Can You Paint Roof Shingles? Everything You Need to Know Before Giving Your Roof a New Look

You may not have thought much about painting roof shingles before, or if it was even possible. Can you paint roof shingles without completely replacing the roof itself?

We’re here to tell you that painting your roof is definitely possible! If you feel your home’s current look doesn’t match your aesthetics, you may want to consider painting your roof shingles instead of replacing them, provided they’re not too damaged or showing signs of aging.

What you’ll learn in this blog post: 

• Benefits and downsides of painting roof shingles,
• Which paint you should use, 
• Tips for painting roof shingles. 

Is It OK to Paint Asphalt Shingles?

Yes, you can paint asphalt shingles, but only under certain circumstances. You can’t just wake up one day, throw on a pair of old overalls, hoist up a ladder, and start slapping paint all over your roof shingles. There are a few considerations you should be aware of first!

First of all, painting roof shingles should not be a long-term solution, but rather a helpful medium-term solution instead.

You can paint asphalt shingles if they’re faded and need some extra touch-ups, or if you’re not satisfied with their color. However, if your asphalt shingles are in poor condition, consider calling in a professional to replace them instead, installing the color and style you prefer.

Why Should You Paint Asphalt Shingles?

One benefit of painting roof shingles is that it’s less expensive than a complete replacement. A roof replacement requires a substantial financial investment, which can be tricky, especially if you didn’t count on spending money on your roof.  That’s why painting roof shingles is a more budget-friendly option. 

Since asphalt shingles are constantly exposed to all sorts of intense weather, they inevitably lose their luster after a while. To combat this, plenty of manufacturers have come up with paints that can add an additional layer of protection to preserve the integrity of your shingles and prevent premature deterioration. 

Paint Your Asphalt Shingles to Increase the Strength of Your Roof

We know everyone wants beautiful-looking shingles that look as if they were bought yesterday – especially when your neighbor installs new ones on his house!

Luckily, with all sorts of tones and hues available for painting, you too can have fresh-looking, good-as-new shingles.

There’s just one catch: it’s best to paint asphalt shingles about halfway through their lifespan. You see, asphalt shingles can last anywhere between 20 to 30 years, so if you’d like to prolong their lifespan, paint them during their mid-life stage.

Why Should Asphalt Shingles Not Be Painted? 

Now that we’ve covered the benefits of painting roof shingles, let’s look at why you shouldn’t paint them. 

While the benefits of painting roof shingles can be great, there can also be downsides to such a project. For starters, painted roofs will need more maintenance than the average, non-painted ones. Also, many roofing contractors don’t support this option because of potential problems that may arise. 

What do we mean by that?

If you decide to paint your roof’s asphalt shingles, one potential problem you could face is voiding the manufacturer’s warranty. So, before you paint your roof shingles, ask yourself first if it’s worth it to lose out on the warranty.

This isn’t the only drawback – an improper paint application can lead to water permeating inside your home and causing damage to the shingles themselves.

When Painting Roof Shingles, Problems That Are Underneath Won’t Disappear 

Yes, painting roof shingles can give your roof a new lease on life – however, painting it won’t fix problems that lie beneath the surface. 

Just imagine – you’ve decided to paint your roof, and you’ve used up all the paint, tools, and equipment you’d ever need, but your roof still has leaks, rot, mold, mildew, and more.

What happened?

Well, for starters, painting the shingles won’t solve all of your roof’s problems that aren’t visible to the naked eye. There are a lot of potential issues you could face, and if you’re not experienced, you could do more harm than good. If you’re not sure about the state of your roof and its shingles, we recommend hiring a local roofing contractor to check it out and give you a thorough analysis on its condition. This will also ensure any makeover project that you have planned, can start with its best foot forward.

What Type of Paint Can I Use on Shingles?

If you’ve decided to go through with painting your roof shingles, choosing the right color shouldn’t be taken lightly. Not all paints on the market are created equal, after all.

The most ideal paints for roof shingles should include acrylic latex paint and elastomeric coating – acrylic due to its adhesion qualities, and elastomeric coating due to its robust and flexible characteristics.  

Although we’ve given you two of the most used paints for asphalt shingles, knowing their name just isn’t enough. At the end of the day, the first thing you should do before buying any type of paint for your roof is to get familiar with your manufacturer’s recommendations.

If you don’t do that, you might run into all kinds of issues! Amongst these, there’s a possibility that you’ll wind up using the wrong paint, which could result in the paint cracking and not sticking very well.

Shingle Painting Advice by Fortified Roofing

Before painting any roof shingles, here are some tips and tricks from us for a better chance of success:

Advice no.1: Get a FREE roof inspection by a local roofing contractor

Advice no.2: Make sure you address any potential damages 

Advice no.3: Clean your roof of all debris and other things that are in your way

Advice no.4: Choose a color that has reflective abilities 

Advice no.5: Prepare tools and equipment beforehand

Advice no.6: Test out and strengthen safety equipment to avoid injuries

Advice no.7: Before you apply paint, use a primer and a sealer

Can I Paint My Roof Shingles Without Professional Help?

Whether or not you want to paint your asphalt shingles is solely up to you. Even though painting roof shingles sounds like a relatively simple task, please don’t try to do it yourself if you feel uncomfortable or uncertain about your skills or the equipment you’ll be using – you could end up taking on unnecessary risk to yourself. 

Do you want to check if your roof has any hidden damage beneath the surface? A roofer in Edison, NJ, can help!