Extopa Roof App Instructions
How to paint roof tiles
Equipment needed:
- Pressure washer
- Extension ladder
- Safety equipment
- Paint spray gun and pump
- Respirator
Materials needed:
- Primer (only use primer with severely delipidated tiles).
- Acrylic water-based roof paint
- Paint brushes
- Drop mats
- PPE
- Painter’s tape
- Roof harness
- Rope
- Plastic sheeting
- Bungee cord
Cleaning and inspecting your roof
Lean a ladder against your home so you can climb up and check for cracked or broken shingles. Check your roofing material for damage, cracks, and lifted tiles and keep note of all the spot’s that need to be replaced. If you’re not comfortable with heights hire a professional to come and have a look at your roof for you. Also make sure when walking on roof not to stand on the bottom three inches of your roof tiles to prevent cracking.
Remove or repair broken roof tiles
Start from the bottom of the roof and slowly work your way to the top removing and replacing broken tiles as you go. Keep replacing and repairing rooftiles until the roof is complete and try to work during a sunny day so you don’t run into complications due to weather. If you’re afraid of heights or your unable to complete the work, contact a roofer to complete this step of the project.
High pressure wash roof tiles
Using a high-pressure washer clean debris, algae, and moss from the roof. Using a power washer with a 25-degree angle wand tip and a hose that is long enough to reach the top of your roof from the ground. Starting from the top of your roof slowly work your way down taking time to remove all algae and debris from the surface with the pressure washer. Hold the nozzle of the washer 30-60cm from the surface of the tiles for the best result. For best results have a helper guide the hose so it doesn’t get caught.
Apply cleaning solution on rooftiles with heavy algae growth
Mix 1 litre of bleach with 4 litres of water and a quarter cup of heavy-duty cleaner. Pour solution into a garden sprayer and apply from the top of your roof to the bottom. Leave for 15 minutes than using your pressure washer spray the roof down from top to bottom.
Let roof dry completely before application
Although metal roofs and roofs that have been washed on a sunny day dry quickly (within an hour or two). You will need to give your rooftiles at least a day to dry fully before applying your first coat of roof tile paint. (Painting while roof is wet may cause mould to form between the roof tiles and paint).
Equip the proper PPE before applying roof paint
Find shoes with nonslip soles to prevent you from falling. If working on a steep roof secure a safety harness bracket to the top of the roof and equip a safety harness using instruction’s given by the harness company. Tip: Make sure the harness doesn’t go slack to prevent the rope touching the paint while its wet.
Final preparations before first coat
Using your plastic sheeting cover vent, sky lights and any other protrusions you don’t want to be painted and use painter’s tape to secure the edges of the plastic sheeting. Also make sure to apply drop mats around the edges of the roof where paint could fall and land.
Apply first coat of rooftile paint (or primer if needed)
Align your ladder to the bottom edge of the roof and start applying your first coat of roof paint from the top left side working your way to the top right side. Repeat this practise moving your way down towards the ladder until you reach the bottom. Once at the bottom of the roof while standing on your ladder paint the final section. Make sure to hold the nozzle 30-60cm away and avoid painting on a windy day to maintain an even coat.
Painting technique
Apply the paint in strips that are a meter wide starting from the top-left side while slightly overlapping where you had just painted to maintain even coverage, then step back and continue the process until you have reached the opposite side of the roof. Once you have reached the other side of the roof return to the original side and continue the process. Tip: Organize a helper to guide the hose leading to the paint sprayer.
Give first coat time to dry
Make sure to give the roof paint at least 2 hours to be touch dry before you can walk on the tiles to apply your second coat. Once dry return to the position you started at when applying the first coat and repeat the process until your roof is painted completely. If you have finished your second coat and you are unhappy with how vibrant the roof is, then apply a third coat.
Touch up
After applying the final coat use a brush to paint the edges and any areas you were unable to paint while spraying, let the edges dry and apply second coat. Make sure to get back onto the roof and check for tight areas or area’s you may have missed and apply two to three coats as necessary.
After the final touch up you are left with a vibrant roof that you can be proud of.
