What matters for paint on the Sunshine Coast
No real dry season
Sunshine Coast Airport records rain on about 106.5 days a year, and even September, the driest month, averages 52.3 mm. Coatings need dry days before and after each coat, so late winter and early spring give the best odds.
Hot summer roofs
January's average maximum at the airport is 29.1 °C, and the record is 41.3 °C. BlueScope's figures show a light roof surface can run up to 35 °C cooler than a dark one in hot sun, which is worth weighing when you pick the colour.
Fibro and older roofs
The coast's first holiday shacks, from 1914 to 1946, often used fibro cement. For asbestos cement roofs, Queensland's asbestos website recommends a fungicide and sealant rather than cleaning, and it's illegal to water-blast them before painting.
Hail damage comes first
The 2019 hail damaged roofs and solar panels in parts of the coast. Paint over a cracked tile or a split sheet just hides the problem, so get the repairs done before anyone picks up a sprayer.
Tiles, terracotta and steel
Concrete tiles are the usual candidate. Their colour coat fades, and Monier says it's decorative, so repainting is about looks and needs redoing every five years or so. Terracotta keeps its fired colour and doesn't need it.
On metal, BlueScope says overpainting COLORBOND or ZINCALUME voids its warranty, and that water-based acrylic is generally the most suitable paint after a wash with detergent and water. Not all roof paints suit drinking water tanks, so check with the supplier if you collect rainwater. Our national roof painting page has more.
Licences, warranties and comebacks
QBCC roofing licences cover maintaining roofs but leave painting out, so ask the contractor what licence they hold for the coating work. Dulux says its Acratex warranties depend on correct application by a professional applicator, the number of coats and ongoing maintenance, so get the system and the number of coats in writing.
If paint fails early, put the problem to the contractor in writing first. The QBCC can help with defective work, but it can't order refunds or payments.
What to ask a Sunshine Coast roof painter
- Which coating system and colour, and how hot does that colour run?
- How many dry days do you need, and what happens if rain comes in?
- Will you repair hail damage before painting?
- Is my roof asbestos, and if so, how will you prepare it?
- Is the paint safe for a drinking water tank?
- Whose warranty applies, and what would void it?
Our view
We'd only paint once repairs are done, and we'd book for late winter or early spring to give the coating its best chance. We'd go light for the heat, skip painting terracotta and newer COLORBOND, and get any pre-1990 roof tested before a cleaner arrives. The Sunshine Coast hub covers the rest of the 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.