Do you have a flat roof that is in need of a new protective coating? If so, you likely want to know what would need to be done to apply it on your own. Here are a few key things to know about the process.
Pick A Day With Nice Weather
You need to pay attention to the weather on the day you apply the roof coating. The weather should be warm and dry without any rain in the forecast, but not overly sunny either. This is because hot and direct sun can impact how the roof coating cures. You may want to try applying the roof coat in the early morning so that you can avoid that direct sun.
Clean The Roof
You need to thoroughly clean your roof before you can apply the roof coating. This can easily be done with a pressure washer to clean the surface. If you do not have access to a pressure washer, a brush with soap and water can be just as effective, though more labor intensive. Make sure to give the roof plenty of time to dry before you apply the coating.
When cleaning the roof, work from the highest point of the roof and work your way down. Even if it is a flat roof, there is a small amount of incline to pay attention to. This will prevent there from being dirt and debris that sticks to the roof from working in the wrong direction.
Apply The Coating
One thing to keep in mind when applying a metallic roof coating is the direction. These coatings actually have metal fibers inside them that help reflect the heat from the sun. You'll want to apply the coating with paint strokes that go in the same direction, which will help evenly distribute the metal fibers. If you use a roller with back and forth strokes, you could end up bunching the metal fibers in odd directions.
You'll also discover that the metallic roof coating is very thick and difficult to mix up on your own using a wooden stir stick. You'll likely need a drill that has a paint mixing attachment so that you can easily mix up the roof coating material prior to the application. It should be a consistent metallic color when you are done stirring it, which gets all of those fibers evenly distributed in the paint.
Reach out to a local roofer if you prefer to have them apply a protective roof coating. For more information, contact a company like FLAT ROOFING EXPERTS LLC.
