# Painting Copper roof?



## Msargent

What is the best to use to paint exterior roof? Restore it back to early years?


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## flowjo

exterior paint?


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## FoilEffects

Is this a trick question? Your title says painting a copper roof! Why would you paint copper and then in your description you want to know he to bring it back to its early years?

Do you want to paint copper? Or do you want to restore it? Why dont you post a pic of what you are doing as I cannot tell you how to paint copper because it doesnt make scense. However if you want to clean it up and then make it look old and seal it I can help!


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## Msargent

Sorry foil no Gc was talking about painting it because i guess it was painted nearly 50 years ago, It is a new copper roof.


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## NACE

www.copper.com recommends an exterior oil base gloss house paint. We always used this with great success. Also, Spar Varnish works great for a clear. Oxidation will eventually migrate through the coating but they usually remain stable and do not peel.


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## TooledUp

I thought you were spamming there NACE. That site is nothing to do with painting copper..?

Msargent, this roof didn't happen to be 'painted' green previously by any chance?


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## Msargent

It looks like it was washed and turned green.But they want it painted .


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## TooledUp

Msargent said:


> It looks like it was washed and turned green.But they want it painted .


The elements alone will turn it green. BIG mistake to paint it IMHO.


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## Workaholic

TooledUp said:


> I thought you were spamming there NACE. That site is nothing to do with painting copper..?
> 
> Msargent, this roof didn't happen to be 'painted' green previously by any chance?


Thais is what I was thinking too.


TooledUp said:


> The elements alone will turn it green. BIG mistake to paint it IMHO.


I agree, I like the look of patina copper.


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## NACE

my fault, it's copper.org. all things copper. alkyd enamel is the way to go. If you use a DTM, which has zinc and zinc phosphates, the copper is more noble to the rust inhibitive pigments and you may get a cathodic effect. As said, copper will continue to oxidize and form a green patina, paint will delay the process as it lessens the oxygen getting to the metal. It will eventually burn through unless a similar color is used.


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## aaron61

You can speed up the process for patina with certain chemical washes. http://www.artchemicals.com/Patina_s/29.htm?gclid=CNuQ-vXgvpsCFQXGsgodw1CGAQ


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## austintx512

lol painting copper good look not even procryl would stick


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## PaintStud

*My humble experience*

I've never painted a copper roof but I've painted many copper deck post tops. For that, what I've found that works very well is:
1) Sand lightly (320 grit or higher) until clean and shiny
2) Prime with a red oxide exterior primer
3) Paint with exterior gloss oil-based paint


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## Woodco

PaintStud said:


> I've never painted a copper roof but I've painted many copper deck post tops. For that, what I've found that works very well is:
> 1) Sand lightly (320 grit or higher) until clean and shiny
> 2) Prime with a red oxide exterior primer
> 3) Paint with exterior gloss oil-based paint


....


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## jennifertemple

FoilEffects said:


> Is this a trick question? Your title says painting a copper roof! Why would you paint copper and then in your description you want to know he to bring it back to its early years?


:vs_sob:Why would anyone paint a copper roof, that sounds near crazy to me. Aging it would make sense to me.


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## sayn3ver

Agreed. Dead reserrected thread or not. Copper roofing and flashing was born to patina. It's like painting the statue of liberty. Why pay $$$ for copper roofing and or gutters and then paint them? 

Waste of money and perfectly good copper. Might as well put up a cheaper metal roof and cheap aluminium gutters and paint that.


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