Can You Paint a Roof?

We see roofing completed in many different colors and there are many homeowners that wonder if their asphalt roofs could be repainted or customized to suit their needs. Repainting a roof is not a recommended course of action and it’s often more recommended to consider the replacement of asphalt roofing tiles if you would like a change. Painting asphalt roofing tiles stand as just a temporary solution and it’s very likely that the paint will wear away after a short period of time. For permanent results it’s always best to go with a new roofing material that has been manufactured in the color that you want. 

Painting Asphalt Roofing Materials

Asphalt can be an inexpensive material that’s extremely durable and long-lasting for roofing. It’s weatherproof and it comes in a wide range of colors that can accent your home. Homeowners can consider painting these shingles by themselves or choosing a professional to paint the area with an acrylic solution. Painting an asphalt roof is often considered to be a short to a medium-term solution. The paint on asphalt roof can last between 3 to 5 years if it is applied professionally. The type of paint that is applied will also need to be resistant to temperature changes and weather events as it can stretch and move based on the climate. 

Painting asphalt shingles can greatly change the color without having to spend a lot of money or preparation. A coat of paint can improve the look of your asphalt shingles but it doesn’t offer any form of new protection. 

The big downside to using painted asphalt shingles is that they will require more maintenance as soon as you apply the paint. Shingles that have been painted will require regular touch-ups to keep them in a good condition and to keep the colors consistent. It takes a decent amount of preparation to regularly paint and retouch a shingle roof and homeowners may need to get back up on the roof every one to two years to perform a quick touchup so the roof doesn’t look like it’s in disrepair. Exterior acrylic paints are some of the most commonly used for painting asphalt shingles but these types of paints are not traditionally very durable. Asphalt roofing shingles can also be very challenging to paint because there are rough surfaces. It’s likely that you’ll need a professional paint sprayer with several coats of paint to get the job done well. Painting your roof at least with the base coat is usually best handled by a professional. 

We can certainly paint an asphalt roof as a means to change and customize the look of a roofing system. There are some downsides to choosing a paint for your roof as painting will require regular touch-ups and it only offers a minimal amount of protection for your asphalt shingles. If you want to customize the look of your shingles and get greater protection from your asphalt shingles, it’s always best to consider a complete replacement with a brand-new roofing system. If you’re interested in changing the look of your home with a roofing system, contact our roofing experts today to determine the best path forward for changing the look of your roof that will fall within your budget. We can give you color options as well as help you decide between installing new roofing components and applying a layer of paint to your roof.