Kolourseal Flexible Roof Coating  

Kolourseal Flexible Roof Coating

“Giving new life to old roofs”

It is nearly two decades since we started manufacturing Kolourseal Flexible Roof Coating in response to customers who wanted a “reliable roof coating that doesn’t flake off”.  The original brief was therefore simple; “Performance, ease of application, class-leading durability” if difficult to actually turn into a product!  However, with determined innovation, endless testing and much support from our polymer partners, we developed the first generation of Kolourseal Roof Coatings.  They were an instant hit with independent contractors, word spread and years later we believe we have remained true to that original ethos.

Looking back the market was flooded with poor quality coatings, applied without sufficient preparation and care, by companies that sprang up overnight and disappeared just as quickly.  It is disappointing therefore that the concept of roof renovation got unfairly tarnished by “cowboys” at the time.  However, that legacy has now faded, more applicators are educated and roof coating has gained its rightful place among the routine decorating & maintenance trades.

That said there is nothing routine about the transformative effect that a good Kolourseal application can exhibit on a property.  There is no escaping the fact that a grubby, tired roof really brings a property down.  Even after seeing hundreds of roof renovations, it is still astonishing how this one improvement can elevate a home’s appearance, more than replacement windows, new fascia boards or even painting the exterior walls.

Today Kolourseal is more popular than ever with exterior decorating professionals, roofers and DIY applicators alike.  Its water-based, pure acrylic polymer formulation is easy to use and is specifically designed to renovate a variety of mineral-based roofing materials, especially roof tiles but also roof sheets (incl. asbestos cement and cement fibre).

•    Transforms tired and faded roof tiles
•    Detached homes, bungalows, terraced houses, garages, commercial
•    Waterproofs & seals porous roof tiles
•    Stops moss and mould growth
•    High-bond & high-elasticity formula doesn’t flake
•    Roof colourant and sealant in one
•    Microporous (breathable) formulation
•    10-year roof sealant lifespan
•    Outstanding depth of colour
•    Lifts the appearance of the entire property

 

How does it work?

It is perhaps an obvious point but roofs take a lot of punishment from the weather, and the cumulative impact over years or decades can be significant.  In winter, temperatures can fall well below zero, inviting frost damage as water embedded in the surface turns to ice.  In summer, roof temperatures can build to over 50 degrees C, which in combination with intense U.V light, degrades colouring.  And of course, it can rain for prolonged periods at any time of year, inviting moss and mould growth to expand.

The net impact of all these factors can include:

1.  The original weather resistant coating wears away from the tile surface
2.  The tiles lose their colour vibrancy and water-proofing
3.  The freeze/thaw cycle delaminates ever larger particles
4.  The concrete or clay softens, allowing organic growth to take hold
5.  Moss in particular embeds in the substrate and becomes its own water reservoir
6.  The root systems further degrade the tile surface
7.  The moisture-laden moss exacerbates frost damage, promoting further delamination
8.  After heavy downpours, moss dislodges taking the tile surface with it, eventually blocking gutters

Nevertheless, it is perfectly feasible to reverse the decay cycle using the Kolourseal system and to restore both the appearance of the roof and its essential waterproof qualities.  In fact with the correct preparation and application methods, Kolourseal should provide a better quality finish than the tiles had from new.   However, we should perhaps not congratulate ourselves too greatly for this.  Roof tiles were historically manufactured “down to a price”, which meant that basic colouring was “flashed over” in a single coat at the end of the production line.  Additionally, a tile made in the eighties obviously does not benefit from the polymer technology found in Kolourseal today!

Kolourseal is micro-porous, allowing moisture vapour to pass through the film from the roof substrate to the atmosphere while remaining impervious to rainwater penetration.  This permeability function prevents blistering, delamination and premature adhesion failure when the system is installed correctly.  Kolourseal is also UV light resistant and thus combats the sun’s fading action, helping the coating to retain its colour over long periods.  Additionally, the adhesion provided by our premium grade, elastic polymer prevents cracking and flaking.

Installed under the correct conditions and procedures, Kolourseal will provide long term weather protection for at least 10 years.

Potential applications include:

Domestic, commercial, agricultural and industrial buildings fitted with:
• Concrete Roof Tiles
• Clay Roof Tiles (except “Rosemary” Tiles)
• Artificial Slate
• Asbestos Sheets & Tiles

 

How to use Kolourseal?

1. Clean the roof
To ensure that the coating bonds to the roof substrate, the surface must first be cleansed of all moss, mould, lichen, carbon deposits and airborne dirt.  When cleaning concrete roof tiles, cement fibre or clay roof tiles, these should be thoroughly pressure washed using a commercial-spec pressure washer, ideally, with an output pressure of 2500 to 3000 pi and a spray lance equipped with a rotary turbo-jet nozzle.  You should always start from the ridge of the roof and pressure wash downwards.

2. Repairs
Replace cracked or broken tiles with new or good condition weathered tiles and re-point ridges, hips and verges as required.  All repairs/re-pointing works to ridges, hips etc. should incorporate Kingfisher Pointing Solution in the mortar mix to reduce cracking, improve flexibility and enhance the longevity of the repair.  We recommend that a minimum interval of 24 hours should be allowed for mortar repairs to achieve an initial cure before proceeding to coating.  Repairs MUST be treated with Weatherflex Stabilising Solution to neutralise alkalinity in the cement which will otherwise cause flaking.

3. Bio Wash Treatment
After cleaning (once dry) the roof should be sprayed with Kingfisher Bio Wash Roof Cleaner.  This is applied by a low-pressure pump sprayer (as for weed killer etc.) to the entire roof surface and is left to dry out (do not rinse).  This is an extremely important phase in the renovation process because this will greatly reduce the possibility of moss or lichens re-growing under the new coating.

4. Two Coat Application
Brush application:  Apply 2 coats of Kolourseal using a high-quality masonry paintbrush, working in broad even strokes, taking care not to over-apply.  Pay close attention to tile edges and corners, ensuring that the coating is worked well into all crevices and joints.

Airless spray Application:  Apply 2 coats of Kolourseal by high-pressure sprayer.  We recommend a typical GRACO 4900 or 5900 series airless sprayer with the pressure set at 2500 psi and fitted with a 517 nozzle tip blade (17 thou) for optimum performance.  Ensure that roof lights and vents etc. are protected from over-spray and take precautions to avoid spray drift contamination of vehicle finishes in the vicinity.

Apply only in dry conditions to a dry surface, with no rain expected for at least 24 hours post-application.  As with all water-based coatings, please be aware that you need to plan any exterior works to allow sufficient drying time for the product to cure before the evening dew point.

Re-coat time: 1 - 4 Hours @ 20 °C *
Full cure: 24 Hours @ 20 °C *
* Curing times will increase significantly at lower temperatures and high humidity.

 

How much will I need?

The coverage rate is 5 to 6 sq m per litre, so an average 100 square metre roof will require:  2 x 20kg containers for a two coat application.

 

IMPORTANT!

a) Not suitable for flat surfaces or shallow gradients
b) Do not apply to damp surfaces or in wet weather

 

Technical Support

As always we recommend that you read the Technical Data Sheet & Safety Data Sheet thoroughly before commencing any work.  If in doubt please call us for advice, we are here to help.

Two primary delivery options for smaller U.K MAINLAND orders (Typically under 100 Kg):

Standard 3-day service: £6.25 plus VAT (Note: Highlands Postcodes may be up to 5 working days)

Next Working Day*: £13.95 plus VAT (Not available to Highlands Postcodes)
*Excludes weekends and public holidays

Cut-off time for “Next Working Day” orders to be processed is 12:00 noon. Once your goods have been despatched, you will normally receive a confirmatory e-mail with tracking details so that you can check the progress of your order. Details