Ask the Expert Question-and-Answer Archive

by Ron Joseph

August, 2003

Painting a Tin Roof

Q. What is the best type of paint to put on the tin roof of a barn? Can you give me the best one to use? Which brand is best but the least expensive?

A. I presume that the galvanizing on the roof is pretty much gone and that the roof is now a rusty brown. If that is the case you will need to thoroughly wire brush the surfaces, wash down, and then apply a zinc chromate primer, followed by at least two coats of an acrylic roof paint.

Unfortunately, I cannot advise you on brand names of paint, but in general, the more the paint costs, the higher the quality. If you want the least expensive paint, you will probably get the least expensive quality.