Chaulky metal roof

[Oldtractorfixer]

I have a 25yr old standing seam roof that has probably never even been pressure washed. It is very dull and chalky looking. Any suggestions on making it look better. I am thinking pressure wash and maybe use car washing soap. I really don't want to rub it out and wax it like a car. I'm too old for that.

 

[sam5570]

Oldtractorfixer if you preasure wash your roof you want to get all of the oxidized paint off i used a cleaner in my business that really worked well it is a high alkaline cleaner named sc672 ther is probably something out there now thats better but not heard of anything this stuff did a good job no scrubing just take pump sprayer mix one half pint to gallon of water it will leave your roof looking flat like primer paint you probably going to end up painting your roof got to do mine this spring to get the shine back let me know if you can't find the cleaner

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

I was really hoping I wouldn't have to repaint it.

 

[sam5570]

I was really hoping I wouldn't have to repaint it.

just depends on if you want it to shine or not it will hold up or in our part of the country they will last alot of years after the shine is gone ours is brown our siding on the house is a light cream color the oxidation from the roof and guttering is bleeding down and wife wants it fixed so it will get fixed but i don't think your in a situation where you got to do something i know just looks bad right

 

[kw22614]

If you want to pressure wash it, use LOW pressure. 25 yr old standing seams usually get very weak near the bends(seams). Best to find some help and use stiff brush on broom handle with TSP (trisodium phosphate), you can find at any hardware store. Then rinse well 2 or 3 times with just the hose, NOT high pressure. Let dry then you should recoat the roof with a fibered aluminizer coating, specifically for metal roofs, with paint roller.
This is a very affordable 'old school' technique, but because the fibered aluminizer is so thick it will add strength and many more leak free years to the seams. Make sure the roof is DRY!

I'm speaking of true standing seam where the 2 sheets are turned over together and the seam is no more than about 1/4" - 3/8" wide.
If you have a batten roof where the standing seams are 1" - 2' wide or more, a separete cap(batten) sits on the two sheets, then this would not be the technique to use. Post a pic and I may be able to give you more info. What material is it made of? What manufacturer? More info would be helpful.

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

This is 3 ft wide 26ga steel. Just like a pole barn. Medium blue when new. Now baby blue. It is galvy under the paint. I'm sure it will last a lot longer before it leaks. I would just like it to look a little better.

 

[kw22614]

Sounds like a batten roof. Your's the paint is what faded. You can use regular mop and a good medium duty cleaner to get the 'crud' off. To bring back the sheen, you'll have to repaint. The joys of the 'honey-do' list. Have fun!

 

[Deere Dude]

I have a 14' sidewall by 36'x54' white pole shed 12 years old. The roof was chalking and tree stuff was sticking to it. It is very slippery when walking on it. The dealer had to change a panel last spring and he came out with a scissors lift but it was only one panel so he just used a ladder with damp shoes from the snow. He made it about 4' and slid back to and got tangled in the ladder and I ran and caught the ladder he was tangled in and after he untangled himself he went and got his lift and had a safety rope over the top to finish the job. It was slipeeeery.

Late this summer I decided to try to wash the chalky stuff off and revitalize the roof. I used some bleach based stuff in quart containers that hooks to the end of a garden hose. I started in one section where I have another roof abutting it and was able to spray this stuff and use a medium to fine bristle 24" push broom on the end of a swimming pool cleaning pole. Spray and scrub. It worked pretty well to get the chalk and the dirt off. I cleaned a section and then I could stand on that and get the next section while standing somewhat safety on the clean section. I went through one side of the roof in an hour or two.

Then, while walking to the other end of the roof I stepped over the peak so I wouldn't get the roof dirty from my wet shoes. I started walking confidently along the side of the peak then down I went on this dry roof that had a little over-spray on. I slid from 2 foot below the peak to 4 foot from the eve end before I skidded to a stop. It took about two minutes to inch back to the top again because of the slippery chalk. All the way down it was a slow (10 seconds) but couldn't stop and I was trying to remember how to do a PLF all the way down.

My wife was out for a walk and she came to swing on our big two man swing so I took a break and she asked how all those marks on my side and leg got there. Of course I didn't tell her because I had to go back up there.

Then I remembered my big fifth wheel camper with a 13' + foot roof, so I stood on that roof to finish that side, which worked fairly good. Other posters mentioned some stuff that would probably work better for a liquid. I used mine because because it was free, bu it worked.

 

[kw22614]

Ah the fun of being spiderman. I was a commercial & industrial union roofer for near 20yrs. Been away from that for near 20 now (try to stay off roofs now), but I've taken some good spills and close calls. The worst was from a 12 floor flat roof with a 2 ft parapet.
New helper was blowing off the concrete deck with a 6ft wand connected to about 100ft of 3/4" air hose from compressor, he put the wand down to scrape up something but didn't turn the valve off. That wand and hose started dancing around the deck like a wild snake. Caught my foot in one of the loops and over the edge I went. Fell near 4 floors before it caught where we tied the hose off. No real damage to me really sprained hips and ankle- and being soaking wet . After a couple weeks of drinking tequila to try and get over it I was fine. Believe it or not the worst part was all that tequila - never touched a drop since!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Old thread drudged up...

I was looking into metal roofing and comparing the shiny galvalume to the painted. The galvalume has a 20 year warranty and the guy said it would tend to lightly rust in it's latter years and that is not a warrantable claim. The painted is done with Kynar paint and adds about $500-$600 in cost over the galvalume for the average job. It has a 25 or 30 year warranty and I'm certain that this stuff fades or turns chalky too.

He said the cost for the materials for galvalume (sheets, trim, ridge, etc...) would run roughly $1.50 per foot and that labor would also be about $1.50/foot. OUCH.