As a metal roofing manufacturer, one of the most common questions we get asked is, “Will the paint on my new roof fade or change colors?”. While the answer to this question isn’t black and white (pun intended), several factors affect a homeowner’s overall satisfaction with their metal roof purchase.
Factor 1: Pricing
What are you willing to pay? The old mantra, You Get What You Pay For, holds true when it comes to painted metal panels.
PVDF vs. SMP
If you are looking for a premium paint system, we always recommend a PVDF, Polyvinylidene Fluoride, or Polyvinylidene Difluoride, paint option. This specialty finish has the highest resistance to solvents, acids, and hydrocarbons, minimizing paint fade over time. Our high-end projects almost exclusively use a PVDF paint finish, with a price tag to match the effectiveness of the product.
If a PVDF finish is not feasible, a very close second in terms of quality is the SMP, Silicone-Modified Polyester, paint finish. This system is by far the most popular residential and light commercial coating choice because of the great value it brings to any project. With a much more attractive price point and a similar aging pattern, homeowners are delighted with the longevity of this paint finish and the overall cost of the product.
Best Buy Metals never recommends foreign coated or secondary (non-warrantied) paint systems for exterior applications. All of our painted coils are coated right here in the USA. We love the beauty and longevity of our materials and would never recommend anything that would compromise the perceived value of quality metal roofing products. If you choose to go with a foreign or “Rainbow” paint system, you can anticipate premature color fading. The promoted 40-year warranty on your materials might expire before you successfully negotiate a paint warranty with someone in Australia or China. – Your paint coat matters
A quality paint system should not fade more than seven Delta Units (∆E) over the initial 30 years of the product’s life.
Factor 2: Energy Efficiency
Another factor to consider when determining the best paint for your metal roofing project is Energy Efficiency. All of Best Buy Metals’ SMP paint finishes are Energy Star rated and contribute to reduced energy cost and overall utility savings. While the lighter colors like Pure White and Ivory reflect more radiant heat from the sun, even our darkest colors can be 25% more energy-efficient than a traditional asphalt shingle roof. Each year we experience more considerable popularity among our darker colors like Charcoal, Bronze, and even Black.
A poor paint finish that begins to fade prematurely will lose much of the reflective qualities of a preferred paint system early in the roof’s life, creating a roof that not only looks bad but also reflects less of the radiant heat from the sun. – Your paint coat matters
Factor 3: Personal Preference
What’s better than being able to create a custom look for your home that will have all of your neighbors talking? Whether you choose a PVDF or SMP paint system, you can now customize the look of your roof. If you want a two-tone mirage finish, you can have it. If you want a roof that looks like rusted steel, you can have it. Even a roof with a textured High Definition finish, you can have it.
In this day and age, you are not limited to the cookie-cutter options of the past. Tell us what you want your roof to look like, and we’ll help you discover how to make your vision a reality. – Your paint coat matters (to us too!)
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