Give your old iron sheets a new look

Every home must be given a facelift; ever so often, to keep it in good and habitable shape.

For instance, over time, some homeowners may feel the need, to not only repaint their walls, but their house roof as well.

Patrick Musisi, a roofing expert explains that there is a difference between wall paint and roof paint. The latter is sprayed on metals (iron sheets) while the former is applied on the structural parts of the house.

One of the characteristics of roof paint, Musisi says, is its elasticity. This means that it can withstand the effects of the sun. “And it has a long-life expectancy. Roof paint is also resilient, with a top most layer which protects the roof membrane,” Musisi adds.

According to him, roof paints are specially formulated with highly reflective pigments and additives, for ensuring that the heat from the sun is limited, while wall or exterior paint's durability is low with no water-proofing mechanism.

Roof paint colours

“When you apply wall paint on the iron sheets, you will see cracks within one year,” he notes. In case the iron sheets are leaking, do not paint them, it is better for the homeowner to buy new ones.

There is a variety of roofing paint on the Ugandan market. To get quality roof paint, it is advisable for homeowners to be accompanied by professional roofers to the hardware shop. Also, the roofer must carry out a thorough analysis on the type of roof they hope to paint.

If it is a metal roof as opposed to concrete tiles, the roof paint would have to be different. “For instance, metal roofs might need anti-corrosion metal primer, while one might need NuPrimer and Maxi Point for tile roofs.

The metal primer has a seal which protects metal roofs against corrosion,” Musisi explains. Another roof paint colour is ZC Yellow primer. Musisi says the paint colour gives the iron sheets a new lease of life and protects them from rusting.

Safety

Roofing paint must be mixed in an open space or in a well-ventilated room with appropriate safety gear. “These products contain powerful chemicals that can be hazardous to the user's nose, mouth, throat, lungs, and eyes.

The paint is also harmful to human skin,” Musisi says. In case the house has a water tank, the roofer must remove the gutters or pipes before painting.

“If the gutters or water pipes are not removed, the paint might flow from the iron sheet into the pipes. When it rains, the rainwater will be contaminated with the paint and flow into the water tank. Such water is dangerous for human use,” Vincent Matovu, a dealer in roof paint in Kiwatule says.

After painting the roof, the gutters and water pipes are re-installed. But the homeowners must be ready to meet all these costs because it involves hiring different labour forces.

Costs

The cost of painting a roof depends on many things, including the architectural design of the house and its size. “A four-room house might require about three tins of primer, two standard thinner tins and two ZC Yellow primer tins, costing about sh1m.

Labour is negotiable with the roofer, but if the house has complicated roof designs, the roofer will charge you over sh1m,” Musisi notes.