METAL RESTORATION

Strickland Manufacturing

Base coat and top coat metal roof restoration

Project Overview

Strickland Manufacturing is located at 1070 Merchants Lane in Oilville, in Goochland County west of Richmond. The building has about 10,000 square feet of metal roof, including lower roof sections along the main building wall where mechanical units sit.

The roof had already been coated once, but problems from that first coating job had to be fixed before the roof could be restored properly. The owner needed those issues corrected and a full new coating system applied.

Job Photos

Rusted flashing and debris along the roof-to-wall transition before cleanup (Strickland Manufacturing, Oilville, VA) — Rusted flashing and debris along the roof-to-wall transition before cleanup

Tan earlier coating on the metal roof with light blue spot treatment visible (Strickland Manufacturing, Oilville, VA) — Tan earlier coating on the metal roof with light blue spot treatment visible

Gray base coat over the metal panels and around a pipe at the wall (Strickland Manufacturing, Oilville, VA) — Gray base coat over the metal panels and around a pipe at the wall

Restored white metal roof section beside the main building wall (Strickland Manufacturing, Oilville, VA) — Restored white metal roof section beside the main building wall

Finished white top coat along the wall and around the mechanical units (Strickland Manufacturing, Oilville, VA) — Finished white top coat along the wall and around the mechanical units

Aerial view of the Strickland Manufacturing building with the coated roof sections (Strickland Manufacturing, Oilville, VA) — Aerial view of the Strickland Manufacturing building with the coated roof sections

The Challenge

A coating is only as good as the prep and details under it. On this roof, issues from the original coating job had been left in place, and rust had developed in areas of the metal. The worst spot was along the wall, where flashing had rusted out underneath. Our before photos show corroded metal and debris along that roof-to-wall transition.

Rust under a coating keeps spreading if it is not treated, and a rusted flashing at a wall can let water in no matter how good the coating on the field of the roof looks.

Our Solution

We fixed the issues left from the initial coating job, treated the rusted areas, removed the flashing that had rusted underneath and cleaned that area out completely, and then applied a full base coat and top coat across the roof.

1We corrected the problems left over from the earlier coating job.
2We treated the rusted areas of the metal roof.
3We removed the rusted flashing along the wall and cleaned that area out completely.
4We applied a full base coat across the roof.
5We applied the white top coat over the base coat.

Why This Approach

Recoating made sense because the metal panels were still serviceable. The problems were in the prep and the details, not the structure. Removing a rusted flashing and cleaning the area out, instead of coating over it, gets rid of the corrosion that would otherwise keep working under the new coating. A two-coat system, with a base coat followed by a top coat, builds enough thickness to protect the metal and gives a uniform white surface that reflects sunlight.

Results

Problems from the original coating job corrected
Rust treated across the roof
Rusted flashing removed and the area cleaned out completely
Full base coat and top coat over about 10,000 square feet of metal roof

Common Questions

What happens if a metal roof coating is applied over rust?

If rust is not cleaned and treated first, it can keep spreading under the coating, and the coating will eventually lose adhesion and peel in those areas. Proper prep includes removing loose rust, treating the metal, and replacing any parts that have rusted through.

Can a bad roof coating job be fixed?

Usually. Failed areas are cleaned up or removed, the underlying problems like rust or open seams are repaired, and a new coating system is applied over a properly prepared surface. The key is fixing the cause, not just coating over the symptoms.