Roof coatings are liquid membranes rolled or sprayed onto flat, metal and mobile home roofs to seal small cracks, cover worn seams and reflect heat. A coating is only as good as the roof under it, so we repair leaks, loose fasteners and bad seams first, clean the roof, then apply the right coating for your roof type. Coatings are not a fix for a worn-out shingle roof.
A coating can add years to a roof that is basically sound but getting tired: a rubber roof with dried-out seams, a metal roof with aging screws and light rust, or a mobile home roof with cracked sealant around the vents. Done right, it costs far less than a new roof.
Roofs that benefit from coating
- Flat and low-slope roofs (EPDM, TPO, modified bitumen, built-up)
- Metal roofs with light surface rust and aging fasteners
- Mobile home roofs with worn coating and seams
- Porch, carport and garage roofs with a low slope
Roofs that should not be coated
- Asphalt shingle roofs in most cases. Most shingle makers advise against coatings, and they can trap moisture
- Roofs with wet insulation or soft decking underneath
- Roofs that are leaking in many places or near the end of their life
Types of coatings
Silicone
Holds up well to standing water, so it is often used on flat roofs that pond. Very UV resistant.
Acrylic (elastomeric)
Bright white and reflective, good on metal and sloped roofs that shed water. Not for roofs with ponding.
Aluminum and asphalt coatings
Silver coatings on older tar and modified bitumen roofs, reflecting sun and protecting the surface.
A white or silver coating can lower roof surface temperatures a lot in summer, which helps in a place where about 23 days a year top 95 degrees.
How we seal and coat a roof
Repair first
Fix leaks, replace failed screws, seal seams and vents, patch rust.
Clean
Wash the roof and remove loose coating, dirt and debris so the coating bonds.
Reinforce
Fabric or seam tape embedded at seams, laps and penetrations.
Coat
Apply the coating at the right thickness, often two coats, and send you photos.
Skipping the repair and cleaning steps is why so many coatings peel in a year or two. The coating sticks to dirt instead of the roof, or it bridges over a crack that keeps moving.
Text Jacob photos of your roof. We tell you honestly whether coating makes sense, and you approve a written price first.
Roof coating cost
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Seal seams and vents only | Quoted on site |
| Clean, repair and coat a flat or metal roof | Quoted on site, priced by roof size |
| Mobile home roof recoat | Quoted on site |
Coating prices depend on roof size, type, condition and coating chosen. Your written price comes after we look, and you approve it before any work starts.
What about spray-on sealers from the store?
Products like spray rubber can stop a pinhole leak for a while, but they rarely bond well enough to last on a roof in the Arkansas sun. They also make a proper repair harder later, because they have to be scraped off. Our answer on whether Flex Seal works on roofs covers it.
Related repairs: flat roof leak repair, metal roof leak repair and mobile home roof leak repair.
Coat, repair or replace?
Here is how Jacob thinks about it. If the roof deck is dry and solid, the leaks are limited to seams, fasteners and vents, and the surface is worn but not falling apart, coating after repairs is usually the best value. If insulation under a flat roof is soaked, the metal is rusted through in many places, or the roof sags, a coating will not hold and you are better off putting that money toward a replacement or recover. We take photos of the whole roof and walk you through it before you spend anything. On a mobile home, a coating every several years combined with yearly checks of the seams and vents is often the cheapest way to keep the roof dry.
Roof sealing and coating FAQ
How long does a roof coating last?
It depends on the coating, thickness and roof. Many last several years, and some can be recoated to extend them further.
Can a coating stop an active leak?
Not by itself. The leak needs a real repair first. The coating then protects the repaired roof.
Can I coat my shingle roof?
Most shingle manufacturers advise against it, and coatings can trap moisture in shingles. We do not recommend it.
Will a white coating lower my cooling bill?
It can lower the roof surface temperature a lot, which reduces heat into the building, especially where there is little insulation.
What coating color works well in Pine Bluff?
White or light gray reflects the most sun and keeps the roof cooler through our hot summers. Silver aluminum coatings are common on older tar and modified bitumen roofs.
Do you coat over rust?
We clean loose rust, treat the metal and patch holes first. Coating over loose rust peels.