What wears a Rockhampton roof down
Sun and heat more than damp
Rockhampton's January mean maximum is 32.6°C, the yearly average maximum is 29.0°C and the record is 45.3°C. Afternoon humidity averages 45%. Dulux says UV breaks down the binder in roof coatings, causing chalking and fade. Here, sun is the main thing a recoat has to stand up to.
Storms that crack mortar and lift sheets
Summer thunderstorms and cyclones like Marcia test ridge caps and fixings. Monier lists cracked ridge mortar as a common cause of leaks, and says pointing should be repaired with modern flexible compounds.
A city of older houses
Separate houses made up 88.1% of occupied homes in the Rockhampton Regional council area at the 2021 Census. Many streets are old: Allenstown filled with cottages after the Canoona gold rush, and Mount Morgan gold paid for much of the city's Victorian architecture.
Heritage on The Range
The Range, along the Athelstane Range ridge, has heritage-listed houses such as Clancholla, Kenmore House, Killowen, Amla and Wiseman's Cottage. For places on the Queensland Heritage Register, most changes need approval first, and that can include repair and maintenance work.
Restore or replace?
Restore when the tiles or sheets are mostly sound and the problems are ridge mortar, faded coating, a few broken tiles or surface rust. Monier says a concrete tile's colour coat is decorative only and plays no part in waterproofing, so a recoat is about looks and protection, not leaks. Terracotta doesn't need painting at all.
Replace when tiles are cracking all over or steel is rusting through. On a pre-1985 house, the QRA says homes that old usually take more damage in cyclones, and that a builder should check batten and rafter tie-downs whenever cladding is replaced. Switching from tiles to metal needs a structural assessment, because lighter roofing means greater uplift.
On metal roofs, remember BlueScope says overpainting Colorbond or Zincalume voids its warranty. Our pages on tile roof restoration and metal roof restoration explain the steps.
Older roofs may be asbestos
If a home was built before 1990, Queensland's asbestos authority says it's likely to contain some asbestos. Water-blasting an asbestos cement roof is illegal in Queensland, with fines up to $10,000. Get anything that looks like old fibro tested before a restorer starts cleaning.
Questions to ask a restorer
- Exactly what's included: cleaning, tile replacement, rebedding, repointing, how many coats?
- Will you check the roof fixings and tell me if tie-downs need upgrading?
- What coating are you using, and what's the warranty and its conditions?
- Is my roof sound enough to restore, or would you replace it?
- Which QBCC licence do you hold for the tiling or cladding work?
- If it's over $3,300, will home warranty insurance be in the contract?
What we'd tell a friend
Get the roof's structure looked at before you get colour samples. If the fixings and tiles are sound, a restoration is good value in Rockhampton's sun. If the roof is pre-1985 and the fixings are doubtful, put the money into a re-roof with proper tie-downs instead of a coat of paint on a weak roof.
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.
Send us your suburb and roof type, and we'll look for one licence-checked roofer who restores roofs in your area. More on our national roof restoration page and the Rockhampton hub.