If you're a fan of historic homes and aged facades, you might prefer the look of rusted metal to a freshly coated finish. However, rust on a metal roof leads to leaks and compromised building envelopes, even if you're planning for it to happen. Choosing metal coated and painted to look like it's rusty is a much better choice for these four reasons.
Weakness of the Metal
Rust is a corrosive process that causes pieces of the metal to flake away and turn into dust. Each tiny flake of material lost leads to a thinner and therefore weaker roof panel. Eventually, rust spots break through the sheet of metal roofing material and cause holes that are hard to patch. Rusted metal doesn't cut or bend like properly coated steel does, resulting in unexpected roof damage after high winds or summer storms.
Uneven Spread of Rust
Most homeowners who appreciate the visual appeal of a rusty roof want even coverage that looks realistic, as if the roof has been in place for a hundred years or more. However, trying to get metal to rust on purpose is a lot harder than you think. Rust tends to start at edges, corners, and low lying spots and spreads very slowly. Attempts to foster rust on purpose will likely cause at least some of the areas to corrode faster than others. By the time you get even coverage across all of the metal, some panels will likely feature holes and very thin areas.
Cracks in Response to Movement
Not only will the corrosive effect of rust leave the roof panels pitted and likely leaking, the metal also becomes more brittle as it becomes covered with a layer of rust. When the metal contracts and expands due to heating and cooling cycles or flexes in the wind, cracks can form. These cracks can leak as badly as any holes and are often harder to fix and seal. Coated or painted metal with a rusted appearance remains flexible and doesn't crack under normal use.
Issues with Colorful Runoff
Finally, exposed rust roofing releases runoff from the surface during every rainstorm. This can stain your patios, porches, siding, and surrounding areas orange or red. The stain can be difficult or even impossible to remove, and even relatively small patches of rust will discolor roof runoff. Since painted rust-style roofing is sealed, there's no chance of any runoff or staining.
Reach out to a roofing services for more information about getting the look you want.
Share11 October 2019
When it came time to install a new roof on my home, I had no idea where to start. In fact, I was exploring roofing options that were a really poor fit in my climate. It wasn't until I reached out to a local roofer that I got some lessons on how to choose the right roofing material for my home and the weather exposure it is subjected to. I built this site to share my journey, including the mistakes I made and the things that I learned along the way. If you are considering replacing your home's roof, I hope that the information here can help to guide you through the process.
