FAQs
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What is the Fire Rating of COLORBOND® steel?
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What is the maximum temperature I can subject COLORBOND® steel and ZINCALUME® steel to?
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How does a COLORBOND® steel roof affect the temperature inside my building? Can it save me money on heating and cooling costs?
Using thermally efficient roofing materials like COLORBOND® steel can help reduce your cooling and heating costs. In summer, a lightweight insulated roof made from COLORBOND® steel can assist in minimising the amount of heat radiated into your home at night. That's because COLORBOND® steel has a low thermal mass, so it cools down fast once the sun is off it.
In winter the same steel roof, properly insulated, helps keep the heat inside. Building Regulations for your area will prescribe the level of insulation you will require.
The choice of colour can also influence thermal performance. Lighter colours, in particular, radiate less heat during summer. Building regulations may allow you to install less insulation if you use lighter colours in warm climates.
For more information see our page on Thermal Efficiency.
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Where can I find datasheets or safety datasheets (SDS)?
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Can roof sheeting be installed with the coloured side down?
No. The coating on the underside of the sheet has a different film
thickness and UV absorbance capabilities which are not designed for
prolonged exposure to weather. At the same time, roofing profiles are
designed to be used one side up and may leak if installed the wrong
way. However, there are double-sided products available for
applications where the reverse side of the sheet will be visible.
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If I valley fix my roof sheeting, will I get a warranty?
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Can hail damage affect the life of my roof?
Generally, a metal roof will stand up well to hail storms. The roof sheeting will absorb the energy of the hail stone and remain structurally sound. However, indentations may occur along with loss of the paint topcoat.
In most cases indentations from hail stones do not affect the life of a COLORBOND® steel roof. The only causes of concern will arise from:
- low pitch roofs with significant hail indentations in the pans. This can lead to ponding and dirt accumulation, which may promote corrosion;
- low pitch roofs where sheet overlaps have been significantly deformed. The anti-capillary effect can be lost and water could be drawn into the sheet lap, resulting in corrosion.
In the event of ponding due to indentations or damage to sheet overlaps, the affected sheets should be replaced as soon as practicable to maintain the life of the roof. Loss of the paint topcoat arising from impact of hail stones will be an aesthetic issue only and will have no appreciable effect on the corrosion performance of the COLORBOND® steel roof.
Download Technical Bulletin TB 32 - Impact of hail damage to exterior BlueScope coated steel products.
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What causes my roof to creak and how can I stop it?
Temperature variations can cause pierce fixed metal roof sheeting to expand and contract, sometimes resulting in roof noise. This is more likely during rapid changes in the temperature caused by such things as heat from the morning sun, afternoon cooling, passing clouds or gusts of wind. What's the technical explanation? When movement is suppressed the stress in the sheet builds up and may exceed the frictional restraint. Energy is then released as noise associated with sheet movement. The level of noise depends on the frictional restraint. For most roofs there may be some minor creaking. However, when there is excessive thermal movement and poor installation practice, frictional forces can build up to create loud, sharp cracking noises. Although noise problems are rare, they are usually associated with dark coloured roofs fastened directly to timber. This is due to the friction characteristics of the steel-timber interface (increased noise if the timber is wet) and the fact that darker coloured sheeting is subject to greater expansion.
It's been found that the risk of this type of noise can be reduced by:
- using an insulation blanket with sarking between the sheeting and timber supports (this also provides heat insulation, a vapour barrier and reduces rain noise.);
- using steel battens to support the sheeting;
- using a reflective foil laminate between the sheeting and timber supports (this also provides heat insulation and a vapour barrier).
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How should I repair faded and chalking COLORBOND® steel?
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My roof, fence or gutter has rust like spots on it. What are these and how can I remove them?
You're probably looking at swarf stains. Swarf is the term given to the steel debris arising from cutting or piercing operations, and mostly comprises of fine steel particles mixed with abrasive, however, in this context swarf may also be taken to include any other discarded steel objects such as rivet shanks, nails, screws and nuts, which may come in contact with coated products such as COLORBOND® prepainted steel and ZINCALUME® zinc/aluminium alloy-coated steel.
Swarf particles, if left on the surface, will corrode and cause rust stains which will detract from the finished appearance of a project. These stains are often mistaken for early deterioration of the roofing and walling itself.
The following link contains a guide for removing mild and severe staining from prepainted steel sheet and metallic coated steel sheet.
Download Technical Bulletin TB 5 - Swarf Staining
