FAQs

View our website page:   http://sustainability.bluescopesteel.com.au/

You can also view more information on BlueScope Steel's environmental initiatives on our Environment page. 

Please visit About BlueScope Steel located on the far right top navigation panel. Alternatively please visit our History page.

If grommets aren’t supplied, you can get them from most electrical suppliers. Visit the tools you’ll need section to find the right tools and supplies for the job.

Normally it's OK to walk on a roof made from COLORBOND® steel. However safety precautions should be taken, including the wearing of soft rubber-soled shoes and any necessary precautions for working at heights. You should also take into account the manufacturer's recommendations about where to place your feet on the profile to prevent deformation.

Some roofs are designed to be 'non-trafficable' (meaning they're not designed to be walked on). This should be noted on designs, plans and is sometimes signposted.

If you are unsure whether a roof is trafficable, treat it as non-trafficable until you can confirm otherwise.

The thickness of sheeting is normally measured as its BMT (base metal thickness). For steel of the same grade and profile, a higher BMT generally means the sheet can span further between supports.

Care should be taken when referencing thickness because some manufacturers will quote Total Coated Thickness (TCT). This is the thickness of the total sheet and will be higher than its BMT (which measures only the thickness of the steel beneath any coatings). eg. 0.42mm BMT is the same as 0.47mm TCT.

Increased thickness will not increase the life of a product, and direct comparisons of BMT between profiles or steel grades cannot be made. The profile manufacturer should be able to provide you with spanning information for the profile and BMT you are using.

Soft (or lower strength) steels will generally be thicker than hard, high strength (or hi-tensile) steels, and are commonly used in applications where tight curving is required.

For information on how to keep your COLORBOND® steel looking great, view our page Maintain COLORBOND® steel and ZINCALUME® steel. If you think you may have fungus growing on the surface, view our page Identify and Remove Fungus.

A number of builders have display homes across Australia featuring COLORBOND® steel. You can find your closest from our display home locator.

This is usually a result of the use of touch up paint on the sheeting. The manufacturing process which gives COLORBOND® steel its colour and gloss retention properties means its surface weathers differently to air-drying paint. After weathering, areas that have been touched up will look different and may result in a blotchy appearance.

Standard COLORBOND® steel is the product you're most likely to see on the majority of applications and locations across Australia. However, there are some environments and applications for which it isn't suited, and for these BlueScope Steel has developed specialised products. COLORBOND® Ultra steel is made for more severe environments, such as those exposed to industrial emissions or close to the sea. COLORBOND® Metallic steel has a unique metallic paint finish and is commonly used for prestige projects. You can find out more by viewing our pages: Specifying for marine and industrial environments and COLORBOND® Metallic finish.

COLORBOND® steel combines the corrosion resistance of a ZINCALUME® steel base with a durable, oven baked paint finish. Find out more on How It Is Made.