What decides a Canberra roof paint job
A long frost season
The yearly average at Canberra Airport is about 95 frosts. In 2006 there were 117, the first on 12 April and the last on 17 November. Fresh coatings don't like a cold, damp roof overnight, so late spring and early autumn are the safer bet.
Dry air, stormy afternoons
Afternoon humidity drops to an average of 37% in December and January, which helps paint dry. But thunderstorms are most common from October to April, so a good painter watches the forecast and starts early in the day.
Heritage colours in the inner suburbs
In the Braddon garden city precinct, applied finishes on a tiled roof must keep the original roof colour. Reid, Forrest, Barton, Kingston/Griffith and four other precincts are also on the ACT Heritage Register, so check the rules before choosing a new colour.
Lots of roofs from the same decades
Belconnen dates from 1966, Weston Creek from 1969 and Tuggeranong from 1974, so many roofs there have had decades of sun. Dulux lists colour fading among the signs a tiled roof may need restoring, though faded paint alone doesn't mean the roof is failing.
Is painting worth it on your roof?
| Roof | What the makers say | Our view | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete tiles | Monier says the colour coating is decorative only; repainting refreshes the look but needs redoing every five years or so and doesn't improve waterproofing | Worth it for looks, after any repairs are done | |
| Terracotta tiles | Monier says the colour is fired in and doesn't need respraying, and once painted terracotta needs ongoing recoating | Usually leave it and clean instead | |
| Colorbond or Zincalume | BlueScope says overpainting voids its warranty and air-dried paint weathers differently from the factory finish | Only once the original finish is well worn |
What a proper job includes
Repairs first: cracked tiles replaced and loose ridge caps rebedded, because Monier says respraying is cosmetic and won't fix a roof. Then a careful clean, a primer or sealer, and two coats of a roof membrane. Dulux says some fading is normal as coatings weather, partly from UV breaking down the binder, and its warranties depend on professional application and ongoing maintenance.
Colour affects how hot the roof runs in summer, and a heritage precinct may limit your choice. See heat-reflective roof coatings if summer heat is the main reason you're painting.
If the roof might be asbestos cement
WorkSafe ACT treats sealing or painting bonded asbestos as minor routine maintenance, but never with high pressure water or air beforehand, which isn't minor work and is illegal in every state. Homes built before 1990 may have asbestos roofing. Have it tested first, and read painting an asbestos roof before anyone quotes.
Questions for a Canberra roof painter
- When would you schedule it, and what happens if frost or a storm comes in mid-job?
- What repairs are included before painting starts?
- Which coating system is it, how many coats, and whose warranty applies?
- What's my roof made of, and if it's old sheeting, will you test for asbestos before any cleaning?
- Is my street in a heritage precinct, and does the colour match the original?
Our take
On faded concrete tiles, we'd paint, but only after repairs and only in a settled spell between the last frost and the worst of the storms, or in early autumn. On terracotta or factory Colorbond in decent shape, we'd save the money. The national roof painting page covers the process, and our Canberra page has the wider local picture.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.