Profiled metal roofing – scratches

Causes

Careless walking on the roof

Overhanging branches

Listed under: metal, Roof, cladding, roof cladding, profiled metal

Cause

Careless walking on the roof

Repair

  • if the scratches are relatively minor, some manufacturers of factory-coated roofing suggest that they be left alone and do not recommend touch-up paint. As one major manufacturer puts it, minor scratches left untreated “become less noticeable as the coating weathers and do not affect the corrosion inhibiting properties of the material. This manufacturer defines minor scratches as scratches that do not extend to the metallic coating, are less than 3 mm wide and are not visually noticeable from a distance of 3 metres
  • localised painting over scratches is not recommended because over time, air-dried paint repairs often age faster and differently from the roofing itself and become more visible. Roofing manufacturers say that the colour-match paint that is available to match roofing colours is designed for use on accessories to the pre-painted material and not for repairing marks or blemishes on the roofing itself
  • if the scratches are extensive and severe and were made during the roofing installation itself, or by other tradespeople working on the roof, contact them about the problem.
  • roofing manufacturers recommend that widespread or severe damage be fixed with replacement of entire roofing sheets. This is particularly important in coastal areas with a greater corrosion risk from salt spray
  • if the damage was caused by house occupants, try to avoid foot traffic on the roof in future. Work out why there has been foot traffic in the past. If people have walked on the roof to trim trees, for example, the tree branches could be cut back so roof access is no longer required
  • if foot traffic on the roof is unavoidable, limit access to supported parts of the roof where damage is less likely to occur (areas supported by framing under the metal) and wear footwear with clean, soft soles
  • while sunscreen gives important protection while working on a roof, do not use sunscreen containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. These substances can cause irreparable damage to some factory finished roofing surfaces
  • always tell someone else when you plan to work on a roof and take the appropriate safety precautions. You can find details here

Back to top

Cause

Overhanging branches

Repair

  • remove the overhanging branches
  • for roof repair, follow the advice in the first repair above

Back to top