Roof Painting in Phuket for Faded and Mossy Roofs

What is roof painting, and which roofs suit it?

Roof painting in Phuket by Phuket Pro Painters means cleaning, priming and recoating the existing roof of a house or villa, so that a roof which is faded, patchy or stained with moss has an even colour again. Roof painting is often done together with the exterior walls and is part of the whole-house painting work we take on.

A roof suits painting when the roofing itself is still strong: not cracked, not crumbling and not letting water in. These are the types most often seen in Phuket.

How does a roof painting job run?

Roof painting is work at height on a sloping surface, so the painters at Phuket Pro Painters assess the access and the places that can safely bear weight before every job. The work runs in this order.

1. Inspect the roof. The painter looks for cracked tiles, loose ridge caps and rusty screws, and tells the owner about anything that needs repair first.
2. Protect the area below. Cars, garden furniture and plants are covered, and gutters are blocked off so moss debris does not clog them.
3. Pressure-wash the roof to remove moss, dust and broken-down old paint, then let the roof dry completely.
4. Apply a roof primer so the top coat grips a porous or metal surface.
5. Spray or brush on the roof paint, normally two coats, with the drying time as the paint manufacturer states on the label.
6. Finish ridge caps, edges and fascia lines by brush, inspect the roof from the ground and clean up around the house.

Spraying an old roof is done on days without strong wind, so paint mist does not drift onto cars or neighbouring houses.

Why do roofs in Phuket fade and grow moss so quickly?

The roof takes the hardest weather of any part of a house. In Phuket a roof receives full UV all day, which fades the pigment faster than on walls shaded by the eaves. During the monsoon, roughly May to October, a roof can stay wet for days. Porous tiles hold the moisture and become a foothold for moss and mould, especially on a side shaded by large trees. Homes near the sea also get salt on the breeze, which speeds up rust at the screws and edges of metal sheet roofing.

What the owner sees is a roof with stripes of different colour, a difference between the sunny and shaded sides, and black streaks running down to the eaves. As a general principle, light roof colours reflect more sun than dark ones, but light colours also show dirt more readily. Choosing a roof colour is a balance between the two.

Why is roof painting not a cure for a leaking roof?

Phuket Pro Painters does not take on waterproofing, structural crack repair or leak repair. This matters most on roofs, because many owners assume a fresh coat of roof paint will stop water dripping onto the ceiling. Roof paint is a thin coating for colour and for protecting the tile surface. Roof paint does not seal joints, cracks or screw holes.

If the house has water stains on the ceiling, drips during rain or broken roofing, have a roofing specialist inspect and repair it, let the repair go through some rain to prove itself, and book the roof painting afterwards. Working in that order means nobody has to walk on or lift freshly painted roofing to make a repair later.

What should a homeowner prepare before the painters go up on the roof?

Getting a house ready for roof painting is mostly about keeping people safe and keeping paint mist off belongings.

1. Move cars out of the carport and from under the eaves for the whole washing and spraying period.
2. Bring in laundry, garden furniture and children's toys.
3. Close windows and high-level vents.
4. Tell neighbours whose house or car is near the roof line.
5. Cut back branches that overhang the roof and clear leaves from the gutters.
6. Tell the painter about solar panels, water tanks or satellite dishes mounted on the roof.

A home that collects rainwater from the roof should disconnect the downpipe from the storage tank during the job and for the first period after painting.

How is roof painting priced and hired?

Roof painting is priced on the real roof area, which is larger than the floor plan of the house because of the pitch and the overhang of the eaves. The painter therefore has to survey and measure on site, and that visit is free. You can hire labour only and buy the roof paint yourself in the quantity we work out, which is a common arrangement in Thailand, or hire labour and paint together. A written quotation is issued before work starts, every time, with separate lines for washing and surface preparation, for work at height and for the painting, along with the terms of the workmanship warranty after handover.

Estimated rates for roof work are on the prices for each type of painting work page, and you can select roof work in the online painting cost calculator. A very steep roof, or one that is hard to reach, affects the work-at-height line, and that can only be confirmed after the survey.

Should the roof be painted, replaced, or left until other work is done?

Roof painting is the right choice when the problem is colour and staining, not the roofing material. If the sheets are brittle, cracked in many places, or the roof structure has sagged, replacing the roof is the sounder long-term answer, and replacement is not work that painters take on.

For a home having several parts painted, the sensible order starts with the roof, because wash water and paint mist fall downwards. Timber fascias and soffits follow under wood painting and staining, then steel gutters and gates under rust-inhibiting paintwork for steel. Villa owners with roofs at several levels and a poolside sala can read about planning a whole property on the villa and pool villa painting page.

How do I book a survey for roof painting?

Call 063-004-0115, or send photos of the roof from several angles by WhatsApp, so the painter can make a first assessment and arrange a free site survey. The team speaks English. All contact channels are on the contact Phuket Pro Painters page.