As a Scranton commercial metal roof coating contractor, we treat rust, reseal laps, and replace failed screws before coating exposed-fastener and standing-seam roofs.
Scranton commercial metal roof coating fits panels that still carry load. Compare your roof with these details to see whether it is ready, needs repairs first, or needs replacing.
| Roof Detail | Ready To Coat | Repair First | Replace Instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel Steel | Surface rust, panels firm underfoot | Pinholes or rust holes in a few sheets | Rust-through across many sheets |
| Screws And Washers | Tight screws, aging washers | Backed-out or stripped screws | Purlins too rusted to hold screws |
| Side And End Laps | Closed laps with dry sealant | Laps opened by movement or hail | Laps split or panels torn |
| Underside And Insulation | Dry insulation, no drips | Condensation or a few wet spots | Saturated insulation over large areas |
| Existing Finish | Chalky paint that still grips | Peeling patches to strip back | Several layers lifting everywhere |
Most metal roofs we coat share a short list of problems. Each has a cause we can find and a fix that comes before the coating.
Factory washers harden in sun and cold, crack, and let water track down the screw shank into the purlin.
Every screw is checked by hand. Loose or stripped ones become oversized fasteners with new washers, then each head is primed and sealed.
Summer hail dents ribs, chips the finish, and can open laps or puncture thin panels near the edges.
We map the damage, replace punctured or split panels, reseal laps the storm opened, and coat only after the repairs are tight.
Water held at the eave and the end laps keeps that steel wet longer than the rest of the field.
Corroded ends are wire-brushed to firm metal, treated with rust primer, and given an extra coat where water collects.
Rubber boots crack and curb flashing loosens as the roof expands and contracts around rooftop equipment.
Boots are replaced, curb flashing is refastened and sealed, and fabric-reinforced coating is worked into every penetration.
Three approaches cover most commercial metal roofs here, and a fourth applies when the building also needs insulation.
Through-fastened panels get every screw sealed, laps taped where they move, and a primer matched to the rust before two coats. This is the most common metal job we price.
Planning figures run about $2.50 to $4.00 per square foot to coat, against about $5 to $8 to replace. Rust and seam work, access, coats, and flashing details move a roof within that range.
Concealed-fastener roofs have fewer holes, so attention goes to end laps, ridge caps, and seams that opened as the clips slid. Coating follows once those joints are sealed.
If a building also needs insulation, spray foam over the panels adds both. It needs dry, secure panels and its own protective topcoat, and it is priced as a separate system.
A coated metal roof keeps a working building in service while the panels stay where they are.
Primer and coating cover steel that is still firm, which slows the corrosion that turns surface rust into holes over time.
Sealed screws, taped laps, and reinforced penetrations close off the spots where most metal roof leaks begin.
Panels stay on the building, so stock and equipment stay covered during the job and less old metal goes to a landfill.
White and light-gray topcoats reflect more sun than weathered steel, keeping the panels cooler on hot July afternoons.
Freeze-thaw movement loosens fasteners a little more each year. Call us and we will check the screw lines before more water reaches the purlins.
Four steps take a metal roof from inspection to finished coat, with repairs named before work begins.
We walk every panel run, test screws by hand, check laps and curbs, and look at the underside for condensation or wet insulation that a coating would hide.
Failed fasteners are replaced, split or punctured panels are swapped, and open laps get new sealant or butyl tape before any coating touches the field.
Rust is brushed back to firm steel and primed, and the whole roof is washed so the base coat grips metal instead of chalk, oil, or pollen.
Base and finish coats go on at the specified thickness, heavier at laps and penetrations, with wet-film readings taken as each section is finished.
Some metal buildings are better served by a different system. These are the ones owners compare most often.
Low-slope metal roofs with spots that hold water after rain often take silicone instead.
Scranton Silicone Roof Coating
Well-drained metal roofs that need a bright finish and easy future recoats suit acrylic.
Scranton Acrylic Roof Coating
Metal buildings that also need insulation can take spray foam over secured, dry panels.
Scranton Spray Foam Roofing
Mixed buildings with a shingle mansard or entry roof get that section reviewed on its own.
Scranton Shingle Roof CoatingWhat owners ask most about coating steel roofs.
Every screw gets checked for attachment first. A loose fastener or an enlarged hole keeps moving under the coating and reopens the seal. We look at the washer, the steel around the hole, and the purlin it bites into, then repair before sealing.
They do. Hail and the wind that comes with summer storms can open joints, puncture thin panels, and loosen flashing. A coating will not close split metal or hold down loose pieces, so the repair list is settled before surface work starts.
Two roofs of the same size can sit at opposite ends of the $2.50 to $4.00 coating range. Rust treatment, seam repair, screw replacement, penetrations, and flashing take labor that a plain area figure leaves out. Replacement plans out closer to $5 to $8.
Rusted steel gets a rust-inhibiting primer after brushing, chosen to match the coating system. Galvanized panels with light white rust can need a different primer or only a wash, and an adhesion test on a small area confirms the choice.
Most metal jobs take a base coat and a finish coat, with extra material at laps, screws, and curbs. The product sheet sets the total thickness in mils, and wet-film checks during the work confirm each section reaches it.
Send us the roof size for a ballpark range, or call to book an inspection of your screws, laps, and panels.
