimed to work on caulk tubes. But, still a little skeptical and $$. It showed the product coming out in a circle to cover the screw head, but if the product just blobs on, I am skeptical that it would seal completely.
If I thought that "Flex Seal" (think it's called) spray would last....... ?
Hughman
Platinum Member
Henry roof seal applied with a chip brush around the screw heads.
jyoutz
Super Member
I have done what you are doing with clear silicone caulking whe I had individual leakers. But for the whole roof, I would just paint it with the aluminum roof coating and be done with it for another 10 years. It will also make your galvanized roof panels look like new. Use a roller with a thick nap to coat the ridges and valleys and all the screws.
ponytug
Super Member
X2 on the Henry materials. On our older roofs, I have found a number of places where the original hole got munged up during installation, causing a slow leak and rot, so even 4" screws are borderline. Henry's is the only thing that lasts.
I wouldn't dawdle on retightening all of your screw and then coating them with a thick layer of Henry's. Not only does it stop leaks, but it keeps the old screws and nails from working out as readily.
I highly recommend the silicone version;
Henry 885 Tropi-Cool Wet Patch White 100% Silicone Roof Leak Repair Sealant 0.90 gal. HE885142 - The Home Depot
Exceptionally versatile, this Henry Tropi-Cool Silicone Seam and Repair Roof Sealant offer excellent UV resistance and weathering characteristics.
www.homedepot.com
All the best,
Peter
Snobdds
Elite Member
I don't like liquid sealants for screw roof repairs. I use butyl tape. Just take the screw out, put a little piece of the butyl on the hole, and rescrew. Just snug it so it starts to bulge out.
If you want to prevent the screw from ever coming out, put some spray foam on the under side of the roof where the screw protrudes. I have a cabin that had a few screws come out, but once I spray foamed the roof, never had the problem. So now on buildings with no spray foam, I just buy a can and spray all the screws on the underside of the roof and it prevents the screws from backing out.
If you want to prevent the screw from ever coming out, put some spray foam on the under side of the roof where the screw protrudes. I have a cabin that had a few screws come out, but once I spray foamed the roof, never had the problem. So now on buildings with no spray foam, I just buy a can and spray all the screws on the underside of the roof and it prevents the screws from backing out.