Metal Roof Restoration for Warehouses and Industrial Buildings
Stop the Rust Before It Eats Through the Roof.
A metal roof that is rusting, leaking at the screws, or opening at the seams can often be restored in place. We clean it, treat the rust, seal every seam and fastener, and coat the panels with a Conklin metal roof system.
Free Roof Inspection
Tell Us About Your Building
No obligation. You get photos and a written proposal with your options.
What to look for
Signs Your Metal Roof Needs Restoration
Metal roofs fail slowly, and the warning signs are easy to spot once you know what to look for.
- Orange or brown rust spots, especially along panel laps, at the eaves, and around fasteners.
- Paint that has faded to a chalky film that rubs off on your hand.
- Drips inside the building along a line of screws or a panel seam.
- Screws that have backed out, or washers that are cracked and brittle.
- Sealant at the ridge, skylights, or pipe flashings that has dried out and pulled away.
Restoration fits metal warehouses, manufacturing and industrial buildings, shops, and other buildings with exposed-fastener or standing-seam metal roofs. The earlier it is done, the less rust there is to deal with, and the more of the original roof can be saved.
Where metal roofs leak
Rust, Seams and Fasteners: What We Fix
Nearly every leak on a metal roof traces back to one of three things. A restoration deals with all three.
Rust
Loose rust is removed and the bare metal is treated with a rust-inhibiting primer, which stops the rust from spreading under the new coating. Small rust holes are patched as part of the preparation.
Seams and laps
Where panels overlap, water is pulled in by wind and capillary action. Laps, ridge caps, and end laps are sealed, and reinforced where the system calls for it, so the seams can move with the panels without opening.
Fasteners
Loose screws are tightened or replaced with larger ones, and every fastener head is sealed. On a typical metal building, that can mean thousands of screws, so this step gets careful attention.
Manufacturer certified
Conklin Metal Roof Coating Systems
Shield Roofs is trained and certified by Conklin Roofing Systems, and we restore metal roofs with Conklin's metal roof coating systems.
A Conklin metal roof system combines a primer made for metal, seam and fastener treatments, and an acrylic coating that stays flexible as the panels expand in summer heat and contract in winter cold. Applied together, they form one continuous membrane over the whole roof, including the joints where leaks start.
White coatings also reflect much of the sun's heat, which matters on metal, since bare or dark metal gets very hot in summer.
Reflective roof coatings may help reduce cooling costs. Actual savings depend on the building, climate, and existing roof.
Depending on the system and thickness, a restored metal roof can come with up to a 20-year material warranty backed by Conklin Roofing Systems, with maintenance plans available.
Warranty terms vary by system and project; ask for details.
How the restoration is done
Inspect the roof
We walk the roof, check its condition, and talk with you about what you need from it.
Put it in writing
You get a written proposal with your options and the scope of the work.
Install it the right way
We follow Conklin's recommended installation guides and industry best practices on every job.
Honest answers
Restore vs. Re-Sheet
Re-sheeting means removing the old metal panels and installing new ones. It is the right answer when the panels themselves have failed: when rust has eaten through large areas, when the metal flakes apart, or when the panels have been damaged beyond repair.
For most metal roofs we see, the panels are still structurally sound and the problems are on the surface and at the joints. In that case, restoration stops the leaks and the rust for a fraction of the disruption of re-sheeting, and the building stays covered the whole time.
We do both. When only a few panels are rusted through, we replace them and restore the rest of the roof. When the panels have failed across the roof, we re-sheet it with new panels.
If your roof is past restoring, we'll tell you, show you the photos that prove it, and explain your options. You won't get a coating recommendation for a roof that a coating can't save.
Questions
Metal Roof FAQs
Can a rusty metal roof be coated?
Yes, as long as the rust is on the surface and the panels are still solid. Surface rust is cleaned off and treated with a rust-inhibiting primer before any coating goes on. Panels that are rusted through, with holes you can see light through, have to be dealt with before the roof can be coated. We replace those panels first and then restore the rest of the roof.
Why do metal roofs leak at the screws?
Most exposed-fastener metal roofs are held down with screws that have a rubber washer under the head. Over the years, the panels expand and contract with every change in temperature, the washers dry out and crack, and some screws back out. Each one becomes a small hole in the roof. That's why fasteners are one of the first things we address in a metal roof restoration.
Will the building have to shut down during the work?
Usually not. The work happens on the outside of the roof, and nothing is removed, so the space below stays covered the whole time. Power washing and spraying can be noisy and need some planning around loading areas, vehicles, and air intakes, and we'll work that out with you before the job starts.
How long does it take to restore a metal roof?
It depends on the size of the roof, how much rust and fastener work it needs, and the weather. Cleaning and coating need dry days and mild temperatures, so the schedule is planned for the warmer months. Your written proposal includes an expected timeline for your building.
Service area
Where We Offer Metal Roof Restoration
We're based in Fort Plain, NY, and serve commercial buildings within about 100 miles, and farther when a job calls for it.
Related services
- Commercial Roof CoatingsA seamless Conklin acrylic coating that seals the surface and reflects sunlight.
- Commercial Roof RepairFind the real source of a leak and fix it, so you stop paying for the same repair twice.
- Roof Inspection & MaintenanceScheduled checks that catch small problems before they become leaks.
Your next step
Book Your Free Metal Roof Inspection
We'll walk your metal roof, check the rust, seams, and fasteners, and tell you whether it can be restored. You'll get photos and a written proposal within 24 to 72 hours of the inspection.
Call or text (518) 612-0001. We respond within 24 to 48 hours.