The Importance Of Surface Preparation

One theme that runs across all coating project types and substrates is the importance of surface preparation. While you would use the same techniques to prepare your metal roofs for coating as you would prepare for your fiberglass or asphalt roof system, there are some things you'll want to keep in mind to help avoid problems down the road.

One of the first things you'll want to take into consideration is the roof surface. When coating your fiberglass/asphalt roof system, you'll want to start with a clean surface. Fiberglass/asphalt sheets are prepared as described in the preparation section (see note 1) and the substrate is prepared and primed and coated using the same techniques as the fiberglass/asphalt roof system.

When preparing your metal roof system, you'll want to make sure that the roof surface is clean and free of any dirt, grease, oil or other contaminants that may affect the adhesion of the coating of roof coating to roof surface.

One very important aspect of preparing your coating is the temperature. As you would prepare a fiberglass or asphalt roof system, the substrate is typically prepared in a cold temperature while the metal roof deck is typically prepared in a warm temperature. This can affect the surface preparation of your coating.

As you prepare your substrate for surface preparation, you'll want to ensure its temperature is similar to that of the surface of your coating. This will help to eliminate the chance for the components of the substrate to become contaminated with the warm temperature of your preparation and preparation.

Another thing to keep in mind is the amount of coating required per square foot. You'll want to prepare your coating by using between 1 and 2 ounces per square foot depending on the surface area of your coating that you plan to cover, with the amount of substrate required per square foot, you'll need to make sure you have enough coating to cover approximately 1000 square feet.

As you prepare your metal roof installation, you'll want to keep in mind the safety aspects. When preparing your fiberglass/asphalt roof system using the techniques described above, you have the option to use the self-cooling type of cooling fans to prevent the possibility of melting of the roof coatings and consequently your roof system. If you elect to use this method, then you'll want to make sure you have adequate ventilation to prevent a fire hazard. By using the self-cooling fans, you can avoid using roof fans and reduce the likelihood of melting from the roof coating.

As you prepare your metal roof, you'll want to be sure the preparation method does not affect the aesthetics of your roof coating. It's important to know the appearance of your preparation to get the best appearance from your coating. A good way to get the appearance of a prepared roof is to have your coating mixed with a high-quality coating sprayer. Spray the coating to avoid the appearance of a prepared roof.

* Before using the roof fans, make sure they're properly attached. If you do not attach the fans to a good roof area with adequate support, you'll want to remove and fix in a proper manner. The proper attachment will avoid the possibility of wind and rain damaging your coating and therefore your roof fans.
* Make sure you clean your roof fans regularly. You will ensure that a properly attached roof fan is a fan that has been cleaned after use. The coating has to be clean so you can assure that it's a well-mixed coating. Proper cleaning will ensure a properly prepared coating. The recommended cleaning procedure is to do a hose down of the roof with water and detergent to make sure there's no dirt that can cause damage to a prepared coating.
* Ensure you clean your roof fans between uses. In addition to the preparation process described above, ensure you clean your roof fans with detergent after each use to remove any debris that may be on the coating.