FAQs

The position of most commercial and industrial roofs mitigates the likelihood of roof glare because they are often high-set with a low pitch so they are rarely seen from the ground and the surface has very little impact. Roof glare complaints are commonly associated with mirrored sunlight causing a significant impact on visual amenity. In most Australian locations the path of the sun throughout the year is to the north of buildings. This means most of the mirrored reflection from a roof travels toward the south and above the roof. Therefore the area of concern for a commercial or industrial building is when a neighbouring residential area is directly to the south and above, overlooking the roof. In this instance a high gloss or bare metallic roof may not be appropriate.

Please see our Find a Supplier page and use the Supplier Locator to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia. To find overseas suppliers, please see our Office Locator.

Please see our Find a Supplier page and use the Supplier Locator to find your nearest ten suppliers anywhere in Australia. To find overseas suppliers, please see our Office Locator.

Adding more insulation is quite different from using COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel, which functions purely to stop heat getting in by keeping the roof cool. Insulation helps stop heat getting in and out of a roof. For a building that is mainly occupied and cooled during the day, it's an advantage to let it cool down overnight instead of keeping the warmth in with extra insulation.

Because COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel keeps the roof cooler it leads to less thermal stress on the roofing system and may help reduce local warming. This means that the intensity of a local urban heat island may be reduced (download our Urban Heat Island Technical Bulletin). On the other hand, increasing insulation leads to higher external roof temperatures.

For price comparisons, the material cost of insulation to achieve the same reduction in heat flow into a building is typically similar to the premium for COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel. This may not even take into account other factors. For instance, thicker insulation may be more difficult and costly to install, particularly if a roof spacer is required.

In combination with insulation, COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel roofing will allow you to achieve the highest possible cooling performance for your building.

Years of extensive testing have been completed to ensure COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel maintains all of the quality and durability benefits of COLORBOND® steel. This includes the assessment of physical properties, accelerated corrosion and outdoor exposure as well as consistent production capability.

Yes, please visit www.steelselect.com.au for information.

COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel is available in three introductory sizes: 0.42 x 940mm and 0.48 x 940mm for roofing, and 0.55 x 1200mm for accessories.

COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel is available in three sizes. The two roofing sizes are available on two weeks production lead time plus transit times. The accessory or flashing size is available on three weeks production lead time plus transit times. Please see our supplier list.

Yes. As with other bright and light-coloured materials, consideration should be given to visual amenity, particularly in hilly terrain where the roof can be viewed by neighbouring properties to the south and above.

No. In summer a lightweight roof made from COLORBOND® steel or ZINCALUME® steel causes less heat to be radiated into your home because it cools down faster at night. And in winter, the same steel roof, properly insulated, helps keep the heat inside. This can result in reduced cooling and heating costs.