Which tiles can be painted?
| Concrete | Unglazed terracotta | Glazed terracotta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paint it? | Yes, if you want the colour back | Possible, but Monier doesn't recommend it | No, the coating won't bond well |
| What paint does | Refreshes the look, without adding waterproofing | Hides patched or mismatched tiles | Nothing useful |
| Prep | Clean, then a sealer or primer | Clean, then a primer suited to clay | Clean and repoint instead |
| Afterwards | Monier says redo it every five years or so to keep the look | Committed to recoating from then on | Nothing to maintain |
Why the prep decides how long it looks good
Roof coatings fail from underneath. Paint over moss spores, chalky old coating or loose grit, and it peels away from the tile, taking the colour with it.
Tiles need to be clean and properly dry before coating, which can mean a day or more of good weather after the wash. Rushing that step to fit a schedule is a common reason coatings blister.
Cracked tiles, loose ridge caps and crumbling pointing should be fixed before any paint goes on. Membrane over a rocking cap hides it for a season, then the crack shows again.
Roof membrane or ordinary paint?
Roof membranes are thick acrylic coatings made to flex with tiles as they heat up and cool down. Exterior house paint isn't designed for that, so make sure the quote names a product made for roofs.
Warranties come with conditions. Dulux, for example, says its roof coating warranties depend on a professional applicator, a suitable surface, the right number of coats and ongoing maintenance. It also says some fading is expected as coatings weather, partly from chalking, and that regular washing helps.
Signs of a rushed tile paint job
- Painting on the same day as the clean
- No sealer or primer on bare concrete
- Cracked tiles or loose caps painted over instead of fixed
- Overspray on windows, cars, paving or solar panels
- One heavy coat where the product calls for two
- No product name on the quote, only 'roof paint'
Your part, the roofer's part
You can
- Decide the colour from a sample held against your walls in daylight
- Ask the roofer for before and after photos of any cracked tiles
- Cover or move anything you value near the house on painting days
- Keep pets and kids inside while spraying is under way
Leave to a roofer
- The clean, the repairs and every coat
- Judging when the tiles are dry enough to coat
- Repointing ridges before painting
- Confirming the roof is really tile, and not asbestos cement, before any cleaning
What we'd ask for
We'd only paint tiles for the look, and we'd budget for doing it again. If you go ahead, we'd want the quote to show the cleaning method, a drying day, repairs listed item by item, a named sealer and two named topcoats. On terracotta, we'd think hard before painting at all, because a clean and repoint may be all it needs.
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.
