Metal roofing and siding is an extremely durable solution for home and building owners. However, life happens. Scratches, nicks, and other imperfections can occur from a variety of different events. From tree branches falling to accidental chips from stones on the street, there can be a lot of reasons why your metal panels need a bit of a touch up.
Painted metal finishes are a great way to finish your project and allow for flexibility in style. You can choose from bright, bold colors or more subtle neutrals. Painted finishes cover steel’s surface with a durable, long-lasting paint that’s typically either a SMP or PVDF system. These paint systems are designed with the latest technology in order to withstand tough environments and conditions with minimal maintenance. Still, metal panels can be susceptible to nicks, blemishes, and scratches — especially during installation. Different tools, hardware, proper handling, and other factors that occur during install can cause small damages to painted finishes. Here’s some step-by-step instruction on how to successfully touch up paint on your panels.
Evaluate Damage
It’s important to take the time to really assess whether or not your paint needs to be touched up. Is the scratch barely noticeable? Do you have to be super close to even see it? Can you see it from far away? Is the paint scratched the entire way down to the bare steel? Usually, if the scratch has not penetrated the bare steel and is just a surface scratch, touch-up paint may not be needed. This is because touch-up paint will typically fade more quickly than the original finish (especially on darker and brighter colors), which in turn would be more noticeable than just a hairline scratch.
On the other hand, if the scratch is very noticeable and deep, especially from a distance, touch-up paint might be needed. It’s also important to remember that if a large area of the panel is damaged, it may be best to replace it entirely. A good rule of thumb is that if the damage is covering more than 10-15% of the panel, replacement might be the best option.
Choose Your Touch-Up Paint
Fortunately, Bridger Steel offers easy-to-use touch-up paint pens! There are 12 different textured finish paint pens and 23 different painted finishes pens so you can easily find your finish. The Paint Pens offer a smooth, even, and accurate application. They’re designed with a felt tip so you can easily control the paint flow and will retain their color for the next five to eight years. These paint pens are also designed to fill, seal, and repair your scratches and chips, rather than just covering them up!
Prep Your Area
It’s important to make sure you prepare the area before just applying the touch-up paint. You want ensure the area is clean and dry before application. Make sure the intended area is free of moisture, dirt, debris, residue, and any other contaminants that could affect how the paint is applied. Wipe down the area with isopropyl alcohol and let it dry before moving on.
Apply Your Paint
When using Paint Pens to restore your panels back to new, the application process is quite simple. You’ll just open up your pen, shake it, and glide it directly onto your panels in the necessary spots. Make sure just to use a bit of slight pressure when applying, but not too continuously in order to avoid using too much paint. Let the paint dry completely before adding another coat (only if necessary). Make sure to secure the pen’s cap back on tightly once completed so it doesn’t dry out!
Other Tips
Always Follow Safety Procedures — Especially true if you have to get on your roof or even climb a ladder to reach your metal panel, be sure to always follow recommended safety procedures. Never getting on your roof alone, using an OSHA approved ladder, choosing a dry, overcast day, and wearing proper shoes are just a few!
Store Paint Pens in a Cool, Dry Place — After you’ve used your paint pens on your metal panels, be sure to store them in a cool, dry place. Avoid any exposure to direct sunlight or extreme temperatures over long periods of time in order to keep the pens in good shape!
Make Sure You’ve Color-Matched — We recommend talking with Product Specialist before doing any type of touch-up painting in order to ensure you’ve properly color matched. Nothing would be worse than buying a paint pen in a gray shade that’s just a bit lighter than your original finish.
By following these steps and tips, you can effectively touch up paint on your metal panels, keeping them looking as good as new. Remember to regularly inspect your panels for any signs of damage and address them promptly to maintain the integrity and appearance of your metal roofing and siding.