What Perth's weather means for a paint job
Work around Makuru
June and July are the coldest, wettest part of Perth's year, and August isn't far behind. Coatings need dry days to go on and cure, so booking outside those months makes delays less likely.
Summer storms are short
Perth's summer rain mostly comes as short-lived thunderstorms and cold fronts. Ask the painter what they do when one is forecast halfway through the job.
Colour against the heat
Perth's record is 46.2 °C, and Perth Airport reached 46.7 °C the same February day in 1991. A lighter colour reflects more of that sun, which is why heat-reflective coatings are worth asking about here.
Salt near the water
When coated steel is overpainted, BlueScope recommends water-based acrylic, with a more corrosion-resistant system such as a zinc-rich primer in salt marine areas. If you're near the ocean or the Swan estuary, ask what primer the painter is using.
Should you paint it at all?
Often not. Building and Energy and Consumer Protection say it's not generally true that tiled roofs need painting or coating, unless you want to change the look or colour. If you do, Building and Energy says roof coating over $1,000 in Perth needs a registered painting contractor.
Concrete tiles are the usual candidates. Monier, which makes them, says repainting refreshes the look but has to be redone every five years or so, and that respraying is cosmetic only. If the ridge or tiles need work, that comes first.
Terracotta doesn't need it. Monier says the colour is baked in, and once unglazed terracotta is painted it needs ongoing recoating. Perth's Federation bungalows were roofed in terracotta, so you'll find it on many older homes.
Colorbond and Zincalume can be repainted, but BlueScope says overpainting voids its warranties, and air-dried paint weathers differently from the factory finish. On a newer roof, that's a real cost to weigh.
Asbestos roofs and paint
The City of Cockburn notes asbestos-cement shingles on Inter-War and post-war Perth homes. ASSEA says it's illegal in every state to pressure clean asbestos, so the usual prep for a paint job is off the table. Read can you paint an asbestos roof? before anyone quotes.
Before you choose a colour and a painter
- What's your painter registration number, so I can check it?
- Which coating system is it, by brand and product name, and how many coats?
- What warranty comes with it, and what does it depend on?
- Is the prep included: cleaning, tile repairs, rust treatment, ridge work?
- If I collect rainwater, is this coating suitable for that?
The call we'd make
We'd only paint concrete tiles or a well-worn metal roof, and we'd pick the lightest colour we could live with, because Perth summers are long. Book it for spring or early autumn, get the ridge and broken tiles sorted first, and ask for the coating's product name and warranty terms in writing.
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.
If you'd like a quote, send us your postcode and what the roof's made of. We'll pass it to one licence-checked local roofer where we have one for your area, and tell you straight away if we don't. More on the job itself is on the roof painting page, and Perth covers the rest.