Roof Restoration vs Roof Sealing vs Roof painting explained

best roof restoration tiles

If you are in the market for some roof work and have started to do some initial research then chances are you have come across several different commonly used terms, these being Roof Restoration, Roof Sealing and Roof painting. You may be asking yourself “ is there a difference between roof restoration and roof sealing? ” or “ Is roof painting the same thing as roof restoration or something different? ” In this article we explain the commonly used terms and seek to resolve any confusion you may have on the issue.

The roofing industry is unfortunately rife with high pressure sales people and companies that really just want to make a sale whether or not the nature and type of work being sold represent good value for their potential client. Some roofing companies really try to baffle their clients by mixing terminologies and dramatising the type of work that is required and the potential ramifications to their roof if they don’t go ahead. In our many years of experience with undertaking roof restorations in Adelaide one of the most common questions we get asked is “ is a Roof restoration the same as roof sealing? ” or “ will the roof be sealed during the painting process? ” The answer to both these questions is yes. There are some companies advising their clients that their product “seals” the roof whereas a conventional roof restoration or roof painting will not. This unfortunately is not correct and just a good example of roofing sales people mixing terminologies in order to confuse a client and make a sale. Both roof restoration and roof painting, when applied properly and correctly will indeed “seal” the roof surface and ensure that no porous areas still exist.

top quality roof restoration

Top quality roof restoration and roof sealing

It pays to get a roof restoration company with a proven history of top quality roof restorations to do you job. The best way to assess this for yourself is really to check their number and quality of Google reviews and to look for a portfolio of finished jobs on their website. They should also be happy to give you addresses of past jobs to drive by, both jobs completed recently, and jobs completed years ago, so that you can see how their work has lasted.

Hi pressure cleaning the roof surface

Hi-pressure cleaning the roof surface with 4000psi. Note the cleaned area as been brought back to roar concrete surface

Roof Restoration Primer

Possibly the most important part of the roof restoration and roof sealing process is the primer. This is really the make or break when it comes to the longevity of your roof restoration. This process can’t be rushed. At Oz-Roof we meticulously pressure clean the roof with our 4000psi pressure cleaners. In some cases where the roof is particularly grimy or had a previous roof coating in the past, we will actually clean the roof twice. Once we are satisfied that the roof surface is perfectly clean and as close to roar concrete as possible the next step is to apply the primer. For nearly all our roof restorations we choose to pay a little more and use the Dulux Acratex Hi-Build primer.

The Hi-Build Primer is the best that Dulux sells and really delivers a top quality roof restoration. The primer product is a creamy white in colour and is excellent at building up the tile surface and blocking all the pores of the concrete tile surface. Following this process the roof is “sealed” and no longer porous. The Hi-Build primer also does wonders for the finished colour surface as it ensures the following 2 colour coats really bond to the primer coating to deliver a rich finished colour rather than being absorbed into the porous concrete tile surface.

roof painting primer coat oz-roof

Hi-Build Dulux Acratex primer being applied. Note the white colour of the Hi-Build primer.

Roof restoration Flaking or Peeling

When a roof restoration flakes or peels several years after being completed it is usually due to the primer coat failing. The cause of this can be several things. Firstly, if the tile surface has not been meticulously cleaned as we describe in the previous paragraph the primer product may not penetrate the tile surface adequately to bond. Another common cause of flaking or peeling is that some companies mix water in with their primer product in order to save a few dollars. This ultimately thins out the product and it again fails to adequately bond to the tile surface. Also, the quality of the product being used makes a huge difference. At Oz-Roof we exclusively use the Dulux Acratex Roof membranes for all our Roof painting and roof restorations in Adelaide. While the Dulux products are not the cheapest, they are certainly the best. The warranty conditions and after sales support from the team at Dulux are always exceptional.

example of failed roof coating
roof coating image damage

An example of failed roof coating, probably due to poor priming or water mixed with the product. Not the Work of Oz-Roof, but we fixed it for the client

Roof Restoration Warranty

Oz-Roof is a certified applicator of Dulux Acratex roof membranes. This means that when you choose Oz-Roof for your roof restoration or roof painting our finished work will be warranted by both Dulux and Oz-Roof for a period of 15 years. This means that you are completely covered for any signs of flake or peel of the new roof coating for the duration of the warranty.

dulux 15yr warranty logo

Roof restoration Inspection and Advice

If you suspect your roof is in need of Roof restoration, roof painting, or Roof seal in Adelaide then get in touch with us today. We offer free quotations and can give you free advice and rough estimates of cost for your job over the phone.

In Adelaide, you can rely on OZ-Roof, your local roofing company.

– The Oz-Roof Team

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